Top March Madness Moments: The Underdogs

Reliving some of my favorite March Madness moments

March Madness is filled with memorable moments. The chaos of the tournament has die-hards and casuals glued to the TV for three straight weekends every year. From the classic Blue Blood matchups to the upsets from schools you’ve never heard of, it’s all must-see TV.

It got me thinking, what are the most memorable moments of the tournament since the turn of the century? I took a trip down memory lane to find some of the most iconic March Madness moments and decided to share a few highlights with all of you. 

For now, I decided to focus on some of the biggest upsets we’ve seen. We have to get started by talking about what happened the first weekend of this year’s tournament.

Jack Gohlke Beats Kentucky With 10 3s

The #14 seed Oakland Golden Grizzlies took out Kentucky behind the sharp shooting of Jack Gohlke in the first round of the 2024 tournament. The loss for Kentucky pushed their streak to five years with only one tournament win.

Gohlke had 10 three-pointers, one short of the tournament record. All ten of his buckets weren’t particularly easy shots—with hands in his face, fading from the basket, and multiple bodies being thrown at him. 

His shot chart this year is something to behold. He’s attempted 347 shots from three and only eight from inside the arc. He truly is a three-point specialist.

The amazing feat seems all the more impressive in that he isn’t a future NBA prospect. Other players bound for stardom, such as Steph Curry, entered the national spotlight in the tournament. Though Gohlke had his moment, he isn’t destined for greatness like others who made their splash in March. 

 The George Mason Final Four Run

The 2006 George Mason team helped pave the way for other mid-majors to believe there was a chance to win the whole thing. The team entered the tournament as a #11 seed and tore through some of the biggest brands in college basketball. George Mason beat Michigan State, North Carolina, Wichita State, and UConn on their way to the Final Four. 

They finally fell to the eventual champions, Florida Gators, led by Joakim Noah, Al Horford, and Corey Brewer.

Despite falling short, George Mason captured the hearts of America. I remember watching their run from a hotel room as I was traveling with my soccer team for a tournament. The improbable run was worth an estimated $677 million in free publicity resulting in an 800% increase in traffic to its website, a 90x increase in bookstore sales, and a 40% increase in out-of-state college applications.

 CJ McCollum Makes His Introduction

Everyone loves it when a bunch of soon-to-be accountants beat future NBA players—Such is the beauty of college basketball in March. CJ McCollum may have played with a bunch of soon-to-be corporate paper pushers, but he certainly wasn’t one himself.

Lehigh beat Duke in the first round as a #15 seed 75-70 behind McCollum’s 30 points, six rebounds, and six assists. Duke had a star-studded roster with players such as the Plumlee brothers, Austin Rivers, and Seth Curry. 

Despite the star power of the Blue Devils, McCollum never doubted. You can check out his interview as he looked back at the historic victory and still see how he oozes with confidence. 

The win put CJ McCollum on the map, who later was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers. 

 Butler’s Two Championship Runs

Butler had not one, but two back-to-back runs to the championship game in 2010 and 2011. Led by Gordon Hayward, Shelvin Mack, and their coach Brad Stevens, they entered the 2010 season as the #10 ranked team. However, they entered the tournament as a #5 seed despite a 20-game win streak heading into the big dance. Hayward narrowly missed a heave at the end that would have won it against Duke in the title game.

A year later, they defied the odds by making it back to the title game despite losing Hayward to the NBA. This time they were a #8 seed and escaped defeat in the second round after some of the worst fouls you can imagine in late-game situations. Butler wasn’t able to finish the job as they lost to UConn in the final after shooting an abysmal 18.8% from the field and only scoring 41 points. 

 The First #16 Seed to Win

The University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) entered the 2018 tournament having never won a tournament game in its history. Virginia, the #1 seed for the tournament, was 20.5-point favorites entering the evening. I watched this game on my phone in the parking lot, but that’s a story for another time.

The first half was a low-scoring affair as the two teams entered the halftime break tied 21-21.

In the second half, UMBC went on a series of runs and never looked back. They blew the stunned Cavaliers out of the water, winning 74-54 to become the first men’s #16 seed to beat a #1 seed. 

 Enjoy Next Weekend

I hope you enjoyed reliving some of these classic moments with me. I may share some more of my favorite March Madness performances if I feel inspired as the tournament proceeds. Happy Madness, everyone.

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