Top 10 March Madness Buzzer Beaters

To get everyone in the mood for March Madness I put together what I feel is ten of the best buzzer beaters in March Madness history, enjoy!

10. U.S. Reed, Arkansas v Louisville 2nd round 1981. Arkansas 74, Louisville 73


I rank it tenth because although it was a great shot, let's be honest it's old. By the way, U.S. went by that because he was named Ulysses, after the president.

9. James Forrest, Georgia Tech v USC 1992 2nd round. GT 79, USC 78


"Holy Mackeral" indeed. The 7th seeded Yellows Jackets upset the 2nd seeded Trojans thanks to Forrest's first and only three that year. More impressive, he only 0.8 seconds to work with!

8. Mike Miller, Florida v Butler, 2000 1st round. Florida 69, Butler 68 OT
I couldn't find any video of it on the internet but this will do, click the link it comes on at the 0:25 mark on the video.


The Gators would go all the way to the National Championship after nearly being knocked out in the first round. Of course they lost to Michigan State which broke my heart because I hate MSU.

7. Kenton Paulino, Texas v WVU 2006 Sweet 16. Texas 74, WVU 71


Hey John Beilein, buzzer beaters and the month of March just don't go well with you do they? The 2nd seeded Longhorns would knock off the 6th seeded Mountaineers to move on to the Elite 8.

6. Tyus Edney, UCLA v Missouri 1995 2nd round. UCLA 75, Mizzou 74


5'10" Tyus Edney goes the length of the floor in 4.8 seconds to hit the game winning shot for the number 1 overall team in the tourney in UCLA. The Bruins would go on to win the National Championship and this would be the first time in my life I picked the winner of the tournament (I'm up to 5 now), but at the time I was only 8. So what if I got some help from my dad, I still wrote it in!

5. Bryce Drew, Valparaiso v Ole Miss 1998 1st round. Valpo 70, Ole Miss 69


Bryce who? Bryce Drew, the coach's son hit a the game winning 3 to move Valpo forward and is responsible for hitting "The Shot". A replay you're assured to see at least during the tournament if not a 100 times. Did you know, Bryce Drew was selected in the first round by the Houston Rockets? He was and didn't do much there, sorry Houston? Or sorry Drew?

4. Drew Nicholas, Maryland v UNC-Wilmington 2003 1st round. Maryland 75, UNCW 73


Coming off winning the National Championship in 2002 (which I called and earned me the nickname of Juan Dixon when I was playing hoops down south with my cousins and their friends) Maryland was about to become the first defending champs to be knocked out in the first round since UCLA did it in 1996. But that's when "the Juan Dixon impersonator" Drew Nicholas stepped up. I love how he hit that running 3 and just kept on running right into the locker room. Aaaaaaaand BOOM goes the dynamite!

3. Richard Hamilton, UConn v Washington 1998 Sweet 16. UConn 75, Washington 74


Sean McDonough's call on this is priceless to start with. Richard "Rip" Hamilton knocked down one of the greatest buzzer beaters in my opinion and he saved the 2nd seeded Huskies from elimination at the hands of the 11th seeded Huskies? That's right in the Huskies v Huskies match-up UConn came out top dog. They'd lose by 11 to UNC later in the tournament but the next year they'd make me look like a genius as they won the National Championship and bonus points they beat Duke. Suck on that Duke!

2. Lorenzo Charles, North Carolina State v Houston 1983 National Championship. NC State 54, Houston 52


The team and maybe the play that got the whole "cinderella story" to stick, the team that gives teams the will to go out there and get them that upset. They won the ACC tourney as a long shot and entered the tourney as a 6 seed. They knocked off the #1 overall team in the nation on the biggest stage, the National Championship game. Lorenzo Charles threw down a timely dunk and I love watching Jim Valvano run around like a mad man. This play almost got the #1 billing, just missed out.

1. Christian Laettner, Duke v Kentucky 1992 Elite Eight. Duke 104, Kentucky 103


Where to begin? Hell of pass by Grant Hill and a nice catch by Laettner but can you believe he dribbled and pivoted with 2.1 seconds and still got that shot off? Well believe it because he did. I hate Duke with a passion but this is the greatest buzzer beater ever in March Madness history. Christian Laettner was a cold-blooded assassin back in college, incase you don't know he hit a similar March Madness buzzer beater in 1990 against UConn in the Elite Eight. He must love that Elite Eight.

Well I hope y'all enjoyed MY Top Ten March Madness Buzzer Beaters. Leave your opinions!