Fansided

10 best Final Four teams of all time

By Nathaniel Reeves

Mar 4, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Former UCLA Bruins player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar waves to the crowd at half time between the Washington State Cougars and the UCLA Bruins at Pauley Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 4, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Former UCLA Bruins player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar waves to the crowd at half time between the Washington State Cougars and the UCLA Bruins at Pauley Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports /
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From left, back row, Art Musselman, Howard Pickett, David Thompson, Tommy Burleson, Mike Buurman, Mark Moeller, Greg Hawkins, Jerry Hunt, Tim Stoddard, Biff Nichols. Front Row: Joan Sloan, Monte Towe, Dwight Johnson, Moe Rivers, Craig Kuszmaul, Herman Bunch. Sitting/kneeling, front row: Sam Esposito, Mike Sloan, Phil Spence during a halftime ceremony honoring the ê74 National Championship team Monday December 22, 2008, at the RBC Center. (Ethan Hyman/Raleigh News
From left, back row, Art Musselman, Howard Pickett, David Thompson, Tommy Burleson, Mike Buurman, Mark Moeller, Greg Hawkins, Jerry Hunt, Tim Stoddard, Biff Nichols. Front Row: Joan Sloan, Monte Towe, Dwight Johnson, Moe Rivers, Craig Kuszmaul, Herman Bunch. Sitting/kneeling, front row: Sam Esposito, Mike Sloan, Phil Spence during a halftime ceremony honoring the ê74 National Championship team Monday December 22, 2008, at the RBC Center. (Ethan Hyman/Raleigh News /

7. 1974 NC State Wolfpack

The Wolfpack ended UCLA’s seven-year championship streak with an impressive showing in the 1974 Final Four to earn a spot as one of the best teams in college basketball history.

Despite losing by 18 points to the Bruins in the regular season, NC State entered the NCAA Tournament as the top-ranked team in the nation with a record of 26-1. Naismith winner David Thompson averaged 26 points per game as the most explosive athlete in college basketball, with Tom Burleson, Monte Towe and Morris Rivers also contributing to an offense that averaged over 90 points per game.

Following two blowout wins to open the tournament, the Wolfpack got a chance at revenge in the National Semifinal against the Bruins. The game was close throughout until UCLA built a seven-point lead in double-overtime, but the Wolfpack ended the game on a 13-3 run to win 80-77.

NC State advanced to play Marquette, which was ranked third in the nation with a record of 26-4. The Wolfpack went up nine points by the half and eventually earned the first title in school history with a 76-64 win.

Thompson scored a combined 49 points over the two games to cap his legendary season, while the Wolfpack impressively overcame a 29-point, 18-rebound performance from Bill Walton to win the semifinal matchup.

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