Most iconic March Madness buzzer beaters of the 21st Century

A game-winning put-back at the buzzer in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament isn’t necessarily the most exciting March Madness memory, but it’s awfully fitting that it was Butler of all schools that advanced to the next round on a play like this. Just one year earlier, Butler made an unexpected run to the National Championship Game… a game that nearly concluded with a Gordon Hayward half-court buzzer beater for the win. But on the way there, the Bulldogs made a habit of grinding out wins, and they’d do the same in 2011, when as an 8 seed they advanced all the way to the National Championship Game for the second consecutive year. Without Matt Howard’s put-back in the opening round, Butler goes to overtime against Old Dominion, and who knows what happens from there.

9. Ty Rogers (Western Kentucky over Drake, 2008 1st Round) 

An unbelievable shot and play design to cap off what was an incredibly exciting game in the opening round of the 2008 Tournament. Some college hoops fans will remember that this Western Kentucky team not only featured Ty Rogers, who hit the deep three for the OT win, but also Courtney Lee, who would go on to have a decade-long NBA career. But only the true sickos will remember what a disappointment it was that we didn’t get a prolonged opportunity to see 2008 Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year, Drake’s Adam Emmenecker (a three-year walk-on who barely played before his Senior season) go on an extended run in March.

8. Korie Lucious (Michigan State over Maryland, 2010 2nd Round) 

If you needed proof that Draymond Green knew how to find the open shooter long before he ever teamed with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, there you have it.

7. Jordan Poole (Michigan over Houston, 2018 2nd Round) 

Years before Jordan Poole became a punchline after becoming the victim of an infamous Draymond Green punch, he was responsible for punching Michigan’s ticket to the Sweet Sixteen in 2018. Michigan would go on to make the Final Four, losing to Villanova in the National Championship Game. But it was this shot against Houston that put Poole on the national map, giving him the opportunity to improbably, only for one year, become the de facto third Splash Brother on a Warriors team that won the NBA Title.

6. Paul Jesperson (Northern Iowa over Texas, 2016 1st Round) 

Eight years ago today, Northern Iowa’s Paul Jesperson banked in the longest game-winning buzzer beater in NCAA Tournament history at the expense of the Texas Longhorns, who a year after firing Rick Barnes were still coated in the Rick Barnes stench. Barnes made a habit of bowing out in the tournament’s opening weekend, and thanks to Jesperson’s half-court heave, the Longhorns continued the tradition. And hey, speaking of traditions, this marked the second time this century that Northern Iowa knocked a Big 12 team out of the Big Dance. Shout out to Ali Farokmanesh for taking, and making, one of the ballsiest three-pointers in March Madness history.

5. Kenton Paulino (Texas over West Virginia, 2006 Sweet Sixteen) 

You could make the case that this Kenton Paulino shot is the highlight of Rick Barnes’ coaching career since was the last time a Barnes coached team has won a game in the Sweet Sixteen, but hey, I’ve taken enough shots at the Tennessee Volunteers coach over the last 48 hours — karmically, it feels like Tennessee is bound to go on a deep March run because I’ve been poking fun, so you’re welcome, Vols fans. Instead, I’ll give props to Paulino, who kept his final season as a Longhorn alive with this buzzer-beating three-pointer.

4. Chris Chiozza (Florida over Wisconsin, 2017 Sweet Sixteen) 

One of the craziest looking buzzer beaters we’ve seen in March, that’s for sure. The undersized Chris Chiozza raced the distance of the floor in four seconds and launched a running three-pointer at the buzzer. Chiozza’s momentum had carried him under the basket as the ball went through the net.

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

We’re officially in legendary territory from here on out, because the remainder of our buzzer-beaters took place in either the Final Four or the National Championship Game. Up first is Lamont Butler’s buzzer-beater against Florida Atlantic, a shot that ended the unlikely Cinderella run of the Owls, but continued it for Brian Dutcher’s San Diego State Aztecs. Butler, and many others who made up last year’s Aztec team, are back this year and they’re once again a dangerous 5 seed.

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

It takes a really special shot to keep one like Jalen Suggs’ running banked-in three to keep a perfect season alive and send a team to the Final Four from climbing to the #1 spot in rankings like these, but that’s what we’re dealing with. Either way, there is nothing that should diminish this shot’s place in March Madness lore or this particular moment’s place in sports history. Remember, just a year prior to this game, the 2020 NCAA Tournament was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. When the NCAA announced that they’d be moving forward with the 2020-21 season, it was met with a healthy amount of skepticism, but to their credit, the NCAA pulled it off, culminating in an unusual NCAA Tournament that took place entirely in Indianapolis, Indiana. Fan attendance was limited, so it’s not as if this shot benefits from the thunderous roar of a pro-Gonzaga crowd celebrating making the National Championship Game for just the second time in the program’s history.

But still, the call from Jim Nantz and co. is absolutely perfect. In fact, I’d argue that being able to clearly hear Nantz’s voice cracking when he hollers, “A perfect season remains on go!” makes the shot and the moment even better.

1. Kris Jenkins (Villanova over North Carolina, 2016 National Championship Game) 

Eight years later, it remains a shame that college hoops fans haven’t been able to successfully push Kris Jenkins’ game-winner ahead of Christian Laettner’s overrated game-winner against Kentucky — that’s right, it had to be said and I said it! — as the most iconic and famous shot in March Madness history. As a collective fanbase, I can’t help but feel as though we’ve failed. That’s why this is will serve as my attempt to do my part in righting that wrong, because there is no more perfect ending in the history of the NCAA Tournament than this one. Consider:

-This all begins with a Marcus Paige’s game-tying, contorting-in-the-air three-pointer that looked like it was going to send what was already a classic National Championship Game into overtime, and who doesn’t love free basketball?

-After Paige’s shot goes down, the announcers go nuts and the cutaway to Michael Jordan in the crowd is absolutely delightful. The most famous and successful athlete who has ever lived was is looking like he belongs in the North Carolina student section. That’s what March Madness can do to you.

-Before Ryan Arcidiacono even makes the pass back to Jenkins, Grant Hill (who coincidentally made the key pass to Christian Laettner in 1992) sees what’s about to happen. You can hear Hill say, “Here comes Jenkins.” And my God, Nantz’s “For the championship!” call as the ball hung in the air gives me chills every time, and I’m a fan of one of Nova’s Big East rivals.

-It doesn’t show it in the video that’s embedded above, but Jay Wright’s reaction to Jenkins’ shot going down is one of a stone cold killer who can’t be moved to emotion by anything, whether it’s cutting up a body, watching videos of adorable pitbulls being rescued and find their forever homes, or winning a National Title on the most iconic buzzer beater in the tournament’s history. Seriously, just look at this psycho:

Meanwhile, what you can see in the original video is Rollie Massimimo, Nova’s head coach when they won the National Title in 1985, looking like he’s about to begin crying tears of joy in the aftermath of the shot.

Again, that’s what March Madness can do to you.