Top March Madness Moments, Part 2: The Best Games
Reliving some of my favorite March Madness games
Last week I shared some of my favorite March Madness underdog stories. This week I’ll share some of my favorite games. I’ve enjoyed looking back on some of my favorite March Madness moments, but I’ll get back to sharing more of my regular sports stories and insights next week.
Growing up, college basketball was my favorite sport to watch. I loved the passion of the fans, the players slapping the floor, and the love of the game on full display. In recent years, I’ve had a harder time watching college basketball. The low percentage shooting, the high number of fouls, and the overall slower pace of the college game have made it more difficult to be a fan. But when March rolls around, all of that goes out the window and I just have to sit back and enjoy the action.
Here are a few of my favorite games throughout the years that still have me smiling as I rewatch them on YouTube.
UCLA vs Gonzaga: “Heartbreak City!”
Whenever UCLA and Gonzaga meet in the tournament they create mouth-watering basketball games. From the Sweet Sixteen game in 2023 to the 2021 Final Four game, these two teams know how to put on instant classics. But I want to highlight the 2006 Sweet Sixteen game that got this modern-day rivalry going.
In 2006, Gonzaga was just starting to become a national power and was in the early years of earning high seeds. Its star, Adam Morrison, led the nation in scoring with 28 points per contest.
Late in the first half Gonzaga had a 17-point lead. For much of the second half UCLA stayed within striking distance, but never seemed to have enough until the final five minutes.
Behind the future NBA star power of Luc Mbah a Moute, Ryan Hollins, Jordan Farmar, Arron Afflalo, and budding freshman Darren Collison, UCLA scored 14 of the game’s final 16 points to win.
In the game’s closing seconds, Adam Morrison can be seen crying and lying on the floor in what is now an iconic March Madness moment.
Illinois Comes Back to Beat Arizona
2005 was an epic March Madness year with some of the most memorable college basketball names in recent memory.
Deron Williams (Illinois), Salim Stoudamire (Arizona), Francisco Garcia (Louisville), Kevin Pittsnogle (West Virginia), Sean May (North Carolina), Shannon Brown (Michigan State), and Andrew Bogut (Utah) highlighted the tournament cast.
Three of the four Elite Eight games went to overtime, but in my opinion Illinois vs Arizona took the cake. Arizona was a #3 seed led by Channing Frye, Salim Stoudamire, and Hassan Adams. Illinois was the #1 seed led by Deron Williams, Dee Brown, and Luther Head.
Arizona had a 15-point lead with under four minutes to play in regulation and led by eight with under a minute to go. Illinois made multiple three-pointers and forced two turnovers to send the game to overtime in a frantic final 60 seconds.
After an Illinois miss, Arizona got the ball back and called timeout with 11 seconds left in overtime. I remember Stoudamire walking the ball up and signaling for a timeout with the most confidence I’ve seen from someone down by a point. But Arizona came out of the timeout and got the worst shot you could imagine with the ball bricking helplessly off the backboard as the final buzzer sounded.
Chris Jenkins Wins It All For Villanova
Villanova was tied 74-74 against North Carolina in the National Championship game with 4.7 seconds remaining. Villanova just blew a 10-point lead and had one final chance to win it in regulation before they would be forced into five more minutes of play.
Sports Illustrated reported the details of the final out-of-bounds play that was drawn up with point guard Ryan Arcidiacono having multiple options to make a play. Chris Jenkins, the team’s best shooter, was the inbounder and told Arcidiancono before Villanova broke the huddle, “I’m gonna be trailing, and I think I’m gonna be open. [North Carolina] hasn’t put anyone on the inbounder all game.”
The rest is history.
Here is also a great clip of all the different angles of Jenkins’ shot. The student section reactions are my favorites.
Arizona vs Gonzaga Double Overtime Thriller
Yes, I have another game that features Arizona and Gonzaga. I’ve always liked both teams, but I’ve never been a dedicated fan. It may be because I’m from the West Coast and feel a certain way towards the East Coast media.
In 2003, my dad surprised my brother and me with the chance to be ball boys for a second-round matchup between #1 Arizona and #9 Gonzaga. The game was played at the University of Utah, so we had to fly out to make it to the game. On the way to the airport, we hit traffic and missed our flight. We ended up catching another flight to Boise and drove the six hours to Salt Lake City the morning of the game. I remember bouncing around in the back seat as my dad sped the whole way.
We arrived just in time to get in our ball boy uniform and received instructions on how to distribute the ball to the players and mop the floor. We sat right behind the stanchion and had a courtside view of the game.
The first thing I remember was the sheer intensity and physicality of the players, especially down in the post. I had never seen anything like it up close and personal. I also remember Luke Walton’s shorts being too big and him having to pull them up throughout the game. This was in the day when parachute shorts were coming into style.
The game went back and forth the entire way with Arizona escaping 96-95 in double overtime. Blake Stepp narrowly missed from eight feet as the clock struck zero at the basket I was sitting under. It would have given Gonzaga the incredible upset. Both sets of players laid on the ground as the buzzer sounded from exhaustion.
Former Arizona forward Rich Anderson said, “That’s the greatest game I ever played in.”
Gonzaga’s coach Mark Few said at the time, “Of all the teams I’ve had at Gonzaga, I’ve never been more proud.”
ESPN Classic used to play the game every now and then before they closed up shop. I would sometimes come across it on a lazy afternoon years later while flipping through channels. I’d even see myself wiping down the floor or sitting beneath the basket when the camera angles were right. For obvious reasons, this will always be my favorite March Madness game.
I'm grateful the Arizona-Gonzaga game is your all-time favorite. Mine too--because you and your brother were a part of it!!!
Austin very nice. Better than the first. Thx for the walk down memory lane