Top 10 NCAA Final Four Buzzer Beaters of All Bit

Itâ s that future of year again and across the USA March Insanity is erupting on basketball courts, sports bars, living room couches and dependable about anywhere else you can plug in a television. Heading into its 69th year, the NCAA Final Four has seen its share of memorable moments. Never a disappointment the wealth of glorious victories, incredible upsets and nail-biting finales have ensured this annual tournament as one of Americaâ s most beloved. To hold and prepare for the 2008 NCAA Final Four in San Antonio, we present the top ten bench-clearing buzzer-beaters in Parade Madness history.Â

10. Mike Miller: Florida vs. Butler - 2000

Numeral 10 on the NCAA Top Buzzer Beaters list goes to Mike Miller, then with the Florida Gators. With mere seconds remaining in what had been a very close game, Miller hit a runner in the lane as time expired. Guaranteeing the Gators win, Miller sank one honest as the buzzer sounded and lifted the Gators over Butler, 69-68, in overtime. The first-round pay dirt sparked Florida to a 2000 NCAA Championship game appearance where they eventually lost to Michigan State. This was the beginning of Miller's evolution into a top NBA player. Miller, currently with the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies, has gained the reputation as one of the best in the union for his potency to hit the clutch three-pointer. He was selected 5th overall in the 2000 NBA Draft by the Orlando Occultism and nabbed himself the 2001 Schick Rookie of the Year Award. Still going strong Miller earned himself the NBA Sixth Mortal of the Year Award for the 2006 NBA season.

9. Drew Nicholas: Maryland vs. UNCW - 2003

UNCW was speedy to the killing until Nicholas, comparable a man possessed, kept Maryland's title-defense dreams alive when he took an inbound pass spanning the entire length of the court. Drew then weaved his way complete multiple defenders before swishing a running, fade-away three-pointer at the buzzer with 2 defenders yet draped all over him. The miracle basket gave the sixth-seeded Terrapins a 75-73 first-round win over No.11 UNC Wilmington. Following the huge win, Nicholas was selected in the 2003 USBL Draft by the Texas Rim Rockers. Nicholas most recently played guard for Efes Pilsen SK in Turkey. He was released by the band for following security warnings from the American Consulate and refusing to travel to Serbia for a Euroleague Top 16 game in Belgrade.

8. Danny Ainge: BYU vs. Notre Dame - 1981

Itâ s difficult to pick the most memorable second from Danny Ainge's long and incredible sports career, but this merriment is definitely in the running. Ainge went the unabridged length of the court and lofted in an unlikely finger roll at the buzzer to chaotic No. 2 Notre Dame and shock the packed house. After playing for the Blue Jays in the MLB, Ainge ended up drafted by the Boston Celtics who bought him absent of his Blue Jays contract. With the Celtics, he quickly gained a name of angering his opponents with his brash style. After winning the NBA title in 1984 and 1986, he went on to play with the Kings, Course Blazers, and Suns. During this period he twice lost to the Michael Jordan led Chicago Bulls in the NBA Finals, once with Portland and the year closest with the Phoenix Suns. He is currently GM for the Boston Celtics.

7. Tate George: UConn vs. Clemson - 1990

Clemson virtually had the champagne bottles already popping after they scored a 3-pointer with equal 1.6 seconds left in the game. That was until Tate George brough a bitter end to their premature party. George caught a full-court pass, landed, turned and then drilled a fall-away jumper to letter the UConn Huskies to a 71-70 sweep over Clemson in the East Regional semi-finals. Clemson was left stunned and UConn fans went really out of their minds. Tate George was drafted 22nd overall in 1990 by the Just out Pullover Nets. He played 4 years in the NBA with the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers.

