The 25 Best Men’s NCAA Tournament Buzzer Beaters of the Past 25 Years

Sports Illustrated looks back at the past 25 seasons from the 2000–01 season to the ’24–25 season in men’s college basketball, ranking the top 25 buzzer beaters in the NCAA tournament. No games in the 2026 tournament were considered for this project.

1. Kris Jenkins, Villanova over North Carolina (2016 championship game)

There have been only two true buzzer beaters to win a national championship in the history of men’s college basketball. The first, was the Lorenzo Charles putback dunk for NC State in 1983 under Jim Valvano, and the other was in the 2016 national championship when Villanova’s Kris Jenkins hit a right-wing three as time expired as the Wildcats sunk North Carolina. Coming out of a timeout, Jenkins inbounded the ball to Ryan Arcidiacono, who drove the ball the length of the court, came off a ball screen at half court and flipped the ball back to Jenkins, who was unaccounted for trailing the play. Jenkins was wide open on the right wing and buried the deep three to send the crowd into a frenzy. It was the first of two national titles that Jay Wright would win as Villanova’s head coach, and it tops our quarter-century buzzer beater list.

The April 11, 2016, Sports Illustrated cover of Villanova’s Kris Jenkins hitting the game-winning shot over North Carolina. — The April 11, 2016, Sports Illustrated cover of Villanova’s Kris Jenkins hitting the game-winning shot over North Carolina that gave the Wildcats the national title. | Greg Nelson /Sports Illustrated

2. Jalen Suggs, Gonzaga over UCLA (2021 Final Four)

The 2021 Final Four, fresh off the throes of a worldwide pandemic, was quite different than most. With a limited crowd in attendance, No. 11 UCLA took on No. 1 Gonzaga at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis as the Bruins looked to continue their unlikely late-season run all the way to the national championship game. But Gonzaga’s Jalen Suggs had other plans. After UCLA star Johnny Juzang collected his own miss and made a layup with fewer than four seconds to play in overtime to tie the game at 90, Suggs took an inbounds pass and hustled just beyond half court, where he threw up a prayer to win the contest. The bank, as it turns out, was open, as the Bulldogs advanced to the national title game.

3. Lamont Butler, San Diego State over FAU (2023 Final Four)

In a battle of (very good) mid-majors in the 2023 Final Four, No. 9 Florida Atlantic took on No. 5 San Diego State for a spot in the national championship. Following a stoppage in the action, the Owls inbounded the ball from the sideline with 17.5 seconds to play and 11 seconds on the shot clock, leading 71–70. Florida Atlantic had a chance to extend its lead, but Owls guard Johnell Davis’s layup was blocked with the shot clock waning. San Diego State got the rebound and pushed it up the floor, deciding not to call timeout. Lamont Butler took the ball baseline, and appeared to be running out of time. But as time ticked under two seconds, Butler gained enough separation and hit a midrange jumper to send the Aztecs to a national title.

4. Milos Uzan, Houston over Purdue (2025 Sweet 16)

Houston survived a late run from Purdue in the 2025 Sweet 16 and was saved by star wing Milos Uzan. With 2.8 seconds to play in regulation, Cougars coach Kelvin Sampson drew up a beauty. Uzan took the ball out of bounds, and upon passing it into play under the basket, he quickly stepped in bounds and got the ball back on a give-and-go. The layup was wide open after Purdue forgot to guard the inbounder. Uzan finished with 22 points and six assists in the 62–60 victory.

5. Paul Jesperson, Northern Iowa over Texas (2016 first round)

No. 11 Northern Iowa clung to a 72–70 lead late in regulation against No. 6 Texas in the first round of the 2016 Midwest Regional. With fewer than 12 seconds to play, Texas guard Isaiah Taylor drove the lane and got a layup to go that tied the contest at 72 with fewer than three seconds remaining. Northern Iowa inbounded the ball to Paul Jesperson on the right sideline, who crossed over to the middle of the floor and put up a half-court heave as time expired. Cash. The Panthers advanced to the round of 32 in an absolute stunner.

