The Best March Madness Performances of All Time

We will soon have "One Shining Moment" play us out after a myriad of fabulous athletes put on a show. That means it's the perfect time to reminisce about the best that ever was throughout the history of the NCAA tournament. 

Clutch moments, ridiculous stat lines and tournament domination are the name of the game here. We have compiled the best moments brought to us by some remarkable athletes. 

We are not just talking single-game performances here. These slides will include a myriad of things that pique our interest as sports fans. 

Whether it's one quarter of brilliance we will never forget or a whole month of startling perfection, we have you covered. 

There are going to be omissions, but I encourage you to speak up in the comments section with what you think should be included. There are also some perfect moments that need to be captured and remembered. There are some maestros in here who specialize in the fine art of the clutch. 

As we head into another beautiful month of engaging March Madness, let's remember the moments that make this time of year so special. 

Another great performance is just around the corner, but here are those that came before it.

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40. Darrell Hawkins vs. Holy Cross in 1993

Let's get the bad of this game out of the way, as Hawkins shot 2-of-12 from the field.

It was his tenacity that gets him a nod in this list, though. Hawkins ripped down 11 boards and shares the tournament record for steals with eight in this contest. 

39. Tim Duncan vs. Charleston in 1994

I had to include a sign of great things to come when Wake Forest took on Charleston in the opening round back in 1994. 

Tim Duncan had 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting in the Demon Deacons' win. It was his eight blocks that were the special part of this game, though, as Duncan just owned the paint. 

38. Glenn Robinson vs. Kansas in 1994

Purdue barely edged out Kansas in this 1994 Regional Semifinal Game.

Glenn Robinson was the big dog, delivering 44 points on 15-of-33 shooting. He demanded the ball and showed he could command a huge win for the Boilermakers. 

37. Carmelo Anthony vs. Kansas in 2003

Syracuse got its first national title and Carmelo Anthony proved he is truly a winner who can command the clutch. 

Anthony had a far more dominant game in the Final Four, which will be referenced in due time. We can't overlook this game, wherein he had 20 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. 

36. David Cain vs.Texas Tech in 1993

St. John's had limited success in the 1993 tournament.

However, one thing it will always have in the record books is one of seven triple-doubles ever to be recorded in the tournament. St. John's David Cain had 12 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. 

35. Grant Hill vs. California in 1993

California stunned Duke with an 82-77 second-round upset, but you can't say it was because of Grant Hill, who had 18 points and tied a tournament record for steals with eight. 

Hill did everything to get his team the win in this game, going so far as to make some history for his efforts. 

34. Fred Cohen vs. Connecticut in 1956

Temple beat UConn in the Regional Semifinal Game with 10 points from center Fred Cohen.

I am assuming this is not dominant enough for you. 

Well, Cohen also holds the record for rebounds in a tournament game—with 34. 

33. Sean Elliott vs. Oklahoma in 1988

Oklahoma ended up taking this game, which is the main reason Sean Elliott's dominance on the stat line gets ignored. 

The final score was Oklahoma 86, Arizona 78.

What is lost is Elliott's 31 points and 11 rebounds. 

32. Sam Cassell vs. Tulane in 1993

Florida State took down Tulane in this second-round game that saw one of the more remarkable feats of consistency. 

Sam Cassell had a record seven three-pointers without a miss. 

31. Gary Grant vs. North Carolina 1987

The Michigan Wolverine was unstoppable against the North Carolina Tar Heels, securing 24 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. 

Grant came off the bench to spur on the Wolverines, but it was a classic case of a brilliant game gone to waste. North Carolina won the second-round game, 109-97. 

30. Freddie Banks vs. Indiana in 1987

UNLV would lose this game, but it wasn't for a lack of offensive output from Freddie Banks. 

Banks dropped 38 points while setting a Final Four record with 10 three-pointers. He was lights-out, which is little consolation since UNLV was ousted despite the effort. 

29. Shane Battier vs. Arizona in 2001

He may be the NBA player we know most for doing the little things to help his team win, but in the 2001 final, Battier did everything to get the win. 

Battier played every single minute and took care of the ball, not once turning it over. He came away with 18 points, 11 boards and, more importantly, the title. 

28. Mark Wade vs. Indiana in 1987

We come back to the 1987 semifinal with one of the most unselfish performances in tournament history. 

Mark Wade set a Final Four record with 18 assists in UNLV's eventual loss. While he only had four points, I had to include one of the most prolific passing games ever. 

