68 links to cure March Sadness: Stories, players, and moments to enjoy while hoops takes a break.
For the first time ever our March will not have madness.
The arenas will be empty, floors will not be played on, balls will not be bouncing but instead of brackets being busted, our hearts are broken. Due to the ongoing coronavirus that is impacting the world, the NCAA has decided to cancel both Men’s and Women’s NCAA Tournaments for this year.
So, what are we going to do for the next couple of weeks without college basketball at a championship-level” It’s times like these that my years of watching, researching and learning about the sport can give us somewhat of a normal experience.
Here’s 68 things you can do to feed your college basketball fix while we’re without the tournament for this year (this year only, hopefully).
Why 68?
68 teams, 68 wonderful movies, games, articles, and memories to help you through the sadness in March. I would like to point out that this is in no particular order so just sit back and enjoy a slice of comfort clicking that I’ve helped create. With that being said, let’s tip this thing off.
No. 68: Read about Houston and UCLA helping bring college basketball into the big time. From their first game at the Astrodome to the rematch in the national semifinal en route to another national title for John Wooden’s UCLA squad.
No. 67: John Wooden won a title in 1967, but here’s a wonderful feature from SI’s tribute issue to the coach from 2010.
No. 66: In 1966, the Texas Western starting lineup of all black players took the floor in the national title game vs. Kentucky. The moment, and that team’s journey is featured in the Disney movie “Glory Road”, you can watch that on Disney+
No. 65: In more recent times, a surprising Cinderella story was VCU who was one of the last teams in the field in 2011 marched from the First Four to the Final Four.
No. 64: In 1981, BYU stunned Notre Dame to reach the regional final after a Danny Ainge full on full-court sprint to the basket to put a layup in the basket to beat the buzzer.
No. 63: Defending Champion UCLA loses a heart-breaker in the 1996 NCAA Tournament to the Princeton Tigers on a vintage Princeton “backdoor cut”.
No. 62: He never made a major impact in March, but Shaq is still unforgettable for his time at LSU.
No. 61: Len Bias is one of the greatest players to suit up at college basketball’s height in the 1980s, sadly after he was drafted he died of a tragic overdose shortly after being drafted. ESPN’s 30 for 30, “Without Bias” is an amazing film that you can see on ESPN+.
No. 60: One of the greatest “what-ifs” in college basketball history happened in 2000 with Kenyon Martin breaking his leg shortly before the 2000 NCAA Tournament, how many things changed had he stayed healthy and played in the NCAA Tournament?
No. 59: Another what-if, but with more tragic circumstances. In 1990, Loyola Marymount’s Hank Gathers passed away just before the NCAA Tournament. ESPN’s “Guru of Go” chronicles the LMU squad and the legacy of Gathers that remains powerful to this day.
No. 58: UConn’s Geno Auriemma and his star point guard Diana Taurasi shared such a special relationship during their time in Storrs, CT. That was chronicled in this preseason feature from Sports Illustrated.
No. 57: He was the contentious, cantankerous and volatile head coach of the Indiana Hoosiers. ESPN’s 30 for 30 on Bobby Knight’s final days at Indiana are showcased in “The Last Days of Knight” on ESPN+.
No. 56: It’s March, it’s the NCAA Tournament, gotta have the upsets!
No. 55: There is no greater day of upsets than March 14, 1981 when three title contenders all went down in the second round. DePaul, Oregon State, and defending Champion Louisville all lost in dramatic fashion. SI focuses on the day from this article in 2012.
No. 54: Sure, why not another upset. Maybe the greatest upset in a title game ever? Untouchable and defending champion Georgetown facing upstart and fellow Big East member Villanova. Of all the days, on April Fools Day it was Villanova who pulled off the stunning upset.
No. 53: Was Villanova’s 1985 title historic? Absolutely. Was it the most dramatic win in Villanova history? Nope, that happened in 2016. Can you say, national championship buzzer beater?
No. 52: It was six overtimes, one of the longest games in college basketball history and it happened at one of the meccas of the sport. UConn and Syracuse go to six overtimes in the Big East Tournament.
No. 51: Three seasons earlier, another great Syracuse moment occurred as the Orange finally reached the pinnacle of college basketball with Carmelo Anthony leading the way to a national championship.
No. 50: The scene was set, Butler was going to pull off a “Hoosiers-like” upset of the Duke Blue Devils in the National Title Game. If you watch close enough, you still think Gordon Hayward’s last-second heave will go in.
