NCAA Tournament 2011: Top Jaw Dropping Moments From the First Week

With the completion of the third round of games on Sunday, the NCAA tournament has the first week of games officially under its belt.

The tournament certainly did not go according to plan for most teams.  There were no doubt some upsets, but it will be the controversies and play of certain teams that will be talked about way after these tournament games are over.  

Here is a list of the top five jaw dropping moments thus far into the 2011 NCAA tournament. 

No. 5 Virginia Tech, Colorado and the Tournament Snub

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KANSAS CITY, MO - MARCH 11: Alec Burks #10 of the Colorado Buffaloes reacts to a play during their semifinal game against the Kansas Jayhawks in the 2011 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament at Sprint Center on March 11, 2011 in Kansas City, Mi

With five wins over the tournament field, the Colorado Buffaloes were probably considered the biggest snub of the NCAA hopefuls.  Joining the Buffs in their misery was Virginia Tech.  With wins over tournament teams such as Penn State, Florida State and Duke, most experts were well assured that the Hokies would get a tournament bid.

Meanwhile a UAB team with just one top fifty win got one of the last at large bids, and were promptly decimated by the Clemson Tigers in the opening round of the tournament.  While another bubble team, the VCU Rams, ran away with glory. 

No. 4 the VCU Rams and the Run

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CHICAGO, IL - MARCH 20: Rob Brandenberg #23 of the Virginia Commonwealth Rams reacts in the second half against the Purdue Boilermakers during the third round of the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament at the United Center on March 20, 2011 in Chicago,

Six wins in the NCAA tournament used to get you crowned as the National Champion of men's college basketball.  If that held true today then the VCU Rams would be halfway there.

A team highly scrutinized entering the tournament, the Rams have reeled off three straight wins versus perennial tournament teams USC, Georgetown and Purdue.

To put the icing on the cake, the member of the Colonial Athletic Conference not only beat Georgetown and Purdue, but beat them handily by 18 points each.

No. 3 Venoy Overton and the Three Seconds Away for the Washington Huskies

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CHARLOTTE, NC - MARCH 20: Venoy Overton #1 of the Washington Huskies throws up a shot from half court with under five seconds remaining in the game over Kendall Marshall #5 of the North Carolina Tar Heels during the third round of the 2011 NCAA men's bas

Down three points to North Carolina, Venoy Overton pulled up from half court with a last second desperation shot.  The problem, however, was there were three seconds left on the clock when he put the shot up.  Instead of driving another 15-20 feet for a better shot, Overton's effort went well short of the target.  

Overton almost got redemption as his last second shot erroneously went off the hands of UNC's John Henson allowing Washington to put up one more last second desperation shot.  A shot that was also no good, allowing North Carolina to move onto the Sweet Sixteen.

No. 2 Corey Joseph and the Five Seconds That Never Was

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TULSA, OK - MARCH 20: Jordan Hamilton #3 of the Texas Longhorns reacts at the end of their 70-69 loss to the Arizona Wildcats in the third round of the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament at BOK Center on March 20, 2011 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by T

Up 69-67 with 13 seconds left on the clock, the Texas Longhorns were virtually assured of a win over the Arizona Wildcats in the third round of the NCAA tournament.  However after a defensive stop and a called timeout by Texas, Longhorn guard Cory Joseph was unable to inbound the ball and was credited with a turnover.  Replay of the sequence of events showed the Texas guard signing for a timeout clearly before the five seconds was called.  

On the ensuing play, Arizona's Derrick Williams proceeded to finish a three-point play to put the Wildcats up one point, moving them into the Sweet Sixteen.

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No.1 the Debacle in D.C.: Pitt's Crushing Loss to Butler

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WASHINGTON - MARCH 19: Members of the Pittsburgh basketball team including Nasir Robinson #35, Ashton Gibbs #12; and Brad Wanamaker#22 walk off the court following their loss against Butler in the third round of the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament

Hollywood couldn't have scripted an ending quite like the one pitting Butler and Pittsburgh in the thrd round of the NCAA tournament.  Little boys play-out scenarios like this in their minds while playing basketball in their front driveways.  Fans sit at home watching games like this thinking of a thousand ways how their team can come back to pull out a win.

With three seconds left in the game, Andrew Smith's shot put Butler up by one point.  Game over right? Nope!  

On the ensuing play Butler's Shelvin Mack fouled Pitt's Gilbert Brown as he was driving pass half court. With one second left on the clock, Brown hit the first free throw.  Brown's second free throw hit off the left side of the rim into the auspicious hands of Butler's Matt Howard.  During the play, Howard was fouled by Pitt's Nasir Robinson, thus giving Howard a chance to net the game winning points for his team in consecutive games.  

The game winning free throw gave Butler their second consecutive Sweet Sixteen appearance.