The Greatest Buzzer Beaters In March Madness History

There are few things in sports more memorable than a buzzer beater. Whether your team is on the winning end or the losing end of a last second shot, it's something you'll remember forever. There is nothing more memorable than a buzzer beater in the NCAA tournament. 

During March Madness every last second shot nailed is the realization of a dream for one team, and a horrific nightmare for the other. There are no second chances in this one and done tournament and so losing on the last play will still for a long time. 

The good fortune of college basketball fans have been treated to their fair share of buzzer beaters in the NCAA tournament. All with different stakes and all heartbreaking and heroic just the same. So here are a look at the all time greatest buzzer beaters in tournament history. 

20. BYU Vs. Notre Dame 1981

BYU was the underdog coming into this Sweet 16 game. Notre Dame had a start studded team and looked poised to make a run at the National Championship. But Notre Dame, and head coach Digger Phelps would underachieve once again in the tournament. 

The Irish were up with under a minute to play, then BYU drained a shot and Notre Dame responded with eight seconds left on the clock. What happened next was appalling for the Notre Dame defense. 

The inbounds pass to Danny Ainge let him go coast to coast for an easy layup. 

This moment ranks lowest on the list because of the awful Irish defense and the fact that it wasn't truly a buzzer beater as Notre Dame had time to throw up a desperation half court heave. 

19. Indiana Vs. Syracuse 1987 (The Shot)

Indiana squared off against Syracuse in the 1987 Final Four. These two teams, led by hall of fame coaches fought a hotly contested battle. 

Indiana brought the ball up the court with less than 30 seconds on the clock. From there they were able to get Keith Smart a decent look at the basket and he drains a jumper with five ticks left. 

Inexplicably Syracuse doesn't call a time out until there is a second left on the clock. 

Again, not the true definition of a buzzer beater, but enough to bring the crowd to it's feet in much the same fashion. From that moment on, Keith Smart would own the college version of "The Shot"

18. Connecticut Vs. Clemson 1990

This is a shot that rivals Laettner's last second winner against Kentucky. The only problem was that it shouldn't have counted. 

With exactly one second left on the clock, the Huskies heave a pass three quarters of the length of the court where Tate George turns and drains a jumper as the clock had expired. 

In quick view it looks as if there was time, but had the NCAA had a last second replay the way they do now, they would have had to waive it off as it left his hands just a touch or two late. Still, UConn played by the rules and they earned the victory. Even if it wasn't fair or square. 

17. Northwestern State Vs. Iowa 2006

We have come to learn that in the month of March, anything is possible in college basketball. The Northwestern State Demons were only invited to the dance because of an auto-bid, but they decided to make the most of it anywhere. 

Their opponent was the powerhouse three seed Iowa Hawkeyes. As expected the Hawkeyes had held them in check all day, exerting their force until Northwestern mounted a bit of a comeback. They were down just two with a few seconds remaining. They had one chance left and they made good on it. After their first three attempt missed, they got the ball back down in the corner and hit a shot to put them ahead. 

In their celebration Iowa did get a chance to take a desperation three from decent range, but it fell just short and gave the Northwestern State Demons a memorable first round upset. 

16. Western Kentucky Vs. Drake 2008

This game had one of the more confounding finished in NCAA tournament history. With Western Kentucky down by one in overtime with 5.4 seconds left on the clock, you can hear the announcers talk about the day that Brazelton has had. 

As soon as they mention that the ball shouldn't be in his hands (if you are smart like Drake should have been) and the first guy they give it to is Brazelton, uncontested. He runs up the court and finds Rogers in the corner who drains a long three to give Western Kentucky the win at the buzzer. 

15. Florida Vs. Butler 2000

They called the play the "Homerun" and that's exactly what it was for Mike Miller and the Florida Gators. 

This shot was very simple. It called for Florida's best player, Mike Miller, to create his own shot. This, as many heat fans know, something he's not good at doing in the pros. 

Still, Miller was able to get into the line and get his shot up their. It's a game that will live on forever in Florida, and could be the shining moment of Mike Miller's career. 

14. Texas Vs. West Virginia 2006

When West Virginia hit a clutch three with a few ticks on the clock to tie it at 71, there were plenty of people figuring that it was going to go to overtime. 

However, just as time expired, Kenton Paulino drains a three to give the Texas Longhorns the win. 

13. UCLA Vs. Missouri 1995

UCLA won the National Championship in 1995 but had it not been for the instruction of UCLA coach Jim Harrick, there may have been no title at all. 

After Missouri went up 74-73, UCLA called a timeout and Harrick made very clear of his instructions in the huddle. Tyus Edney was to take the final shot. There were no alternatives, there were no secondary shooters. UCLA was going to ride their hopes on Edney's shoulders. 

Maybe a terrible move at the time to put so much pressure on him, but in retrospect it was brilliant as Edney drained the layup and UCLA moved on. 