No. 49: In 2007, merely in the span of just a few days Kevin Durant’s performances vs Kansas remains some of the best single game efforts in recent memory. First was a 25-point first half performance at Kansas and the second was a 37 point, 10-rebound effort in the Big 12 title game.
No. 48: 2007 was also the last season we saw a team win back to back titles in men’s basketball. The Florida Gators became a surprise in 2006 but then validated their greatness in 2007 led by names like Noah, Horford, and Brewer.
No. 47: Video Games! If you’re like me and other millennials, video games are part of your life in some way. Although it’s been a decade without a fresh college hoops game, games like College Hoops 2K8 and NCAA Basketball 10 have given fans the opportunity to keep those college hoops games alive. If you go searching, you may be able to find some of the last relics from Xbox and PlayStation systems of the past.
No. 46: The 2015 Final Four may have been the last great Final Four in recent memory. You had an undefeated Kentucky squad looking to make history. Wisconsin and Duke both had great teams as well, then you had Michigan State who was a bit of surprise in the loaded field. After Duke took down Michigan State, Kentucky and Wisconsin played a classic just like the year before but it was the Badgers who stunned the college basketball world by upsetting the Wildcats and ruining their perfect season.
In the title game, the freshman-led Duke Blue Devils bested the veteran Badgers and Coach K would capture his fifth national title victory. You could easily spend a nice afternoon watching both semifinals and the title game. Disappointment will not be in the atmosphere. Ok, maybe if you aren’t a Duke fan.
No. 45: I’d make a case that one of the greatest profiles ever written for Sports Illustrated was Frank DeFord’s piece on Indiana’s Bob Knight from 1981. Although he’s been successful, this feature gives a peek into the early stages of what turned out to be a complicated legacy.
No. 44: It is one of my favorite ESPN films ever and it’s always a quality viewing. It’s the Fab 5’s 30 for 30. So good.
No. 43: Perhaps, he’s the greatest college basketball player to never play in the NCAA Tournament. Pete Maravich’s run in college basketball was just before the TV boom and national exposure of the game. He’s a myth, legend, and icon all rolled into one. Here’s some highlights and a feature from SI on “The Pistol”.
No. 42: Some call it the greatest national title game performance of all time. Bill Walton went almost perfect in the 1973 title game vs. Memphis State, the red-headed hippie scored 44 points on 21-of-22 shooting from the field. In this era, a game like that may never be seen again.
No. 41: Up until North Carolina in 2009, no other team had stepped into the national title game and completely embarrassed their opponent like UNLV did to Duke in the 1990 title game with a 103-73 win. Here’s a look at just how bad the Runnin Rebels ran Duke off the floor. Duke would have to wait a while to get some revenge, in about a year or so…
No. 40: Just recently, HBO released a fantastic documentary on one of the great landmark teams in women’s college basketball. “Women of Troy” chronicles the USC Women’s Basketball team from the 1980’s led by Cheryl Miller.
No. 39: Before he became Flash at the Miami Heat, Dwyane Wade came into America’s scope with his triple-double performance vs. Kentucky in the 2003 Midwest Regional Final. Where would we be without that performance remains one of the more underrated basketball moments in the last 20 years.
No. 38: Players staying more than two to three years is a rarity in the college game in this era.
In 2000, Michigan State’s Mateen Cleaves capped off his senior season with a national title and the image of he and head coach Tom Izzo after the title game is still iconic.
No. 37: March. Madness. Buzzer Beaters. Enough said.
No. 36: If there is a Mt. Rushmore of Duke’s most hated players, Christian Laettner and this guy hold the first two spots. Here’s SI’s 2006 profile on the Wooden Award winner, JJ Redick.
No. 35: Having not won a title since 1988, the Kansas Jayhawks needed another miracle to win their third national title in school history. Instead of Danny and the Miracles, it was Mario’s Miracle. Memphis fans, look away.
No. 34: THAT is how you leave your mark. In 1977, Marquette’s charismatic head coach Al McGuire had a grand send off with his Marquette Warriors defeating North Carolina in the 1977 National Title Game. SI did a great job chronicling the night that Al left the building.
No. 33: Indiana’s last championship came in dramatic fashion as Keith Smart’s baseline jumper with seconds left won the 1987 national title for the Hoosiers.
