The 25 all-time unsung heroes of the men's NCAA tournament

Bo Ellis and Butch Lee were the superstars that led Marquette to the 1977 national championship. Whitehead, though, was more than a serviceable performer for coach Al McGuire's famed group. The 6-9 Whitehead averaged 10.5 points and 8.2 boards in 1976-77, and finished with a team-high 21 points and 16 rebounds during Marquette's nail-biting 51-49 victory over North Carolina in the national semifinals. Oh yeah, Whitehead also hit the game-winner in that contest. Whitehead first had to catch a three-quarter-court inbound pass, which wasn't easy, since it was tipped. Then, off the dribble, he made his move to the goal and tried to dunk, but it turned into more of a layup that bounced off the backboard and back iron before falling in for the win.

Charles was a sophomore during N.C. State's seemingly improbable run to the 1983 national title. He averaged a modest 8.1 points and 6.0 boards, but by the end of that season, Charles was a March Madness legend and icon within the realm of Wolfpack basketball. It was his dunk, off teammate Dereck Whittenburg's air ball, that beat Houston in dramatic fashion, as time wound down in the national final. But what's forgotten is that Charles had 12 points with 14 rebounds in a first-round, double-overtime victory over Pepperdine. He posted 17 and 11 in the one-point win over UNLV two days later, scored 18 against Utah in the Sweet 16 and recorded another double-double in the regional final triumph over rival Virginia. 

Jensen never started a game for Villanova during its Cinderella run to the 1985 national championship. However, he played consistently and delivered valuable minutes when called upon, and none more so than the Wildcats' 66-64 national final upset of Big East rival Georgetown. Playing a whopping 34 minutes, Jensen made all five of his field-goal attempts and went 4-of-5 from the free-throw line to finish with 14 points in perhaps the most unsung performance in championship game history.

The 6-9 Ellison already proved himself as one of the best freshmen in the nation while averaging 13.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.4 blocks and 2.0 assists during the 1985-86 season. However, he was truly a star during the Cardinals' unlikely run to the national title that season. Louisville was led by established stars Milt Wagner and Billy Thompson, not to mention versatile forward Herbert Crook, but "Never-Nervous" Pervis recorded 25 points and 11 rebounds during Louisville's 72-69 national title-game upset of top-ranked Duke to earn Most Outstanding Player honors.

Though overshadowed by star teammates Steve Alford, Daryl Thomas and, at times, Ricky Calloway, Smart came up big for the Hoosiers during their run to the 1987 national title. And, we're not just talking about his corner jump-shot with 1 second left to beat Syracuse in the national final. Smart was MOP of the NCAA Tournament, scoring 21 in that contest and also during Indiana's Sweet 16 victory over Duke. Before that, Smart barely missed a triple-double with 20 points, 15 assists and nine rebounds against Auburn in the second round. 

The son of Hall-of-Famer Rick Barry, Scooter had mostly been a role player during his four seasons at Kansas (1986-'89), only starting during his senior season. However, Barry delivered one of the great performances during the Jayhawks' seemingly improbable trek to the 1988 national title. Though Danny Manning was the undisputed star of that successful Kansas tournament (dubbed "Danny and the Miracles"), Barry, who averaged 3.5 points for his career, made five of his six shots and finished with 15 points in a 71-58 victory over rival Kansas State, which propelled the Jayhawks into the Final Four.

Robinson wasn't Michigan's star during the 1988-89. Terry Mills, Glen Rice and Sean Higgins shined a little brighter, but Robinson rose out of the shadows of those guys and was the Wolverines' most consistent player during that surprise run under interim coach Bill Frieder to a national title. During the '89 NCAA Tournament, Robinson averaged 16.7 points and 9.3 assists. He hit two memorable free throws and scored 21 points in Michigan's overtime win against Seton Hall in the national final to earn Most Outstanding Player honors.

Bo Kimble was the star of LMU's emotional and memorable run to the 1990 Elite Eight in the wake of the fellow star Hank Gathers' unimaginable death during the West Coast Conference tournament. However, it was the unheralded, deep-threat Fryer who often stole the show during the Lions' postseason run. The senior, who put up more than 22 points per game in the regular season, averaged 24.5 and shot nearly 42 percent from 3-point range during LMU's four-game tournament surge. Fryer's highlight came in the Lions' 149-115 rout of defending national champion Michigan in the second round when he scored 41 while going 11-of-15 from beyond the arc.

