The Greatest College Basketball Game of All Time

[Mike'sMarbles]

That game had everything. Great offense, great defense, ebb and flow, great comebacks, and capped with a trick 3-point shot and a buzzer beater from 3! I think we have a new greatest game in the sport. And it was for the Championship!

 

[JohnKBA]

The finish is legendary. A double pump 3 to tie it, then a 3 to win it? All in the last 5 seconds? Insane.

 

[OneEarWonder]

Absolutely amazing, could not ask for a better game of basketball. And those shots, incredible!

 

[Cue Card]

It was a great finish and it'll be talked about for decades, BUT, (you knew I was going there) I can't in good faith say it was the best college basketball game of all time. I would rank it #2 though.

#1. NC State beating Houston on a last second put back to win the National Championship by 2. - April 4th, 1983
#2. Nova winning at the buzzer last night over UNC in the National Championship by 3 - April 4th, 2016
#3. Duke beating Kentucky in overtime 104-103 for the right to go to the final four - March 28, 1992

That's my top 3.

 

[CardHack]

I'll never see a better game than UK/Duke in 1992. But I don't know that we'll see as flurried a final minute in Title game as we saw last night. It wasn't just the desperation three by Paige, it was his single handed putback and the corner three off the inbounds play preceding it that made the final two plays so memorable.

 

[OneEarWonder]

It was a great finish and it'll be talked about for decades, BUT, (you knew I was going there) I can't in good faith say it was the best college basketball game of all time. I would rank it #2 though.

#1. NC State beating Houston on a last second put back to win the National Championship by 2. - April 4th, 1983
#2. Nova winning at the buzzer last night over UNC in the National Championship by 3 - April 4th, 2016
#3. Duke beating Kentucky in overtime 104-103 for the right to go to the final four - March 28, 1992

That's my top 3.

Hard to argue with that. I'd probably move #3 up as well, but that is probably due to regional impact/association. Really any of these could be #1.

 

[Bill Derington]

That was one helluva game, clutch plays on both sides on the biggest stage.

 

[PushupMan]

Such a high level of play for the last minute plus ... Carolina scored on four straight possessions to end the game (a total of 10 points) ... and that still wasn't enough because Villanova scored 7 points on their last three possessions.

 

[BooneCo_Card]

It was a great finish and it'll be talked about for decades, BUT, (you knew I was going there) I can't in good faith say it was the best college basketball game of all time. I would rank it #2 though.

#1. NC State beating Houston on a last second put back to win the National Championship by 2. - April 4th, 1983
#2. Nova winning at the buzzer last night over UNC in the National Championship by 3 - April 4th, 2016
#3. Duke beating Kentucky in overtime 104-103 for the right to go to the final four - March 28, 1992

That's my top 3.

IMO NC State/Houston is highly rated by most due to the shock factor and dramatic ending. To me, it was a game of turnovers and missed FTs. IMO it was ugly. I will give NC State their props by proposing their 1974 ACC championship game vs. Maryland and their national semifinal win over UCLA that year as better games.

I heartily agree with last night's game and Duke/UK. Nova over KU at the Yum! is a classic that will be overlooked due to last night's game.

 

[Cue Card]

IMO NC State/Houston is highly rated by most due to the shock factor and dramatic ending

100% spot on. That's why it's #1 on my list. That NC State team had no business making it that far and used luck and a ton of missed free throws, and turnovers all the way to the title. It was such a remarkable run that it's my #1 of all time.

There have been a ton of championship games which were played at a higher level. Hell, UofL's win over Michigan in 2013 was played at a very high level by both teams. Both of Nova's titles were played at a high level. The 85 title was incredibly well played when they beat Georgetown.

If we are going by the best played games only then the 83 game falls way down the list. I agree 100%

 

[BooneCo_Card]

100% spot on. That's why it's #1 on my list. That NC State team had no business making it that far and used luck and a ton of missed free throws, and turnovers all the way to the title. It was such a remarkable run that it's my #1 of all time.

There have been a ton of championship games which were played at a higher level. Hell, UofL's win over Michigan in 2013 was played at a very high level by both teams. Both of Nova's titles were played at a high level. The 85 title was incredibly well played when they beat Georgetown.

If we are going by the best played games only then the 83 game falls way down the list. I agree 100%

I understand your point and totally agree. We just come at it from a different perspective.

I ran the office pool back in the day when everyone picked a name out of the hat for $1 rather than fill out a bracket and will never forget the guy's reaction who drew NC State. He offered up the ticket for a Coke during the 1st three rounds and could get no takers. No one gave them a chance but themselves.

 

[Louisville JD]

My fav is Denny vs his mentor in the 75 F4 OT thriller where both teams pressed each other and I believe each had less than 10 turnovers. That day in 9th grade I became a Cards fan for life!

 

[Mayoman]

My fav is Denny vs his mentor in the 75 F4 OT thriller where both teams pressed each other and I believe each had less than 10 turnovers. That day in 9th grade I became a Cards fan for life!

My favorite too.

Cards were a Terry Howard missed free throw (his only miss of the year) away from beating the Bruins in what was a classic match up of coaches and teams style of play. Wesley Cox threw 2 bad in bounds passes in a row that were intercepted by UCLA and the momentum went their way at the end.

But it was as even a match up as I had ever seen up to that point in time in the Final Four. Just a great game.....even though the Cards fell short of the win.....Crum gave notice of how good of a coach he was on that day.....He had the Wizard on the ropes that game and let him off. Just not meant to be.

 

[TJ-Cat]

It was a great finish and it'll be talked about for decades, BUT, (you knew I was going there) I can't in good faith say it was the best college basketball game of all time. I would rank it #2 though.

#1. NC State beating Houston on a last second put back to win the National Championship by 2. - April 4th, 1983
#2. Nova winning at the buzzer last night over UNC in the National Championship by 3 - April 4th, 2016
#3. Duke beating Kentucky in overtime 104-103 for the right to go to the final four - March 28, 1992

That's my top 3.

Hard to argue with any of those games.