No. 32: College Basketball’s greatest fraternity? It would be Phi Slamma Jamma, you can watch the Houston Cougars reach three-straight Final Fours in ESPN’s 30 for 30.
No. 31: Without this game, you don’t have the sport where it is today. Indiana State’s Larry Bird against Michigan State’s Magic Johnson, meeting up in the highest rated college basketball game TO THIS DAY back in 1979. This game is purely out of central casting. Watch how Magic’s Spartans took down Bird’s Sycamores and brought the college game into the big time.
No. 30: After losing in ‘82 and falling short in ‘83, the Georgetown Hoyas finally claimed a national title in Seattle as they took down the Houston Cougars. Coach John Thompson and star center Patrick Ewing get their moment in the sun.
No. 29: He was only at Duke for one season, but you know what? I miss Zion Williamson, and you do too.
No. 28: The moment the sports world fell in love with Gus, the 2006 Sweet 16 showdown between Gonzaga and UCLA produced an iconic Gus Johnson moment.
No. 27: Loyola-Chicago reached the Final Four for the first time since 1963 and it wasn’t a player or a coach that stole America’s hearts. It was a nun named Sister Jean that captured college basketball fans and she gave the love back in the sweetest way.
No. 26: It almost seems fitting and appropriate that we use these words, especially in March of 2020. “Survive and Advance”, the tale of Jim Valvano’s NC State run and 1983 title-winning squad is a must-see on ESPN+.
No. 25: “40 Minutes of Hell” halts a third Duke national title in four seasons as Scottie Thurman’s jumper with just seconds left in the game gives Nolan Richardson his first and only national title.
No. 24: In back to back seasons, both Wichita State Shockers and Kentucky Wildcats put together undefeated seasons entering the NCAA Tournament. In 2014, Wichita State was taken down by Kentucky as the Wildcats moved onto the 2014 Final Four. In some ironic twist of fate, the next season Kentucky’s quest to cap an undefeated season went up in smoke after a loss to Wisconsin in the national semifinal.
No. 23: Another great highlight reel to watch is Kansas State’s Michael Beasley. He stayed one season in Manhattan, KS but he made it a memorable one.
No. 22: You can make a strong case that the best play for UCLA since the last John Wooden championship in 1975 is Tyus Edney’s mad dash to the basket in the 1995 NCAA Tournament. Here’s Edney talking about the moment recently.
No. 21: 2011 was the year of Kemba, UConn’s Kemba Walker took the Huskies squad on his back and carried them to a national championship. His most iconic play came just a few weeks earlier in the Big East Tournament. Cardiac Kemba stuns Pitt.
No. 20: In 2008, Davidson’s Steph Curry carried Davidson to upsets over Georgetown, Gonzaga, and Wisconsin before falling short to Kansas in the Midwest Regional Final. Here’s a look burst onto the national scene vs. Georgetown.
No. 19: At the end of his career, Dean Smith was Sports Illustrated’s Sportsman of the Year in 1997. Read the piece from SI’s Alexander Wolff on the legendary UNC head coach.
No. 18: Almost a full year after getting blasted by 30 points against UNLV in the 1990 title game, Duke returned to the Final Four in 1991 to meet the Runnin’ Rebels in the national semifinal. UNLV came into the game undefeated and looked to make history on two fronts. The first was going back to back for the first time since UCLA in the 1970s, the second one was going undefeated for the first time since Indiana in 1976.
Here’s a look at one of the more transitional moments in college basketball history that saw Duke take down their personal Goliath in the national semifinal back in 1991.
No. 17: Most casual college basketball fans remember the 1966 Texas Western team that helped break the color barrier in college basketball starting an all-black starting five in the title game. But did you know that another team was just as iconic in 1963? Loyola-Chicago broke ranks with the “gentleman’s agreement” among coaches and made black players a majority of their starting lineup. On their way to the championship in ‘63, the Ramblers took down four top-10 teams including No. 1 Cincinnati in the title game.
Their accomplishments should stand on the same level as the ‘66 Texas Western team as true barrier-breakers in the college game. Here is a feature from March of 2003 in Sports Illustrated.
No. 16: Since the 1-16 seeding process began in 1985, no No. 16 seed had ever defeated a No. 1 seed. There were close calls (Princeton in 1989), but no team had ever done the unthinkable, until University of Maryland, Baltimore County took out the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament. Here’s a look back at the historical dismantling by the Retrievers .