Hill was a solid four-year contributor, and two-year, full-time starter during Duke's dominance from 1990-'93. He averaged 11.3 points and 3.5 rebounds during his career and won two national championships with the Blue Devils. However, he was consistently playing in the shadows of superstar teammates Christian Laettner, Grant Hill and Bobby Hurley. That said, Thomas Hill played a major role during Duke's repeat as national champions in 1992. He opened that NCAA Tournament with a 20-point effort versus Campbell, scored 19 in the memorable Elite Eight, overtime victory against Kentucky (is also remembered for his emotional reaction following Laettner's winning shot) and dropped 16 during the title-game rout of Michigan and the "Fab Five."

The 1993 NCAA Tournament might best be remembered for Chris Webber's infamous timeout during Michigan's national-final loss to North Carolina. However, Williams' performance is perhaps the most unheralded aspect of the Tar Heels' run to the title. Often overshadowed by more prominent teammates Eric Montross and George Lynch, Williams was named MOP after he scored a game-high 25 points and went 5-of-7 from 3-point range against the Wolverines. Two days prior, Williams also scored 25 against Kansas in the Final Four, and made 5-of-7 from distance. That came after he totaled 42 points in the regional semis and final. 

Beck averaged 7.9 points during his three seasons at Arkansas, but shot nearly 50 percent from the field, averaged more than 4 rebounds and assists apiece, and was an excellent facilitator. He quietly helped the Razorbacks reach the national final in 1994 and '95, starting both seasons. During the Razorbacks' 76-72 triumph over Duke in that '94 title contest, Beck truly showcased his overall value by making three 3-pointers while scoring 15 points and pulling down 10 rebounds in arguably the greatest performance of his college career.

Before Bramlett established himself as one of the great big man in Arizona basketball history, he was an unheralded performer for the 1996-97 Wildcats, who completed a memorable NCAA Tournament run by stunning Kentucky to win what remains the program's only national title. As a sophomore that season, Bramlett seemed fine supporting Arizona stars Mike Bibby, Miles Simon and Michael Dickerson. However, he had three 13-point games, averaged 10.3 boards and registered 12 blocks during the '97 NCAA Tournament.

Moore was UConn's forgotten starter for three seasons, but there might not have been a more dependable Huskie during his time in Storrs (1996-'99). Moore averaged 6.8 points as a senior in 1998-99, but nearly four assists and rebounds. He was a defensive stalwart, who stymied Duke star Trajan Langdon in the final minutes, and also scored 13 points on 6-of-10 shooting, during UConn's 77-74 upset win over the top-ranked Blue Devils in the national final.

The 6-9 Granger saved the best for last. After three seasons as a serviceable reserve for the Spartans, he became a regular starter in 1999-2000. Granger averaged career highs of 9.5 points and 5.3 rebounds, but was far from Michigan State's star in his final campaign. However, Granger averaged 11.8 points in 2000 NCAA Tournament, and scored a career-best 19, while also pulling down nine rebounds, during the Spartans' 89-76 victory over Florida in the national final.

Before Warrick became an All-American for the Orange, he played a dependable No. 2 to freshman phenom Carmelo Anthony during the program's run to the 2002-03 national title. As a sophomore that season, Warrick averaged nearly 15 points during his first season stint as a full-time starter. While Anthony was the undisputed star of Syracuse's tournament run, Warrick posted 18 points, seven rebounds and four assists during the Final Four win over Texas. He then delivered that memorable block of Michael Lee's last-second 3-point attempt to secure the Orange's 81-78 victory over Kansas in the final.

Anderson was a solid four-year performer for the Huskies, and truly came into his own during the swingman's sophomore season of 2003-04. He was third on the team averaging 11.2 points, while playing a supporting role behind stars Ben Gordon and Emeka Okafor. However, Anderson officially broke out while averaging 17.3 points on 49.2 percent shooting from the field and 21-of-43 from 3-point range, during UConn's six-game run to the 2004 national championship. That featured a 28-point, six-made-3-pointer performance in the Elite Eight versus Alabama.

