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Every college basketball fan enjoys a good buzzer-beater. It’s one of those epic moments that we love watching, especially during March Madness. The reaction from the players, coaches, and crowd never gets old. The excitement alone is why we continue to tune in every year.
I want to highlight the greatest March Madness buzzer-beaters in history. These were some of the most incredible shots that college basketball fans will never forget. These are the moments that define March Madness.
Christian Laettner in 1992
- Date: March 28, 1992
- Round: Elite Eight
- Winning Team: Duke Blue Devils
- Score: 104-103
Duke forward Christian Laettner is responsible for one of the best March Madness buzzer-beaters of all time. His late-game heroics during Duke’s match against Kentucky in 1992 still reverberate to this day. It was a wild sequence that no one will ever forget.
During an inbound pass in overtime, Grant Hill threw the basketball across the court to Laettner with only seconds remaining. Laettner would get the ball then fake right, turn left, and hit a jumper as time expired. Everyone in the building went bonkers after he made the shot.
The Blue Devils would go on to win the NCAA Division I title for a second consecutive season. This game is also often remembered as one of the greatest college basketball matches of all time. The buzzer-beater was just the icing on the cake.
Kris Jenkins in 2016
- Date: April 4, 2016
- Round: National Championship
- Winning Team: Villanova Wildcats
- Score: 77-74
This was also one of the greatest March Madness buzzer-beaters ever. Villanova and North Carolina were tied at 74-74 with 4.1 seconds remaining. Everyone thought the game would go to overtime, but Kris Jenkins had different plans in mind.
The Wildcats had the final possession of the game. Villanova guard Ryan Arcidiacono took the inbound pass down the floor. Then, he flipped the ball back to Jenkins, who made the game-winning shot. The crowd exploded with excitement as confetti fell to the floor.
Jalen Suggs in 2021
- Date: April 3, 2021
- Round: Final Four
- Winning Team: Gonzaga Bulldogs
- Score: 93-90
The Final Four meeting between Gonzaga and UCLA was an instant classic. The game was competitive from start to finish with plenty of dramatic moments. The winner was decided by one of the best March Madness buzzer-beaters in history.
The Bulldogs and Bruins were tied at 90 with 3.3 seconds remaining. Gonzaga guard Jalen Suggs received the inbound pass, dribbled the ball past halfcourt, and made the game-winning three-pointer. The entire building erupted with joy and elation.
The buzzer-beater by Suggs would also preserve Gonzaga’s perfect season. The Bulldogs, however, would then face Baylor in the NCAA Division I title match and lose. The final score of that game was 86-70, and Gonzaga finished the year with a record of 31-1.
Christian Laettner in 1990
- Date: March 24, 1990
- Round: Elite Eight
- Winning Team: Duke Blue Devils
- Score: 79-78
Yes, Christian Laettner makes my list yet again. In 1990, he was responsible for another one of the greatest March Madness buzzer-beaters ever. It was during a game that went into overtime, and the winner would earn a spot in the Final Four.
UConn held a one-point lead over Duke with mere seconds left in the game. Laettner would take the game-winning shot after he made the inbound pass and got the ball back. He buried an epic jumper that kept Duke’s championship hopes alive.
Duke would then advance to the NCAA Division I title game but lost to UNLV in 1990. It was also the first of three consecutive championship appearances for the Blue Devils. Duke would become Division I champions in both 1991 & 1992.
Mamadi Diakite in 2019
- Date: March 31, 2019
- Round: Elite Eight
- Winning Team: Virginia Cavaliers
- Score: 80-75
This is one of the few buzzer-beaters on my list that didn’t end the game. It was a game-tying shot that forced an overtime period. Under immense pressure, Mamadi Diakite would save his team and deliver a clutch moment.
The score was 70-68 in favor of Purdue with only 5.9 seconds left. That’s when Virginia guard Ty Jerome missed a free throw, but Kihei Clark would chase down the ball. He recovered the rebound on the opposite end of the court and chucked the ball back to Diakite.
Diakite scored the game-tying shot before Virginia defeated Purdue during overtime. Clark’s ability to snag the ball and get it back to Diakite was simply phenomenal. Virginia would also go on to win the National Championship in 2019 against Texas Tech.
Jordan Poole in 2018
- Date: March 18, 2018
- Round: Second (Round of 32)
- Winning Team: Michigan Wolverines
- Score: 64-63
Michigan was on an absolute tear in 2017-18. We saw many amazing moments from the Wolverines that season. That includes Jordan Poole delivering one of the greatest March Madness buzzer-beaters of all time against Houston.
The Cougars led 63-61 with 3.6 seconds remaining in the game. Isaiah Livers would send the inbound pass to Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman at halfcourt. Abdur-Rahkman then immediately passed the ball to Poole, and the rest is history.
Poole buried a 30-foot shot that gave Michigan the victory over Houston. The Wolverines would then eventually play in the Division I title game but lost to Villanova. It was also Michigan’s second Final Four appearance under head coach John Beilein.
Korie Lucious in 2010
- Date: March 21, 2010
- Round: Second (Round of 32)
- Winning Team: Michigan State Spartans
- Score: 85-83
In 2010, Michigan State held a lead for most of the game against Maryland. However, the Terrapins went up 83-82 in the final seconds. The conventional decision here would be to take a timeout and regroup. Instead, Draymond Green took the inbound pass.
Green would then pass the ball to Korie Lucious, who drilled a three-pointer to win the game for Michigan State. The Spartans then went on an incredible run in 2010 that culminated in a Final Four appearance. Michigan State also finished runner-up in the tournament the year prior.
Betting on March Madness Buzzer Beaters
You never know when the next greatest March Madness buzzer-beaters will happen. However, the best online betting sites offer plenty of prop bets on the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. One of them is actually focused on buzzer-beaters!
If you expect a lot of them in a tournament, you can place a wager on that. The extra thrill would make buzzer beaters even more exciting!