12. Georgetown Vs. Weber State 1995

You might see more exciting buzzer beaters, or you might see more improbable buzzer beaters, but you won't see a more unique buzzer beater than this Georgetown buzzer beater to knock off Weber State in 1995.

As the Hoyas came down with one shot left, Iverson came up short, but miraculously the shot was caught by Don Reid and put back in for the win. There are many iconic moments in the history of Georgetown, but none may be more iconic than that finish.  

11. Valparaiso Vs. Mississippi State 1998

Bryce Drew never amounted to the pro player that he was in college. As a matter of fact, there are those who would call him an utter disappointment. However, the Valparaiso star did have plenty of shining moments in his college days. 

In this first round matchup against Ole Miss, Valpo counted on Drew to make a clutch 23 footer with just seconds to go in the fourth quarter. Drew, the teams best player by far, took it upon himself to answer the call and delivered with this iconic round one moment. 

10. Villanova Vs. Pittsburgh 2009

In a game that would be back and forth from tip off to final shot, Villanova needed a perfectly drawn up play to win against the number one seed Pitt Panthers. 

So when Nova needed just one basket, they put it in the hands of someone they knew could penetrate the way they needed him to. They got Scottie Reynolds to take the shot and he hits a runner as time expires. 

It's those moments that make March Madness memorable. 

9. Duke Vs. Connecticut 1990

The reason this last second shot ranks so high on the list of all time buzzer beaters was that it was the first shot in Laettner's unmatched college career as an assassin. 

The irony was that UConn, would had some of  their own last second heroics in the tournament up to that point would have to experience that for themselves. 

But when it came crunch time Laettner was just too much for the Huskies to handle. The only bad news for Duke is they would go on to face UNLV in the NCAA Championship game and get blown out of the gym. 

8. Tennessee Vs. Winthrop 2008

If it wasn't for Chris Lofton, the hero for Tennessee, their NCAA run would have been nothing short of an embarrassment. 

In 2006 Tennessee had finally found themselves back on the map for college hoops. They went into the tournament as a two seed and found themselves on the verge of elimination as Winthrop came in and played out of their heads. 

It looked as if the Vols season was going to be a laughing stock, but what it turned out to be was a time for Chris Lofton to be the hero and rescue the program from embarrassment. So as time was running out he nails a game winning three to end Winthrop's hopes. 

7. Gonzaga Vs. Western Kentucky 2009

Much like Tennessee, Gonzaga was dangerously close to suffering an embarrassing defeat. However, it was a drive in the lane that served to be the difference in this game. 

6. Arkansas Vs. Louisville 1981

As Louisville hit the shot to put them ahead, Arkansas had to call a time out. There was no question they were up against it and would have barely a chance to make it to half court. 

The gamble for Arkansas was to see if they should press them and risk a foul, or let them inbounds it and hope they can't run fast enough to get their shot off from a decent stretch.

They allowed Arkansas to bring the ball in cleanly and with a tick on the clock they heaved up an incredible half court shot that sent Louisville home losers. 

5. Connecticut Vs. Washington 1998

Rip Hamilton was the hero and the Huskies inability to rebound turned out to be the goat. 

The Huskies needed one last shot and they got three. As time was running out the huskies got themselves three different looks at the rim, but it wasn't until Rip Hamilton was falling away that they were able to get the win. 

4. Maryland Vs.UNC Wilmington 2003

Maryland needed a last second shot to beat UNC Wilmington and that's exactly what they got. 

As they found themselves trailing 73-72, they pushed the ball up the floor to take one final shot. They push the ball up the floor as Drew Nicolas took a last second shot. 

3. Georgia Tech Vs. USC 1995

Here's the set up:

0.8 seconds left on the clock and Georgia Tech will have one final shot. What's next is an iconic call that fans have been hearing every March.

It was an improbable shot in a key moment. It's what the tournament is all about.  

2. NC State Vs. Houston 1983

The odds didn't look good for Jim Valvano's NC State team as they went in to play Akeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler's Phi Slamma Jamma Houston team. 

The game was supposed to be a blow out, but NC State had made it a habit of hanging in their all season and when they got their shot to throw up a last second three it fell short. 

But lucky for the team nicknamed "The Cardiac kids" that Lorenzo Charles was there. Turning a missed three into an ally-oop, Charles hit the game winning and game the scrappy NC State a national title. 

1. Duke Vs. Kentucky 1992

If you are a Kentucky fan, you should stop here and avoid pressing play. 

There is not one shot in the history of college basketball that was more painful than Christian Laettner hitting the game winner against Kentucky. 

The shot was part of a desperation play. The idea was to throw the inbounds pass all the way to the free throw line. At that point it was up to Laettner, one of the most hated players in college basketball, to turn and hit a hit jumper. 

Laettner had made a habit out of coming up big in the clutch and he didn't disappoint the Duke nation. 

To this day Kentucky fans can't watch the replay, and it serves as a testament to the iconic moments that are created during March Madness.