March Madness: 10 shining moments from historic Final Fours

March Madness: 10 shining moments in Final Four history

Michigan State guard Earvin Johnson and Indiana State forward Larry Bird answer questions for reporters during a press conference in Salt Lake City, Utah. Tomorrow, the two players will face off when their teams meet in the NCAA Final Four Championship, a game many feel will be a classic matchup of two collegiate superstars. /

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Coll. Basketball: W. Regionals. Michigan’s Chris Webber #4 during game vs Temple.; Webber laying on floor w. face down.; (Photo by Harley Soltes/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images) /

7. Chris Webber forgets the Wolverines are out of timeouts

In terms of pure blunders, there may not be a bigger one in the history of college basketball than Chris Webber’s brain cramp against North Carolina in the 1993 title game. Before we get to that, however, let’s offer a little history lesson on the Fab Five.

Webber, along with Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Jimmy King and Ray Jackson, formed the Fab Five at Michigan when the talented group of freshmen entered the starting lineup in February of 1992. The Fab Five helped 6-seed Michigan advance all the way to the national championship game that season before falling to Duke.

Expectations were high for Michigan entering the following season, and the Wolverines delivered by earning a 1-seed in the West Region. The Wolverines survived a few close calls along the way, including overtime victories over UCLA in the Round of 32 and Kentucky in the Final Four, to earn a date with North Carolina in the national title game.

The game was close throughout, and the Tar Heels held a two-point lead in the final minute with Michigan holding the basketball after Webber grabbed the rebound on a missed free throw. Webber then raced up the floor and got trapped in the corner, calling a timeout that Michigan didn’t have, resulting in a game-icing technical foul.

The Tar Heels converted their free throws and ended up going on to win, and that would be the last game Webber would play for the Wolverines before entering the NBA. The Fab Five were so close to winning it all in 1993, but one big mistake from Webber cost them their shot at glory.