College Basketball History Research Paper

Words: 564
Pages: 3

Although professional basketball gets most of the attention, there are times when record-breaking performances and underdog wins make college basketball the topic on everyone's mind. These spectacular performances transcend a single performance and become the stuff that legends are made of. The following five performances are the top moments in college basketball history.

1. Richmond Defeats Syracuse During March Madness

In 1991, Richmond was rated as the 15th seed in March Madness. They managed to defeat top teams that included players like Charles Barkley in previous years. By 1991, they were ready to show what they were made of. The team defeated Syracuse to become the first March Madness winner in history to have be ranked at 15th place going into the event. The ultimate score of the game was 73-69 due to Richmond's impressive defense.

2. Northern Iowa Beats Top Ranked Kansas
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In 2010, they were coached by Ben Jacobson to have an extremely competitive squad. Led by Ali Farkhmanesh, they managed to beat Kansas 69-67 in the second round. This made them the first team to defeat a first place seed since 2004.

3. George Mason Defeats the University of Connecticut in the Elite Eight

In the 2007 NCAA tournament, Jim Larranaga's team appeared less athletic and smaller than the top-ranked teams they were expected to play. Despite their underdog status, they upset Michigan State University. In the previous year, Michigan State University had been one of the Final Four. Even as the game progressed, the Patriots were behind by nine points at half time. They managed to earn their way back on top and beat the University of Connecticut in overtime. The final score was 86-84 in favor of Michigan.

4. A Shot in the Eleventh