From DJ Burns to Dayton's Comeback, the Best Moments of the NCAA Tournament So Far
The Final Four of the 2024 NCAA Tournament is set. No. 11 seed NC State is the Cinderella story of the year. Purdue, along with Zach Edey, has answered just about every question the college basketball world asked of them after last year's upset loss. UConn looks like an unstoppable force steamrolling everything in its path as the Huskies embark on the final stages of their title defense. Alabama has outlasted everybody so far and doesn't seem poised to let up.
The final set of games should be excellent entertainment for audiences everywhere, but this year's tournament has already given us plenty of amazing moments from equally amazing players. What better time to revisit them than leading into the final two days of the college basketball season?
DJ Burns Jr.
Every year during March Madness we're introduced to a number of unique players. This year none of them captured the imagination the way North Carolina State's DJ Burns Jr. did. The skilled big man was like Nikola Jokic in Big Baby Davis' body. No one had more fun, or was more fun to watch.
For many people, the highlight of the NCAA tournament every year is the elimination of the Duke Blue Devils and Burns was the main character in that story this time around. He scored 29 points and never stopped smiling. Burns flexed and grinned and dominated as the Wolfpack returned to the Final Four for the first time since 1983.
Jack Gohlke
The breakout star of the First Round was Jack Gohlke. The former Division II player came off the bench to make an absurd 10 of 20 three-pointers on his way to a 32-point performance in an upset win over the Kentucky Wildcats. He cooled down a little in the Second Round, making just 6-of-17 attempts from beyond the arc in a loss to NC State, but that opening round performance is the reason the tournament is so great.
Not only did Gohlke blow up long enough to film a TurboTax ad in his hotel between games, he also helped shine a brighter light on his coach Greg Kampe, the longest-tenured college basketball coach in America. It was a great moment for the tournament and an even better moment for Oakland University, which everyone now knows is in Michigan.
Colorado 102, Florida 100
The Colorado Buffaloes took down the Florida Gators in the First Round in what was one of the highest-scoring games in tournament history. A No. 10-seed beating a No. 7-seed isn't a huge upset, but who cares when you see that many points, with the last basket coming with just two seconds remaining on the clock? KJ Simpson gave Colorado a seven-point lead with 1:26 remaining, but Florida roared back to tie the game with 11 seconds to go. That's when Simpson stepped up and hit the game-winner from the baseline to give the Buffaloes just their fourth NCAA tournament win of the 21st Century.
Dayton's Comeback
The Nevada Wolf Pack took a 56-39 lead over the Dayton Flyers with 7:36 remaining in their First Round matchup. Dayton went on to outscore Nevada 24-4 over the final minutes of the game. It's the kind of chaos the tournament encourages. Neither of the teams were meant for a deep run, but they still provided fans with an incredible viewing experience. Which is the most important part of March.
Creighton Outlasts Oregon
The Blue Jays beat the Ducks, 86-73, during the Second Round of the tournament and the final score doesn't come close to telling the whole story. The biggest lead of the second half was six points by Oregon. Both teams traded baskets in the final seconds with a Baylor Scheierman jumper followed by a missed Oregon layup to send the game to overtime. The teams continued to go back and forth into a second extra period. Eventually, Oregon stalled in double overtime, but for 45 minutes this was one of the tightest games you'll ever see.
Bama Knocks Out UNC
Alabama hung on to beat North Carolina 89-87 in the Sweet 16 on their way to the first Final Four berth in school history. In the process the Crimson Tide became the first team to knock out a No. 1 seed this March. North Carolina had the lead at halftime, but Alabama had just enough in the second half to pull off the upset behind a balanced attack with four starters scoring 18 or more points. Mustachioed senior Grant Nelson led the way with 24 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks.
Yale Upsets Auburn
After Oakland, Yale pulled off the second-biggest upset of the First Round as the No. 13 seed from the Ivy League took down one of the top teams from the SEC, 78-76. Junior guard John Poulakidas had a breakout game, scoring a season-high 28 points on 10-of-15 shooting, including 6-of-9 from behind the arc. As for Auburn, it was a brutal loss. The Tigers had a lead at halftime and then could not score in the final seconds, missing three free throws and two more field goals during a mad scramble as time ran out.
Texas A&M Forces Overtime Against Houston
The Houston Cougars won their First Round game easily, but needed overtime to get past No. 9 seed Texas A&M two days later. Houston blew a 10-point lead with 4:26 remaining, setting the stage for Andersson Garcia to hit one of the biggest shots of the tournament.
Texas A&M took the ball out underneath its own basket with 1.2 second remaining and Garcia fielded a bounce pass at the top of the key before letting it fly. As he fell to the ground, the ball went through the hoop to tie the game and force overtime. Houston would end up being too much for the Aggies in the extra period, but Garcia's shot will live on forever as one of the moments that makes March so great.
Stephen Douglas is a writer at The Big Lead.