Yet another Williams from North Carolina, who came up big when the Tar Heels needed a lift. Williams' one season at Chapel Hill in 2004-05 ended with a national championship. And, the key reserve, who averaged 11.3 points and 6.6 rebounds, arguably provided Carolina's biggest moment of the season. His tip-in with 1:26 remaining in regulation of the national final against Illinois broke a 70-70 tie. The Tar Heels went on to win 75-70, and Williams, who totaled 56 points in the first three games of the NCAA Tournament, had eight points with five rebounds in helping Roy Williams win his first title. 

During Florida's back-to-back NCAA championship seasons of 2006 and '07, Humphrey didn't garner the same level of attention as star teammates Al Horford, Joakim Noah, Corey Brewer and Taurean Green, but he averaged more than 10 points and shot 47.5 percent in each of those seasons. During the 2006 NCAA Tournament, Humphrey averaged 12.8 points and shot 45.8 percent from 3-point range. A year later, he scored 12.5 per contest in the Big Dance, shooting 47 percent from distance to continue his under-the-radar success.

Collins is one of the great Kansas players of all time, but his four-year run with the Jayhawks (2007-'10) began as a key role player off the bench. Kansas fans got more than a glimpse of the clutch player Collins would become during the classic 75-68 overtime victory against Memphis in 2008 national championship game. He recorded a late steal and made a huge 3-pointer before finding teammate Mario Chalmers, who sank a 3-pointer with 2 seconds remaining to force the extra session.

After beginning his college career with two seasons at George Mason, Hancock transferred to Louisville, where he went from serviceable reserves to NCAA Tournament hero in helping the Cardinals win the 2013 championship (which has since been vacated due to NCAA violations). Off the bench, Hancock had 20 points on 6-of-9 shooting during the national semifinal win over Wichita State. He then scored 14 straight points to help the Cardinals get back in the game against Michigan in the title contest, and finished with 22 while making all five 3-point attempts in the 82-76 triumph. Hancock was the first reserve ever to win NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player.

A freshman reserve on the Duke team that won the program's most recent national title, Allen totaled 18 points through the first five games of the 2015 NCAA Tournament. But in the national final against a talented Wisconsin squad, Allen went off for 16 points on 5-of-8 shooting and helped the Blue Devils erase a nine-point deficit and eventually go on to win 68-63. Though Allen made his fair share of enemies on the court, this moment kick-started a stellar four-year career at Duke.

As dependable as they come, Arcidiacono is a Villanova favorite and a co-hero of the Wildcats' run to the 2016 national title. Yes, Arcidiacono was the guy who made the pass to teammate Kris Jenkins before he sank the memorable game-winner versus North Carolina in the finals. But, the senior guard averaged 15.6 points on a ridiculous 66-percent shooting and went 16-of-26 from beyond the arc during the 2016 NCAA Tournament. He scored 16 against the Tar Heels and was named tournament Most Outstanding Player.

Diakite averaged just 7.4 points, but shot 55 percent during Virginia's national championship season of 2018-19. In the '19 NCAA Tournament, Diakite averaged 10.5 points and 8.2 rebounds, and essentially saved the day during the Cavaliers' 80-75 overtime victory against Purdue in the Elite Eight. A title would not have been possible without Diakite's tying jumper at the end of regulation against the Boilermakers, which remains one of the most clutch shots in tournament history.

Martin was a potent scorer during his three seasons at Arizona State, but in his final collegiate season at Kansas (2021-22), he averaged just 8.6 points and lost his spot as a starter. However, when the NCAA Tournament rolled around, Martin found his form, averaging 14 points, while shooting 47.6 percent from distance, and nearly five rebounds. He twice scored 20 or more points during the Big Dance (where he was named Most Outstanding Player of the Midwest Region) and made 4-of-6 3-point attempts during the Jayhawks' 72-69 title-game win over North Carolina.

Butler finished his college career at Kentucky, but he'll be best known for helping San Diego State reach the national championship game in 2023. Butler never averaged more than 9.3 points during his four seasons with the Aztecs, but scored 10.5 while making 25-of-50 shots during the '23 tournament. Of course, Butler's memorable buzzer-beating winner against fellow upstart Florida Atlantic sent SDSU to the national final and made him a hero of March.