NCAA March Madness officially wrapped up Monday, April 3, marking an end to a tournament full of excitement and quite a few upsets.
Ultimately, the LSU women took home the trophy in a resounding 102-85 victory over Iowa, while in the men’s tournament, UConn beat San Diego State, 76-59.
Although the two final games may have been blowouts, there were other exciting moments throughout the tournament. Here are a few of the main ones.
- FDU knocks out Purdue — Men’s
In the first round, No. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson (FDU) pulled off the second-biggest upset in NCAA history, beating No. 1 Purdue, 63-58. Although FDU opened the game as 23.5-point underdogs, they controlled the game from the jump. Along with their fast-paced, pass-heavy offense, their defense showed up to hold Purdue to 35.8% shooting and force 15 turnovers. Their victory was historic as the only other instance where a No. 16 seed beat a No. 1 seed was back in 2018 when the University of Maryland-Baltimore County defeated the University of Virginia.
- UMiami upsets Indiana — Women’s
It was a successful year for the Hurricanes as the women’s team made it to the Elite Eight and the men made it all the way to the Final Four. However, one of the best moments for the school came in the first round when their women’s team, ranked nine overall, knocked out the No. 1 ranked Indiana Hoosiers. In one of the most thrilling games of the season, it all came down to the final few seconds. With eight seconds left, freshman Yarden Garzon of Indiana hit a three-pointer to tie the game. Miami, though, remained composed, as senior Destiny Harden responded with a quick jump shot, allowing Miami to win 70-68.
- San Diego State’s buzzer beater vs. FAU — Men’s
In an epic game, San Diego State (SDSU) rallied from fourteen points down to beat Florida Atlantic University (FAU) at the last second. Halfway through the second half, the Aztecs rallied to cut the lead to two. From there, the game went back and forth, until eventually, both teams were tied at 65. FAU sophomore Giancarlo Rosado hit a jumper. With a minute left, senior JaeDon Lee hit a shot to pull SDSU within a point, trailing 71-70. Sophomore Johnell Davis missed a shot with less than ten seconds on the clock, allowing sophomore Lamont Butler to hit the game-winning shot as the Aztecs won 72-71.
- Iowa’s Caitlin Clark scores 41 against South Carolina — Women’s
Iowa Junior Caitlin Clark is one of the most explosive players in women’s basketball right now and against No. 1 South Carolina, she did not disappoint. In an incredible showing, she scored a 41 point triple double and became the first female player to post back-to-back 40-point performances in the NCAA tournament. Clark’s performance also paved Iowa’s path to the Final Four, ending a 30-year drought.
To see an overview of all games/results click here
For an explanation of how March Madness works click here