6. Richard Hamilton: UConn vs. Washington - 1998

Shortly after Washington finally managed to benefit the lead, Richard Hamilton sank a desperate barbarian hamper and gave UConn the win in a dramatic fashion. The Huskies missed three put-back attempts - the ball bounced away to Hamilton who missed his first off attempt, then with his second he tripped backwards and fell while sinking a jaw-dropping 15-footer which cemented the win. Straightaway nicknamed â Rip,â and playing with the Detroit Pistons, Richard was the 1999 NBA Lottery pick of the Washington Wizards. He won the 2004 NBA Championship with the Pistons and was the teamâ s substantial scorer.

5. Tyus Edney: UCLA vs. Missouri - 1995

UCLA was trailing by 1 with aloof 4.8 seconds left on the clock. Edney took an inbound pass, sped coast-to-coast and dribbled behind his back before tossing up a layup off the glass to beat the Tigers at the buzzer, giving the Bruins a 75-74 triumph over Missouri in a second-rounder. Later in the tournament against UConn, Edney had another full court lope and drained a 25-foot 3-pointer en route to a 102-96 victory which led UCLA to win the title. Drafted in 1995 in the second round by the Sacramento Kings, he has bounced approximately the NBA and European professional leagues ever since.

4. Bryce Drew: Valparaiso vs. Ole Miss- 1998

Straight gone of a Hollywood sports flick, Valparaiso's head Coach, Homer Drew, watched in agony as his own sonny Bryce missed a feasible game-winning basket with just 4.5 seconds to remaining. After a foul, Ole Miss ends up missing 2 free-throw attempts. With just a couple seconds left on the watch Valpo ran the hook-and-ladder and executed the last-second play to precision as Bryce drilled a three-pointer at the horn for a 70-69 first-round victory. Drew, arguably the choicest player in Valpo institution history, was a first Round pick for the Houston Rockets in 1998. The headmost ever first round pick from Valparaiso, Bryce played 6 years in the NBA and 1 in Europe before returning to his Alma mater to serve as his fatherâ s assistant coach.

3. Lorenzo Charles: N.C. Community vs. Houston - 1983

Tied 52-52 against still favored Houston with time running down in the NCAA name game, aim guard Derek Whittenburg heaved up a last ditch 30-footer from 3-point range. Lorenzo Charles caught the air ball and dunked it at the buzzer, ally-oop style, and pandemonium erupted on the court. A team that included NBA perennial All-Stars Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon and the rest of Phi Slama Jama had been defeated. Charles succeeding played for the NBA Atlanta Hawks, a number of European teams and the USBLâ s Raleigh Cougars.

2. Keith Smart: Indiana vs. Syracuse - 1987

With age running out Smart dribbled to the baseline and nailed a 12-footer that gave the Hoosiers a 74-73 slam over the Syracuse Orangemen. Smart, who scored 12 of his team's ending 15 points that game, never untrue even of an bump in the NBA where he played 2 games for the Spurs. He spent the rest of his career in the CBA for 6 seasons and also had stops in the World Basketball Cooperative and the Philippines. He is currently an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors.

1. Christian Laettner: Duke vs. Kentucky - 1992

Who can forget this gem of a Final Four moment? With equitable 2.1 seconds remaining in overtime Duke trailed Kentucky 103-102. Grant Hill threw a beautiful pass the length of the court to Christian Laettner who dribbled once, turned, and hit a jumper as time expired for the 104-103 win. It was the point of a heart-breaking game for Rick Pitinoâ s Wildcats who had managed to come back from a double-digit deficit only to timer their dreams crash and burn due to one miracle shot. Laettner is considered one of the greatest college players of all time, largely due to his outstanding play in 4 consecutive Final Fours. He went on to play 13 seasons in the NBA beginning with the Minnesota Timberwolves as the 3rd pick in the 1992 draft.

Hopefully this folder of the Top 10 supremely breathtaking game endings in the history of the NCAA Final Four has left you quivering in anticipation for this yearâ s tournament and already scrambling for NCAA tickets to next yearâ s brimming show. Regardless of what happens in the coming the incredible legacy of players enjoy Tate George, Mike Miller, Danny Ainge, Richard Hamilton, Christian Laettner and other NCAA miracle makers will remain in the March Madness history books for all time.Â

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