Northern Iowa’s Paul Jesperson shoots the winning shot over Texas in the first round of the 2016 tournament. | Greg Nelson/Sports Illustrated

6. Chris Chiozza, Florida over Wisconsin (2017 Sweet 16)

Wisconsin wing Zak Showalter hit a three at the end of regulation to tie the game with Florida late in regulation in the 2017 Sweet 16 tilt, but Florida guard Chris Chiozza had the last word. Trailing 83–81, Chiozza took the ball on an inbounds pass and took it up the court in a hurry with four seconds to play. With fewer than a second to go, Chiozza put up a running three-point attempt from the top of the key, which went down to stun Wisconsin and send the Gators to the Elite Eight.

7. Korie Lucious, Michigan State over Maryland (2010 second round)

Maryland guard Greivis Vásquez drove the lane and got a layup to go with 7.1 seconds to play that put the Terrapins up 83–82 on Michigan State in the 2010 second round. But the Spartans would not relent. Michigan State forward Draymond Green took the inbounds pass and hustled up the left side of the floor. Green picked up his dribble on the left wing and hit guard Korie Lucious with a pass. Lucious took one dribble to his left and buried a game-winning three to sink Maryland and advance to the Sweet 16.

Michigan State’s Korie Lucious shoots game-winning three-pointer at buzzer against Maryland’s Landon Milbourne. | Robert Beck/Sports Illustrated

8. Luke Maye, North Carolina over Kentucky (2017 Elite Eight)

With four seconds remaining and the game tied at 73 in the 2017 South Regional final between No. 1 North Carolina and No. 2 Kentucky, Tar Heels wing Theo Pinson drove down the middle of the lane, drew two defenders and kicked it out to sophomore Luke Maye, who buried a deep two as time expired to send North Carolina to the Final Four. The Tar Heels don’t win the national championship that year without the contributions of Maye, who was pivotal throughout the NCAA tournament en route to cutting down the nets.

9. Jermaine Wallace, Northwestern State over Iowa (2006 first round)

No. 14 Northwestern State’s 2006 round of 64 upset bid against No. 3 Iowa looked dead in the water late in regulation, until a loose ball found Demons wing Jermaine Wallace in the corner. Trailing 63–61 with time waning, Wallace hit an improbable stepback three with a half-second remaining for a stunning upset of the Hawkeyes.

10. Jordan Poole, Michigan over Houston (2018 second round)

No. 6 Houston led No. 3 Michigan 63–61 with 3.6 seconds remaining in the second round of the 2018 West Regional. Coming out of a timeout, the Wolverines had to inbound under their own basket and try to set up an open look with little time on the clock. The ball eventually found true freshman Jordan Poole extended on the right wing, and he hit a deep, contested three as time expired to send the Wolverines to the Sweet 16.

11. Kenton Paulino, Texas over West Virginia (2006 Sweet 16)

No. 6 West Virginia took on No. 2 Texas in the 2006 Sweet 16, and it was an absolute thriller. The Longhorns held a late 71–68 lead over the Mountaineers when West Virginia star Kevin Pittsnogle hit a three at the top of the key with five seconds to play to tie the game up at 71. Texas hustled up the floor, and Longhorns guard Kenton Paulino took a deep three from the left wing as time expired to punch the program’s ticket to the Elite Eight. All West Virginia coach John Beilein could do was stare into the abyss in total disbelief of what had just transpired.

12. Donte Ingram, Loyola Chicago over Miami (2018 first round)

Loyola Chicago made a Cinderella run to the Final Four in 2018, which would not have been made possible without the late-game heroics of Donte Ingram against Miami in the round of 64. Trailing 62–61 with eight seconds to play, the Ramblers got a stop defensively and had a chance to win the game at the end of regulation. Loyola guard Marques Townes pushed the ball up the floor and found a trailing Ingram, who caught a pass near the logo at the top of the key, and buried a deep three with fewer than a half-second to play to send the Ramblers to the round of 32.

