The 10 greatest NCAA Tournament games

March Madness, the NCAA basketball tournament, has just tipped off.  For sports fans like myself, having the tournament will be a welcome sight, especially after last year's edition was cancelled due to COVID-19.  Throughout the years, the tournament has given fans a seemingly endless supply of memorable moments.

Here are the top 10 greatest games in NCAA tournament history.

 10. 1979 Championship Game - Michigan State 75, Indiana State 64

This highly-anticipated clash between Michigan State, lead by Earvin "Magic" Johnson, and undefeated small school Indiana State, guided by Larry Bird, did not quite live up to the hype, as Magic's Spartans were in control throughout much of the game, ending up winning by eleven points.  Nevertheless, this game remains a watershed moment in college basketball history, as it helped make the NCAA tournament a national obsession, while scoring record television ratings which still stand to this day.  The game also launched the Magic-Bird rivalry, which they would carry to the NBA, with the Lakers and Celtics, respectively.

9. 2010 Championship Game - Duke 61, Butler 59

An epic in Indianapolis between perennial powerhouse Duke and tiny, locally-based Butler, this showdown was a taut back-and-forth affair.  Butler's Gordon Hayward's half-court prayer narrowly missed, and Duke claimed its fourth title.  Butler made it back to the championship game the following year, but lost again, this time to UConn.

8. 1993 Championship Game - North Carolina 77, Michigan 71

Chris Webber's phantom timeout costs the Fab Five a title.

7. 1982 Championship Game - North Carolina 63, Georgetown 62

Georgetown, led by freshman sensation Patrick Ewing, takes on a UNC squad with James Worthy, Sam Perkins, and a freshman guard named Michael Jordan.  With 19 seconds left and Georgetown leading by 1, Jordan's shot gave NC the lead.  The Hoyas looked to respond, but Fred Brown throws it right to Worthy, effectively ending the game.

6. 2018 First Round - UMBC 74, Virginia 54

The first time ever a 16th seed knocked off a first seed.  The University of Maryland at Baltimore County made history when they upended overall top seed Virginia, and beat them by 20 points no less.  As devastating as the loss was for Virginia, they would bounce back the next year and win the tournament.

5. 1992 Elite Eight - Duke 104, Kentucky 103 (OT)

Star-studded, defending national champion Duke faced off against Kentucky, who had been on probation the past two years.  Duke was led by Christian Laettner, Bobby Hurley, and Grant Hill, while Kentucky had "The Unforgettables", the team's four seniors:  Richie Farmer, Deron Feldhaus, John Pelphrey, and Sean Woods.  All but Woods were from Kentucky.  The game was a back-and-forth affair that went to overtime.  With seven seconds left in the extra stanza, and Duke leading 102-101, Kentucky worked the ball to Woods, who converted an impossible hook shot with 2.1 seconds to seemingly send Kentucky to the Final Four.  However, Hill threw a long pass  downcourt to Laettner, who put in a 16-foot bucket as the horn went off, clinching another Final Four berth for Duke, where they would go on to defend their title.

4. 1983 Championship Game - NC State 54, Houston 52

The Houston Cougars had established themselves as the best and most exciting team in all of college basketball.  With Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler at the forefront, "Phi Slama Jama" weaponized the dunk to intimidate their opponents.  Few thought that North Carolina State, who barely reached the tournament, would stand a chance.  Surprisingly, the unsung Wolfpack hung in with Houston, playing to a 52-52 tie late into the game.  With seconds left, NC State's Dereck Whittenburg got off a shot that fell well short of the hoop, but Lorenzo Charles was there to grab it and slam it in to secure a shocking upset, with coach Jim Valvano frantically running all over the court.

3. 1991 Final Four - Duke 79, UNLV 77

Before Duke became a powerhouse, they were college basketball's ultimate bridesmaid.  The Blue Devils had been to the Final Four eight times, but had never won the title.  In 1990, they blew their latest chance at a championship when they were routed 103-73 by UNLV.  The next year, the Runnin' Rebels were unstoppable, going undefeated heading into the Final Four led by NBA draft lottery picks Larry Johnson and Stacey Augmon.  In the Final Four, they would face Duke, the very same team they tormented the year.  But right from the start, it was clear that Duke was a different team.  The teams battled back and forth throughout the game, and with time winding down, Duke clung to a two-point lead.  UNLV missed a three-pointer as time ran out, ending their 45-game winning streak.  Duke had a program-altering victory, and two nights later, they defeated Kansas for their first national championship.

2. 1985 Championship Game - Villanova 66, Georgetown 64

On April 1, 1985 Georgetown stepped onto the court in Lexington, Kentucky not only as the defending national champions, but also as the pre-eminent powerhouse in the sport.  Led by Patrick Ewing, the big, bad Hoyas stunned their opponents into submission with the nation's most smothering defense.  No way Villanova, an eight seed with 10 losses, could beat Georgetown, right?  Somehow, the Wildcats shot an absurd 79% to take down the Hoyas.  How can this be topped?

1. 2016 Championship Game - Villanova 77, North Carolina 74

31 years after shocking Georgetown, 'Nova one-upped themselves!  Facing off against North Carolina in Houston, these two teams played 40 minutes of note-perfect basketball.  At one point, Villanova was dominant, at another, UNC was in command.  But the ending to this game is what makes it without peer.  With 13.5 seconds left, Villanova was ahead 74-71.  Carolina worked the ball to senior guard Marcus Paige, who got off an awkward double-clutch shot that somehow spun through the hoop, tying the game with 4.7 to go.  The game appeared destined for overtime.  Unless...

On the next possession, Villanova's Kris Jenkins inbounded the ball to Ryan Arcidiacono, who dribbled the ball up court before dishing it back to Jenkins.  As time was about to expire, Jenkins launched, and just after the buzzer, his shot dropped, giving Villanova the title in stunning fashion.

Honorable Mention: 1966 Championship Game - Texas Western 72, Kentucky 65

The Miners, fielding the first all-black starting lineup in a championship game, defeat all-white Kentucky coached by alleged racist Adolph Rupp.

Will we see more games like these this tournament?

Let the Madness begin.