27. Draymond Green vs. UCLA in 2011

Draymond Green recorded just the seventh official triple-double in NCAA tournament history with 23 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. 

Although the Spartans lost to UCLA, 78-76, Green's effort saw the Spartans come back from a 26-point deficit in the game. He gave Michigan State hope and a reason to remember something fondly from this game. 

26. Jeff Fryer vs. Michigan in 1990

Jeff Fryer went off for the tournament record of 11 three-pointers en route to 41 points.

It was hardly a game, thanks to the barrage of threes as Loyola Marymount trounced Michigan, 149-115. 

25. Mateen Cleaves vs. Florida in 2000

Mateen Cleaves was tough as nails in the 2000 final when he came back from an ankle injury in the second half. 

On what had to be a sore ankle, Cleaves ignited a rally and ended the game shooting 7-of-11 from the field. He also went 3-of-4 from the three.  

Michigan State was once again a champion thanks to the heart and determination of Mateen Cleaves. 

24. Danny Manning vs. Oklahoma in 1988

Kansas won the 1988 final, and it was all because of the great Danny Manning. 

Manning went off for 31 points and 18 rebounds in the 83-79 win over Oklahoma, which gave the Jayhawks the championship. 

This is after a Final Four game where Manning collected six blocks against Duke. 

23. Andre Miller vs. Arizona in 1998

The Utah Utes faced the Arizona Wildcats in the West region finals.

Despite a star-studded Wildcats backcourt, Miller put on a show. He recorded a dominant triple-double of 18 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists.

Utah waxed Arizona, 76-51.

22. Sean May, North Carolina vs. Illinois in 2005

The North Carolina Tar Heels ended a dry spell that had lasted since 1993 when they took down Illinois in the 2005 finals. 

Sean May was Most Outstanding indeed. He had 26 points and 10 rebounds, but it was his efficiency that was remarkable, as he went 10-of-11 from the field. 

21. Juan Dixon vs. Kansas in 2003

Poor Kansas was on the other side of glory in this one. 

Juan Dixon was something special against Kansas in the 2003 Final Four. Maryland dispatched of the Jayhawks thanks to 33 points on 10-of-18 shooting from the floor. Dixon went to the line 11 times and only turned the ball over once. 

He made his presence felt all game and made sure Maryland would reach the all-important finals. 

20. Carmelo Anthony vs. Texas in 2003

Upset city, baby. 

Syracuse took down the favored Texas Longhorns as Carmelo Anthony did what he does best—score. 

Anthony dropped 33 points on 12-of-19 shooting to take down the No. 1-seeded Longhorns, 95-84.

19. Mario Chalmers vs. Memphis in 2008

Having 18 points and four steals may seem like a solid game, but nothing to write home about among the best who ever played. 

Consider that Mario Chalmers did it in the championship game, though. Mario's Miracle sent the game to overtime, where Kansas would win, 75-68. 

18. Keith Smart vs. Syracuse in 1987

The Indiana Hoosiers star was crucial to the victory over Syracuse in the final.

This is an instance when clutch reigns supreme. Smart lifted the Hoosiers when they needed it most, scoring 12 of Indiana's finals 15 points. He also happened to hit the final shot with mere seconds on the clock. 

Smart's 21 points were needed, but we will always remember that clutch shot. 

17. Austin Carr vs. Kentucky in 1970

Get used to this face, because he features heavily in the final 15 teams on this list.

Carr had 52 points on Kentucky, shooting 22-of-36 from the field. 

It was a losing effort, though, as Kentucky beat Notre Dame, 109-99.

16. Austin Carr vs. TCU in 1971

Yes, Carr dropped another 52 a year later when Notre Dame beat TCU. 

The remarkable part in all this is that Carr dropped this many points before the three-point line. Imagine if he had the long ball in his arsenal. 

15. Bo Kimble, Loyola Marymount vs. New Mexico State in 1990

Loyola Marymount ended up falling just short of the Final Four in 1990, but still had one of the most electric rosters. 

This was the season that was fueled by emotions as the team dealt with the loss of Hank Gathers. Bo Kimble opened up the tournament with 45 points, a performance that was needed to get the team moving forward during an awful time. 

14. Cole Aldrich vs. Dayton in 2009

We can't forget about Kansas Jayhawks big man Cole Aldrich, who was superb in one magical game against Dayton. 