Loyola Chicago’s Donte Ingram makes the winning shot in the 2018 first round against Miami. | Greg Nelson/Sports Illustrated

13. Drew Nicholas, Maryland over UNCW (2003 first round)

In the round of 64 in the 2003 NCAA tournament, the defending national champion Maryland Terrapins found themselves in deep trouble late in the contest against 11-seed UNC Wilmington. Trailing 73–72, Terrapins guard Drew Nicholas took the ball the length of the court and attempted a running three on the right wing as time expired to keep Maryland’s hopes of defending its national title alive. The Terps would go on to advance to the Sweet 16 that season, before losing by two against Michigan State to end their title defense.

Maryland’s Drew Nicholas fires the winning shot over UNC Wilmington's Anthony Terrell. | Darren Carroll/Sports Illustrated

14. Scottie Reynolds, Villanova over Pitt (2009 Elite Eight)

Before anything else, dang look how long those shorts were. Anyways, it was No. 3 Villanova vs. No. 1 Pittsburgh with a spot in the Final Four on the line. The Panthers tied the game 76–76 at the foul line with five seconds to play. ’Nova nearly failed to inbound the ball in time, but two quick passes led to a speedy Scottie Reynolds running downhill to pay dirt. He got to the lane just in time and floated one in before the buzzer to take Villanova to the Final Four for the first time in the Jay Wright era.

15. Ty Rogers, Western Kentucky over Drake (2008 first round)

In a first-round game where both teams apparently refused to play defense, No. 12 Western Kentucky found itself trailing No. 5 Drake 99–98 with five seconds left in overtime. Inbounding from beneath their own basket, the Hilltoppers turned to a play that has become one of the most trusted in buzzer-beater scenarios—one man brings the ball up, and when the defending team has committed just enough, tosses the ball back to a trailing shooter. Ty Rogers was that trailing shooter, and he hit nothing but net.

16. Terrell Taylor, Creighton over Florida (2002 first round)

No. 12 Creighton’s win over No. 5 Florida in the 2002 tournament was the type of game that helped the No. 12 vs. No. 5 seed upset become a staple of bracket builders. Despite trailing by eight with two minutes and change left to play, the Bluejays never faltered, with Terrell Taylor stepping up with three three-pointers in the final stretch to force overtime, and then double overtime. With 30 seconds left to play in the second overtime, Creighton forced a five-second call to get the ball back while trailing 82–80. After a few messy attempts at inbounding that somehow all fell the Bluejays’ way, Taylor drained one more three to complete the upset.

17. Bronson Koenig, Wisconsin over Maryland (2016 second round)

This one is about as clean a buzzer beater as you will ever see. No. 7 Wisconsin is inbounding against No. 2 Xavier in a tie game with two seconds on the clock. Bronson Koenig runs up to receive the ball, shoots back down to the corner on one dribble, and swishes the game-winner with a hand in his face. Onions.

18. Danero Thomas, Murray State over Vanderbilt (2010 first round)

No. 4 Vanderbilt thought it had done enough, sinking two clutch free throws to take a 65–64 lead over No. 13 Murray State with 12 seconds to play. It would have been easy to chalk this one up to a missed opportunity for the Racers, who went 9 of 17 from the foul line—leaving that many free points on the board isn’t how upsets are written—but Danero Thomas decided he was playing in the second round of the tournament, finding space and hitting his jumper as time expired. Murray State would lose to No. 5 Butler in the next round, 54–52, in a loss that only got more impressive as the Bulldogs marched all the way to the title game.

Murray State’s Danero Thomas hits the buzzer beater in the 2010 first round. | John W. McDonough/Sports Illustrated

19. Chris Lofton, Tennessee over Winthrop (2006 first round)

While we would always prefer for the buzzer beater to go in favor of the 15-seed in a No. 2 vs. No. 15 matchup, you can’t discount a buzzer beater just because it went in favor of the favorite. Such was the case in 2006, when No. 2 Tennessee survived a scare against No. 15 Winthrop thanks to Chris Lofton. With the Vols inbounding and fewer than three seconds to play, Lofton battled through traffic to receive the ball and put up a turnaround jumper without a single dribble. He hit nothing but net.

