NCAA Tournament
The Louisville Cardinals won the 2013 NCAA Men's Basketball Championship with a victory over the Michigan Wolverines. Reuters

The NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament is one of the most anticipated sporting events each and every year. With college basketball continuing to grow and numerous athletes gaining exposure through their successes on the hardwoods, ‘March Madness’ remains a must-watch for even the smallest of college hoops fans. Legendary names such as Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and John Wooden along with historical programs including UCLA, North Carolina, Michigan State and Indiana have helped the storied tournament blossom into an annual phenomenon and the 2014 version of the dance has been no different.

Thanks to the tremendous play of the Florida Gators, Wisconsin Badgers, Connecticut Huskies and Kentucky Wildcats, the 2014 NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament holds one of the most intriguing Final Four’s in recent memory. No. 1 Florida is set to battle upstart UConn, who took down perennial powers in Villanova, Iowa State and Michigan State to reach the National Semifinals as a No. 7 seed while No. 2 Wisconsin triumphed over talented squads in Oregon, Baylor and top-seeded Arizona to reach this point in the tournament as well. Now set to face No. 8 Kentucky – who defeated previously undefeated Wichita State and defending National Champion Louisville on its way to the Final Four, the Badgers hope they have enough for one more fight in order to reach the title game.

While celebrating the moments at hand is certainly a major part of the NCAA Tournament, remembering the past is also crucial in order to honor the history and tradition that helped shape the collegiate event into what it is today. Memories from Jim Valvano’s classic run to the championship in 1983 with North Carolina State and Christian Laettner’s miracle shot to lift Duke past Kentucky in the 1993 East Regional final still sit as legendary occurrences and while they certainly stand out due to the magnitude of the moment, numerous additional snapshots from the past have had a lasting impact on the game of basketball as well.

With that being said, here’s a look at the Top 10 Moments in NCAA Tournament history.

10. Bryce Drew Lifts Valpo Past Ole Miss

Entering the 1998 tournament as the No. 13 seed in the Midwest Region, Valparaiso wasn’t expected to do much damage in the field of 64. Thanks to a last-second, thrilling and emotional buzzer-beating shot from Bryce Drew against No. 4 Ole Miss however, the Crusaders were able to move past their first round opponents and beyond. Following the opening round win, Valpo took down Florida State in the Round of 32 before falling to Rhode Island in the Sweet 16.

9. Chris Webber’s Infamous Timeout

Down two with 11 seconds left in the 1993 National Championship game, Chris Webber and Michigan had possession with a chance to win or tie against North Carolina. Initially getting away with a travel upon the inbound play, Webber preceded to dribble toward the Wolverines bench where he called a timeout. The only problem with that was Michigan was out of TO’s. The result: a technical foul and eventual defeat for Michigan.

8. Duke Takes Down Undefeated UNLV

Placed in the 1991 NCAA Tournament as the No. 2 seed in the midwest, the Duke Blue Devils hoped to make a strong run. Reaching the semifinal in Indianapolis, the Blue Devils were matched up against undefeated UNLV, who entered with a 34-0 record. Thanks to consistent play and clutch free throw shooting by Christian Laettner, the Dukies were able to knock off the Runnin’ Rebels, propelling them to the championship game, a contest they’d win two days later.

7. George Mason Goes On Magical Run

While most had UConn penciled in as their 2006 National Champion, not many saw the Final Four run No. 11-seeded George Mason would go on. Taking down perennial powers in Michigan State, North Carolina and Connecticut on their way to the national semifinals, head coach Jim Larranaga’s squad gave NCAA basketball fans something to remember, even if they did fall to eventual champion Florida in the Final Four.

6. Mario Chalmers Leads Kansas To Title

Down 9 with 2:12 remaining in the 2008 National Championship Game, the Kansas Jayhawks saw their title hopes slipping away. After cutting the deficit to 63-60 with 10 seconds remaining however, Kansas had a chance to send the game to overtime. Thanks to a Mario Chalmers three-pointer from the right side, the Jayhawks were able to take down the Tigers in overtime, 75-68.

5. Villanova Takes Down G’Town

Advancing all the way to the 1985 National Championship Game as a No. 8 seed was an impressive accomplishment but most felt Villanova’s dream run would end against top-seeded Georgetown. With top-level talents in Patrick Ewing and David Wingate on the roster, the Hoyas were viewed as a heavy favorite, but thanks to the play of Final Four MVP Ed Pinckney and forward Dwayne McClain, the Wildcats halted Georgetown’s run to claim the 1985 title 66-64.

4. UTEP’s Historic 1966 Season Ends With A Championship

While there have certainly been monumental moments in college and professional sports, one of the most important feats took place in 1966. The first team to ever start five African-American players, Don Haskins’ 1966 UTEP Miners carved a new piece into college basketball history thanks to their coach’s ability to look past the laws of racial inequality. Losing just once during the regular season, the Miners advanced to the 1966 National Championship where they’d defeat No. 1 Kentucky 72-65 to claim the sport’s top honor.

3. Johnson vs. Bird, 1979

Though their rivalry would really blossom in the NBA throughout the 1980’s, the 1979 National Championship showdown between Magic Johnson’s Michigan State Spartans and Larry Bird’s Indiana State Sycamores served as a great prerequisite for the legendary match-ups that followed. Sure Magic got the best of Bird by a 75-64 count in this game, but Bird would eventually take down his rival in the 1984 NBA Finals by leading the Boston Celtics past the Los Angeles Lakers in 7 games.

2. Christian Laettner’s Heroics Lead Duke By Kentucky

One of the most memorable shots in NCAA Tournament history, Christian Laettner’s game-winning basket against the Kentucky Wildcats in the 1992 East Regional final helped propel Duke to the NCAA Championship. The poise shown by Laettner while in the act of shooting after catching a lengthy pass helped further stitch his legacy as one of the greatest players in the history of college basketball.

1. Jimmy V and NC State Cut Down The Nets

Up against a loaded Houston Cougars team that featured future Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famers Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler, the 1983 North Carolina State men’s basketball team wasn’t expected to win the title. Thanks to a thrilling last second basket however, head coach Jim Valvano and company were able to celebrate one of the most unlikely outcomes in NCAA Tournament history.

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