Aldrich had 13 points, 20 rebounds and 10 blocked shots in the 60-43 victory. There was nobody better in college basketball on this night, as Aldrich was simply otherworldly. 

13. David Robinson vs. Michigan in 1987

David Robinson lived up to his label as The Admiral when he dropped 50 on the Wolverines. He very well would have made it in the top 10 with a stat line that read 22-of-37 FGs.

The reason he is not? Navy ended up losing the game, 97-82. 

12. Ed O'Bannon vs. Arkansas in 1995

You can't have a list of dominant games in the tournament and not include Ed O'Bannon's thorough thrashing of the Razorbacks. 

The UCLA star had 30 points and 17 rebounds en route to the Bruins' championship. 

11. Oscar Robertson vs. Arkansas in 1958

One of the greatest to ever play the game was on fire back in 1958. Robertson dominated Arkansas to the tune of 56 points on 21-of-36 FGs and 14-of-16 from the line. 

10. Austin Carr vs. Ohio in 1970

Austin Carr set the all-time scoring record for the tournament went he went off for 61 points. Forget that it was the first round—the guard was every bit Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant in this game. 

Ohio University was 21-4 coming in, but couldn't handle Carr in one of the most dominant efforts of any basketball game. 

9. Bill Bradley vs. Wichita State in 1965

Bill Bradley set a tournament record at the time with 58 points in an act of sheer brilliance. He would go on to win the tournament's Most Outstanding Player award.

Wichita State was an underdog coming in, but this feat is no less special because of it. 

8. Ty Lawson vs. Michigan State in 2009

Lawson had eight steals, tying a tournament record, and went to the line 18 times, sinking 15. He left it all on the floor on his way to 21 points and the championship. 

This game is far too underrated when you consider Lawson dominated the game with pure sweat and determination.  This isn't always about marquee names and superstars, after all. 

7. Shaquille O'Neal vs. BYU in 1992

Shaq was a beast among mere mortals and dominated BYU to the tune of 26 points and 13 rebounds.

As if to add salt to the wound, he also sent many a BYU player away in embarrassment with 11 blocks. 

The future Hall of Fame player had no equal in college and was the best player in this game by a mile. 

6. Magic Johnson vs. Pennsylvania in 1979

This game, from a pure statistical standpoint, trumped what Magic did later in the championship game.

The man who would rip off so many triple-doubles in the NBA got a magnificent one in the Final Four. His 29 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds were just a sign of things to come. 

5. Christian Laettner vs. Kentucky in 1992

Yes, we had to include the classic "shot" in the top five.

This performance was more than just one clutch moment—it was a culmination of an entire game that Laettner dominated. He had 31 points, seven rebounds and also went a perfect 11-of-11 from the line.

The man had ice in his veins and was locked in.

No idea what happened once he reached the NBA.

4. Dwyane Wade vs. Kentucky in 2003

We were put on notice that Dwyane Wade would dominate any court that features a hoop and a basketball after he tore apart Kentucky in the Elite Eight in 2003. 

Remember that the Wildcats were favorites coming in, and you see how special Wade's 29-point, 11-assist and 11-rebound triple-double truly was. 

Oh, and the king of hustle also had four blocked shots. 

3. Bill Russell vs. Iowa in 1956

Bill Russell is arguably the best teammate to ever play any sport. He was committed to the little things that helped teammates and was all about sacrifice for the win. 

However, in the championship game against Iowa, the San Francisco superstar simply dominated all on his own. He had 26 points and 27 rebounds. 

There is controlling the game, and there is this—which is in another class altogether. 

2. David Thompson vs. UCLA in 1974

The Bruins aren't always on the winning side of things. In 1974, just one year removed from the title, they were on the losing end of a brilliant feat. 

David Thompson had a double-double in this Final Four game that featured a clutch block of the legendary Bill Walton. 

Thompson's 28 points and 10 boards had N.C. State getting over the most storied program in college basketball. 

1. Bill Walton vs. Memphis State in 1973

The greatest performance in all of March Madness history goes to Bill Walton, who took down Memphis State with a remarkable performance that will never be forgotten. 

Not only did Walton get 44 points and 13 rebounds but he also shot 21-of-22 from the field. His dominance was made all the more special by doing it when it mattered. 

Walton combines everything we hold dear as sports fans in that he was prolific, consistent and clutch. It was the perfect storm that gave UCLA the title.