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March Madness: 10 shining moments in Final Four history

By Mike Phillips

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.
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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1983: Head coach Jim Valvano of the North Carolina State Wolfpack walks off the court with a player afterwinning a game. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
1983: Head coach Jim Valvano of the North Carolina State Wolfpack walks off the court with a player afterwinning a game. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

4. North Carolina State wins the title on a dunk

As we’ve said before, March is synonymous with upsets, and the 1983 NCAA Tournament was no exception. The national championship game between Houston and N.C. State looked like a complete mismatch, and what happened next was one of the most memorable moments in tournament history.

The Cougars, coached by Guy Lewis and starring future Hall of Famers Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drex.er, had simply dominated college basketball in 1983. The group, best known for its style of play called Phi Slama Jama, crushed the competition and entered their matchup with N.C. State as heavy favorites.

The Wolfpack had a solid year under Jim Valvano, but they simply didn’t have the kind of elite talent most assumed would be necessary to compete with the Cougars. Despite the overwhelming odds, the Wolfpack actually built a 33-25 lead in the first half, aided by foul trouble for Drexler.

The Cougars made an epic charge after the break, but couldn’t pull away thanks to poor free throw shooting, resulting in a 52-52 tie in the final moments. Wolfpack guard Derreck Whittenburg hoisted a desperate shot attempt that fell short, but Lorenzo Charles was right there to collect the ball and dunk it for the game-winning points.

That led to a wild celebration with Valvano frantically looking for someone to hug after the final horn. Olajuwon ended up being named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player for his dominant showing in the final rounds, and he is the last player to date to earn the honors on a losing team.