By KEN DAVIS
Final Four weekend is upon us again.
Basketball genius Dave Gavitt, the founder and mastermind of the Big East Conference, used to say that national semifinal Saturday was the greatest day on the sports calendar. Nothing matches the emotion and excitement of the day.
But fantastic finishes and buzzer-beaters can come on any stage of the NCAA tournament, from the first round to the championship game Those are the lasting memories that keep us going through the offseason and for years to come.
On a personal note, the culmination of the 2025 season marks the 40th anniversary of my first Final Four as a reporter. I actually covered my first NCAA games in 1979 when Larry Bird and Indiana State began their Final Four journey with opening round games at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kan.
In 1985, working for the Baltimore News-American, I traveled to Lexington, Ky., to witness the historic Final Four that featured three teams from the Big East. Villanova played the “perfect game” to upset Patrick Ewing and Georgetown in the title game.
It was a pretty good start to a career of covering the Final Four. I’ve attended 35 Final Fours (33 on press row as a reporter). From 1985 to 2018, I never missed one. Sidelined by a foot injury in 2019,I was ready to return in 2020 when the pandemic forced cancellation of the tournament. Most recently I covered the championship game in 2022 after travel issues caused me to miss the semifinals.
Like they say, it isn’t easy to reach the Final Four.
San Antonio is my favorite site but I’m unable to attend this season. To celebrate my own 40th anniversary, I want to reflct on the most memorable moments I witnessed in person.
Not necessarily the greatest games.
Not the best teams or most exciting tournaments.
Just the special moments. Big shots that won games, buzzer-beaters or otherwise.
Don’t get upset if I don’t mention your favorite shot. This is strictly personal. The qualification is that I had to be there, not watching on TV or some streaming device.
And I’ve had a pretty great run.
Here’s to the One Shining Moments.
- Christian Laettner. Duke vs. Kentucky (1992 Elite Eight)
This one is considered the greatest game of all time. No argument with that. I was fortunate to be on press row in Philadelphia to cover this masterpiece. There were so many twists and turns as Kentucky’s Rick Pitino and Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski orchestrated all the moves. To refresh your memory, Grant Hill delivered the pass with 2.1 seconds left in overtime and Kentucky leading by one. Laettner caught the ball at the opposite free throw line and hit his turn-around jumper at the buzzer to give the Blue Devils the 104-103 victory. Laettner was 10-for-10 from the field and 10-for-10 from the free throw line. Then he was perfect on the shot that will be remembered forever. Duke went on to win its back-to-back national championships. This is the reason they call it March Madness and any list without this at No. 1 is missing the point.
- Mario Chalmers. Kansas vs. Memphis (2008 National Championship)
The history of Kansas basketball stretches from James Naismith to Phog Allen, from Wilt Chamberlain to Danny Manning, and to the greatest comeback in championship game history against North Carolina in 2022. But the shot by Chalmers that sent the 2008 title game into overtime elicits the greatest ovation when Jayhawk fans watch highlight compilations. Memphis led 60-51 with 2:12 to play and John Calipari’s team was still up three with 10.8 seconds left when Kansas inbounded the ball after a free throw by Derrick Rose of Memphis. Sherron Collins stumbles and starts to fall but shovels a short pass to Chalmers, who sets his feet for a 3-pointer with 3.9 seconds left. His rainbow jumper fell through the net with 2.1 seconds left to tie the game at 63. Kansas dominated overtime and won the title by a 75-68 score. “It will probably be the biggest shot ever made in Kansas history,” coach Bill Self said. Technically not a buzzer-beating winning shot, but as a Kansas grad, this is my personal favorite.
- Tate George. UConn vs. Clemson (1990 Sweet 16)
Clemson mounted a furious comeback in the Meadowlands and led 70-69 with 0ne second left. It appeared UConn’s Dream Season and pursuit of its first Final Four appearance in program history was about to end. But Scott Burrell, a remarkable athlete who played pro baseball and was a high school quarterback, hurled the perfect pass to George on the right baseline. What happened in one second was a miracle. George’s quick shot kept the Huskies alive – for two more days. Then Laettner struck again. But UConn fans will always have “It’s Late. It’s Tate. It’s Great.”
- Kris Jenkins. Villanova vs. North Carolina (2016 National Championship)
Marcus Paige of North Carolina had his Mario Chalmers moment with an incredible double-clutch 3-pointer to tie the game. It was a remarkable shot but it left Villanova with 4.1 seconds to run a play. Coach Jay Wright had the right stuff in his playbook and the Tar Heels didn’t have the defense to stop it. Guard Ryan Arcidiacono wasted no time getting up the court and flipped the ball back to Jenkins, who calmly buried the game-winning 3-pointer for a 77-74 victory. Rollie Massimino, who coached Villanova to the perfect game in the 1985 championship win, was in the stands to celebrate as there were explosions and confetti after the high drama. For many who weren’t around to see Laettner, this stands as their One Shining Moment.
