Best Seven March Madness Games Ever

If you are looking to make NBA picks today then you are probably betting on games that feature some former college basketball superstars. College basketball might not be as popular as the NBA with all basketball fans, but March is a month when it is more popular.

The month of March is reserved for the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament every year, and it’s always one of the best sporting events. March Madness provides plenty of drama and excitement, but it also usually provides some terrific games.

Choosing the top March Madness game ever is not easy to do, but there are plenty of games that stand out above the pack. Here are the best seven March Madness games that have ever been played.

2005: Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Arizona Wildcats

A trip to the Final Four was on the line in the Midwest Regional Final when the Illinois Fighting Illini took on the Arizona Wildcats in 2005. Illinois was the top overall seed, but they were on the ropes with just over four minutes to play.

Arizona had built up a 15-point lead with four minutes to go, but the fight from Illinois allowed them to pull off one of the biggest comebacks in college basketball history. Illinois came all the way back and then took control of the game in the overtime.

The Fighting Illini were unable to finish it off and win the title, but this game will be remembered forever.

1983: NC State Wolfpack vs. Houston Cougars

Heading into the 1983 Final Four, the question wasn’t if Houston would win the title, but how much they would win the championship game by. Houston was taking on the NC State Wolfpack, and this game looked like a complete mismatch on paper.

NC State decided to challenge Houston from the opening tip, and fans were left speechless as the plan appeared to be working. The Wolfpack had the ball as the clock was winding down, and a put-back bucket off an airball allowed NC State to win the title.

Legendary head coach Jim Valvano was seen running around the court in celebration after one of the best games of all time.

1982: North Carolina Tar Heels vs. Georgetown Hoyas

The 1982 national championship game featured a ton of future NBA Hall of Fame players, including Michael Jordan. Jordan was not yet a household name with basketball fans, but that would all change with the final made shot in this game.

Georgetown was led by Patrick Ewing and he was seen as almost unstoppable in the college basketball game. There have been other games with a ton of future NBA stars, but perhaps none have ever matched the level of this one.

2018: UMBC Retrievers vs. Virginia Cavaliers

There is simply no way we could create this list and not include the only time that a number 16 seed has gotten past a number one seed. UMBC became the first team to pull off this massive upset in 2018, and they did it by completely dominating the game.

The Retrievers shot their way to a blowout victory over Virginia, and the outcome was pretty much set as soon as the second half started. Virginia would go on and win the national championship a season later, but they fell flat on their face in 2018.

1992: Duke Blue Devils vs. Kentucky Wildcats

Duke and Kentucky had already built up a big rivalry in the early 1990s but it was one game in 1992 that stood out among the rest. Both Duke and Kentucky were loaded with talent in 1992 and the teams went back and forth until the final buzzer.

It was a baseball pass from Grant Hill to Christian Laettner that ended up being one of the best shots in tournament history.

1985: Villanova Wildcats vs. Georgetown Hoyas

The 1985 Villanova Wildcats were able to pull off one of the biggest upsets in the title game ever, and they played a near-perfect game to do it. Villanova was facing a great Georgetown team, and the Hoyas played a great game.

This was one of the most beautiful games ever played and Villanova shared the ball between teammates and went on to shoot nearly 79 percent from the floor.

2016: Villanova Wildcats vs. North Carolina Tar Heels

The 2016 national championship game between Villanova and North Carolina had two of the biggest shots in NCAA Tournament history, and they happened on back-to-back possessions. North Carolina hit a three-point shot to tie the game with less than five seconds to go, and it seemed as if this game was heading to OT.

Villanova didn’t want to play the extra period though as Kris Jenkins hit a game-winning three-point shot just as the clock was hitting 0.0. It’s the only time that the title game has been decided at the buzzer.