Tennessee’s Chris Lofton makes game-winning shot in the 2006 first round. | Bob Rosato/Sports Illustrated

20. Aaron Craft, Ohio State over Iowa State (2013 second round)

There are few things in sports more satisfying than a player being dared to make a big shot and taking the bet on themselves. With No. 2 Ohio State and No. 10 Iowa State tied 75–75 and the Buckeyes holding for the final shot, Aaron Craft didn’t need to run the offense. He simply waited, dribbling from a spot he felt comfortable, and as the final seconds ticked, hit the shot he knew he wanted the whole time.

21. Derik Queen, Maryland over Colorado State (2025 second round)

Sometimes it’s just a matter of who beats the buzzer last. In the second round of the 2025 tournament, No. 12 Colorado State inbounded the ball trailing No. 4 Maryland by two points with just 12 seconds on the clock. Jalen Lake hit a three that sent Rams fans into elation—it felt like a game-winning bucket. The Terps brought the ball in, crossed half court, and called timeout with 3.7 seconds to play. It was big man Derik Queen to the rescue for the Terps, working his way off of a screen down low to receive the ball at the top of the key, drive hard down the left lane, and kiss a shot from as high off of the glass as you will see in modern basketball. Maryland would lose in the next round to No. 1 Florida, but Queen’s shot will live long in Terps lore.

22. Juan Fernandez, Temple over Penn State (2011 first round)

The selection committee knew they were setting up quite a showdown when they placed in-state rivals No. 7 Temple and No. 10 Penn State up against each other in the first round of the 2011 tournament, and the action delivered. With the score knotted 64–64, Juan Fernandez picked up his dribble at the corner—which looked like an awful decision for a moment—and proceeded to pivot his way to a leaning open shot and hit nothing but net. The teams wouldn’t meet again until the 2018 NIT tournament, where the Nittany Lions would steal a win back from the Owls.

Juan Fernandez hits the buzzer beater to send Temple to the second round. | John W. McDonough/Sports Illustrated

23. De’Jon Jackson, San Diego over UConn (2008 first round)

UConn might be on the winning end of the latest mind-blowing last-second shot, but the buzzsaw of the buzzer beater cuts both ways. In 2008, the No. 4 Huskies were caught in a tougher battle than expected against No. 13 San Diego, with both sides trading baskets and the lead late in the second half and later in overtime. When UConn hit two free throws to take a 69–68 with nine seconds left in overtime, it felt as though the Toreros’ Cinderella effort was destined to come up just a bit short. Instead, De’Jon Jackson found a way to get one more bucket through the hoop, and secure San Diego’s first NCAA men’s tournament win.

24. Matt Howard, Butler over Old Dominion (2011 first round)

Before No. 8 Butler could make it back to the championship game following its Cinderella run in 2010, the ’11 Bulldogs needed to survive the first round against No. 9 Old Dominion. After ODU’s Kent Bazemore hit two free throws to tie the game 58–58 with fewer than 30 seconds to play, Butler held the ball for the final shot. It turned out to be the final three shots, with the Bulldogs needing two offensive rebounds before Matt Howard laid the ball up and in just as the buzzer sounded. Butler 60, ODU 58. After the previous year’s magical run ended on a buzzer beater that refused to fall, the Bulldogs’ return to the tournament began on the ball dropping their way.

25. Adam Woodbury, Iowa over Temple (2016 first round)

What’s the second-best thing behind making a buzzer-beating shot? Possibly putting up a buzzer-beating assist. With No. 7 Iowa and No. 10 Temple tied 70–70 in the waning seconds of overtime in the first round of the 2016 tournament, Hawkeyes guard Mike Gesell put up what he hoped would be the game-winning shot. It was very much not—but his air ball was so far over the basket that it served as a perfect pass to big man Adam Woodbury, who was ready to finish the job just before the clock hit triple zeroes.

Adam Woodbury (34) celebrates with Dom Uhl (25), Jarrod Uthoff (20) and Nicholas Baer (51) after Woodbury hit the winner. | Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated

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