While every March Madness championship game is memorable in itself because it results in a champion being crowned, a few title games stand out from the rest.
These games are memorable for being amazing, they were uniquely competitive, intense and exciting.
Before heading to the NCAAB betting sites for this year’s Final Four matchups, I will rank the five best championship games in history, from fifth to first.
5. North Carolina vs. Georgetown (1982)
This national championship game is known as Michael Jordan’s coming-out party. It was a highly competitive contest from start to finish where the fight in each team was perceptible.
The winning team’s margin of victory in both halves was one point. To get to the finish line, both teams went back-and-forth in the waning minutes.
After a jump shot from first-team All-American Eric Floyd, MJ hit what would be the game-winner for UNC with 15 seconds left. The Tar Heels would hang on for a 63-62 victory.
In a game that pitted two greats MJ and Patrick Ewing against each other, MJ’s team came out on top, although Ewing cites MJ’s teammate James Worthy as the main reason why he would leave Georgetown with only one national championship.
Worthy, fittingly known as “Big Game James,” was the best player on the court with 28 points.
This game is also how coaching legend Dean Smith, after whom UNC’s basketball venue is currently named, won his first national championship.
4. Kansas vs. Memphis (2008)
These were two historically good teams: Kansas had won 36 games while Memphis became the first NCAA team to win 38 games. Fittingly, they were both number one seeds.
This game was very close, but what makes it special is that there was also a surprising comeback involved as well as unique drama. Viewers probably weren’t expecting the game to be close when Kansas was down nine with just over two minutes remaining in the game. Memphis seemed to have firm control.
After a basket put them within seven, the Jayhawks made the intelligent move of calling timeout and making a plan on how to defend the following inbounds pass, which they ended up stealing.
This steal turned into a three-pointer that reduced Memphis’ lead to four.
This is where one of the game’s most fascinating storylines comes into play: the Tigers had struggled with free throw shooting all year long and their coach downplayed those struggles.
Well, now they would need to hit free throws in order to ice the game. With these free throws, everything was at stake. The consciousness of Memphis’ free throw shooting created unique drama. Free throws were arguably never so fun to watch.
His team up two with ten seconds left, Derrick Rose for Memphis had his chance to ice the game, but he only made one of two free throws. Kansas would have a chance to tie, and it did with a legendary three-point shot taken by Mario Chalmers.
This shot sent the game into overtime where the Jayhawks would pull away for good.
3. Michigan vs. Seton Hall (1989)
The coaching situation was interesting in this one because the Wolverines were led to this game by an interim coach, Steve Fisher, whose predecessor left for Arizona State right before the tournament.
This game deserves the number three spot because it went into overtime and remained thrilling.
Rumeal Robinson, who was not a good free throw shooter, clutched up and made two free throws with a few seconds left in overtime to give Michigan a one-point victory. Seton Hall did have a chance after those two free throws, but, after a full-court heave found its way to the shooter, it incredibly went off the backboard and off the rim.
2. Indiana vs. Syracuse (1987)
This game is special in part for featuring two legendary head coaches in Bob Knight for Indiana and Jim Boeheim for Syracuse.
Boeheim would, thanks to this game, be slapped with a stigma that he couldn’t win big games. He would need Carmelo Anthony to help him win his one national championship in 2003.
The Orange nearly won, though.
This was a tight affair in which Indiana triumphed, 74-73, as a consequence of Keith Smart’s game-winning shot in the waning seconds.
Smart made the last four points for Indiana in that game, helping his team overcome a 73-70 deficit with just over half a minute left.
Syracuse’s dramatic inability to get the job done at the free throw line opened the door for Smart to take over with his memorable individual performance.
1 Villanova vs. North Carolina (2016)
This one is the best championship game ever because of its finish, which must be etched in the minds of those who’ve seen it.
Down three, Marcus Paige for North Carolina made what is arguably the best three-pointer that a player on the losing team has ever made.
It was a unique shot not only because it tied the game with just under five seconds to go, but also because he double-pumped. Tied at 74, Villanova ran one last play. Kris Jenkins was the hero who knocked down the game-winner to give Nova a 77-74 win.