- Richard Hamilton. UConn vs. Washington (1998 Sweet 16)
Eight years after Tate George, the Huskies from Storrs still hadn’t won their first national championship. Going against the No. 11 seed from Washington, heartbreak almost happened again. Washington led 74-73 with 29 seconds left but UConn had the final possession. Guard Khalid El-Amin dished a pass to big man Jake Voskuhl, who missed a shot in the lane. Hamilton missed his follow-up attempt and as time ticked down, the ball was batted around like a volleyball play before Hamilton got the ball back. His quick fadeaway seemed unlikely but it was successful at the buzzer and UConn had another highlight reel moment. Two days later Jim Calhoun’s team fell short again but the postgame locker room scene set the tone for the following season when UConn won its first national championship by upsetting favored Duke.
- Tyus Edney. UCLA vs. Missouri (1995 second round)
In 1995, I was in my 10th season as the UConn beat writer for The Hartford Courant. The Huskies were sent to Salt Lake City for first and second round games and defeated Chattanooga and Cincinnati at the Huntsman Center. With those wins, UConn advanced to the West Region semifinals in Oakland, Calif. On the way to Oakland, I made a stop in Boise to cover the other side of the regional. That’s where UCLA guard ‘Tyus Edney made history against Missouri. The Bruins trailed Mizzou 75-74 with 4.8 seconds left. Edney was one of those super quick players who could make things happen with the ball in his hands. UCLA coach Jim Harrick trusted him to travel coast-to-coast, Edney dribbled behind his back at midcourt, then raced to the basket for a layup at the buzzer. UCLA beat UConn and Ray Allen in the regional final and went on to win the national championship. None of that would have happened with0ut Edney against Mizzou. “I knew I could get down there in 3, or 3.5 seconds probably, if there was no defense,” Edney told me. “When the defender kind of cut me off, I was going to the left side and if I continued I thought that was probably going to slow me down. But I went behind my back and I was able to free up.”
- Scottie Reynolds. Villanova vs. Pittsburgh (2009 Elite Eight)
No. 1 seed Pitt tied the game with a free throw with 5.5 seconds left. Villanova went without a timeout and Reynolds engineered his own heroics that were part Edney and part Chalmers. The Wildcats inbounded the ball to leading scorer Dante Cunningham. Reynolds raced down the right side of the court and took a shovel handoff in the backcourt. Then he raced into the lane, drew a lot of contact, and attacked the rim. His layup beat the buzzer with 0.5 seconds left and Villanova advanced to the Final Four for the first time since 1985. A final heave by Pitt was long and Nova won. “That’s why we practice that every day in practice so we can make an instinct play,” Reynolds said. “We did that, it worked tonight. Only has to work once.”
- Gabe Lewullis. Princeton vs UCLA (1996 first round)
Princeton coach Pete Carril, a Hall of Fame inductee, was famous for running backdoor offensive plays for his Ivy League team. But Lewullis was an unlikely candidate to finish that action. Carril didn’t care for the energy Lewullis brought to practice and thought he didn’t cut fast enough to the basket. One day Carril said to him, “Phlegmatic. Why are you so f—ing phlegmatic?” Even so, he was in the starting lineup for just the second time in 16 games as massive underdog Princeton knocked off the defending national champions in one of the greatest first-round upsets in NCAA history. Lewullis scored on a backdoor layup with f0ur seconds left and Princeton won 43-41. Fans may not remember the name of the player (who became an orthopedic surgeon) but they will never forget the play. Carril called it the “center-forward backdoor” cut out of Princeton’s constant motion. “Oh, my God,” said Lewullis after the shot. And he didn’t even remember saying that.
- Keith Smart. Indiana vs. Syracuse (1987 National Championship)
There’s something special about Final Four games played in the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans. Expect the unexpected. Smart’s game-winning jump shot from the left baseline with four seconds remaining lifted Indiana to the 74-73 victory and secured the fifth national championship for the Hoosiers. It was the third national title for coach Bob Knight. It remains one of the iconic moments in college basketball history. “When something like that happens, I’ve always said that moment chases you,” Smart once said. “It continues to chase you because you’re going to be identified with that big moment.
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- Christian Laettner. Duke vs. UConn (1990 Elite Eight)
Top of this list and the bottom of this list. There’s a reason Laettner is considered one of the all-time great college basketball players. And there’s a reason or two why UConn fans despised him so much. Two days after George hit The Shot to defeat Clemson, Laettner gave the Huskies a taste of their own medicine in the East Region final in the Meadowlands. With UConn leading 73-72 in overtime, Laettner took a quick pass off his on inbound play, double-pumped and hit a jumper at the buzzer to drive a dagger into the hearts of the UConn players. It’s exactly what Laettner always did in big games. George almost stole the ball late to seal UConn’s win, but he fumbled it out of bounds. The UConn locker room may have been the most emotional I ever covered after a loss. George could barely talk in the interview room. Nadav Henefeld, the gifted player from Israel who made such a difference in UConn’s season, was in tears. It turned out it was his last game in a UConn uniform after just one season. A sad ending indeed – for everyone but Duke.
Videos of these plays and many more can be viewed by clicking here. For a complete list of tournament buzzer-beaters, click here.
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