No. 15: Maybe the greatest era for any basketball conference was the Big East in the 1980s and 90s. Watch Requiem for the Big East on ESPN+.
No. 14: Is he the most hated college basketball player of all time? Yes, without question. Christian Laettner’s the most decorated college basketball player ever but at the same time he helped elevate Duke into a dynasty and embrace the villain role. ESPN’s 30 for 30 on the Duke star is a must watch.
No. 13: In what was a pretty amazing game, April 5 1993 is a dark day for Michigan fans. With a chance to win the ballgame, Chris Weber made perhaps the biggest blunder in college basketball history by calling a timeout when the Wolverines had none. Take a look at the game, and the moment between Michigan and North Carolina in the 1993 NCAA title game.
No. 12: It isn’t the tournament’s greatest upset but in 2010, Kansas walked into the NCAA Tournament as a somewhat heavy favorite to reach the Final Four. In the second round of the tournament, Ali Farokhmanesh drained one of the most clutch shots in college basketball history to take down top-seeded KU.
No. 11: I’m not sure there has been a more dramatic comeback than Illinois had vs. Arizona in 2005. In the heart of Chicago, a virtual home game for the Illini but found themselves down 15 points with four minutes left in the ballgame. The nation’s top team stormed back to upset the Wildcats and move onto the 2005 Final Four with an 90-89 win.
No. 10: There’s elements to the movie Blue Chips that are so accurate you almost want to believe that the Western University Dolphins are a real team. Plenty of streaming services have the iconic basketball film playing. Shaq, Penny, Nick Nolte and plenty of more basketball stars make this movie worth watching.
No. 9: Women’s basketball isn’t what it is without Pat Summitt, the iconic head coach at Tennessee was tough and demanding but also had such an intriguing story. This feature from SI’s Gary Smith shines a light on a coach in the heart of her prime.
No. 8: There was a time that each conference had one team enter the tournament. The 1974 ACC Tournament final between Maryland and NC State matched two of the best teams in the country but one could win the ACC’s lone bid. It took overtime but NC State’s 103-100 victory helped change the college basketball landscape. Without that game, the tournament isn’t where it is today.
No. 7: Tyler Hansbrough run at North Carolina was filled with March heartbreak. Stunning losses to George Mason and Georgetown in ‘06 and ‘07. A loss to Kansas in his first final four the following season. With one season remaining, the UNC star put the Tar Heels on his back and helped march them across the finish line with an impressive blowout of Michigan State in the 2009 National Title Game.
No. 6: Louisville and Kentucky’s rivalry hadn’t always been as active as it is now. Before 1983’s “Dream Game” in the Mideast Regional Final, the two hadn’t played since 1959. With a spot in the Final Four on the line, the two teams made up for lost time by putting on a classic. The Louisville Cardinals went on to win the game but had it not been for that game, both schools probably maintain their standoff but luckily for college basketball fans, the dream became a reality.
No. 5: Schools like Wichita State, Loyola-Chicago, and VCU made Cinderella runs to the Final Four, but one I’m not sure people really remember the team paving the way was George Mason. Stunning a heavily favored UConn team in the East Regional Final, the Patriots were a Cinderella in an era where Cinderella stories seemed to be a bygone era.
No. 4: Since the fall of 1976, every single team that has taken the floor in men’s college basketball has attempted to equal the undefeated season of the ‘76 Indiana Hoosiers. Here’s a look at potentially the greatest team ever.
No. 3: When talking to Craig Sager during the 2016 national title game, Michael Jordan talked about the night he went from “Mike Jordan” to “Michael Jordan”. That introduction to the nation came when he hit a baseline jumper with just a few seconds left to give Dean Smith his long-awaited national title over the Georgetown Hoyas. From Jordan’s shot to Georgetown guard Fred Brown’s errant pass to Carolina’s James Worthy, the final sequence of the ballgame remains one of the games most indelible images.
No. 2: I will argue that it is perhaps the greatest college basketball game of all time. It had everything you could ask for. Two storied programs, a team looking to make history against a heavy underdog. The 1992 East Regional Final between Kentucky and Duke saw perfection, controversy, heartbreak and triumph in a span of just 45 minutes. The full game is such a great watch, but if you know anything about this classic you know that it is the ending that makes this great.
No. 1: How do I end this? Like the NCAA Tournament does, I’m playing “One Shining Moment”.
This story was originally published March 15, 2020 at 4:12 PM.
