March Madness 2019

The 25 Greatest March Madness Players in College Basketball History

Where does Carsen Edwards rank among the all time greatest March Madness performances? Let’s count down the top 25…

The ball is tipped! And there you are… you’re running for your life — you’re a shooting star. And all the years, no one knows… just how hard you worked — but now it shooooows!

For most mortals, One Shining Moment is something they can only ever dream of, and even some of the greatest basketball players fall short on the nation’s biggest stage in March Madness. But for a special few players each season, they make their mark on college basketball forever. In a single-elimination tournament, heroes are made and lost in a moment with buzzer beaters, dunks, and heartbreaking turnovers seared into fan memories for an eternity to come, for better or for worse. That’s the craziness of March Madness, after all.

Nobody knows that better than Carsen Edwards. For four games the past two weeks, Edwards was a Purdue legend, hitting shot after shot for 159.9 minutes, carrying his Boilermakers to the brink of the Final Four. But in those final seconds, it all went sideways as Virginia pulled off a miracle to send the game into overtime, and it was Edwards’s tragic turnover that would knock Purdue out and send Virginia cutting down the nets.

Still, no one will forget those four heroic games by Carsen Edwards, nor the endless string of circus shots and threes. So where does Edwards rank among the greatest March Madness heroes of all time?

Let’s take a look at what Edwards did, then count down the top 25 all time March Madness performers…

The Legacy of Carsen Edwards

The Virginia game is still fresh in our minds, but it was actually the tenth tournament game for Carsen Edwards. He scored 27 points in three games as a freshman, playing 20 minutes a game off the bench. Last year, he had 15 and 13 in the opening weekend before exploding for 30 points in the Sweet Sixteen against Texas Tech in his best performance yet. Purdue lost, but it was a little glimpse at what was to come.

This year Edwards didn’t wait for the second weekend. He came out firing with 26 points against Old Dominion, then put up 42 with nine threes in a shooting blaze against Villanova. He followed that up with 29 more points in a Sweet Sixteen win over Tennessee, then hit 10 threes and 42 more points in the dramatic overtime loss to Virginia.

Edwards became one of only eight players ever to record multiple 40-point tournament games, and those 42 points against Virginia were the most ever in the Elite Eight game or later in the modern 64-team tournament. The 10 threes against Virginia were one off the all-time record in a tourney game, and his 34.8 points per game this tournament are eight best all time and second best in the 64-team tournament. Edwards also beat Glen Rice’s long-standing record for threes in a tournament with 28. His 224 career tournament points are one short of top 50 all time, and his 38 career threes are eighth best ever.

Simply put, Carsen Edwards is a March Madness scorer and sharpshooter of the finest order. So does he make it into the top 25?

Top 25 Honorable Mentions

• Hal Lear, Temple — 1956 tournament Most Outstanding Player, one of six men with two 40 point tournament games
• Clyde Lovellette, Kansas — 1952 tournament Most Outstanding Player, NCAA champion, 35.3 tourney points per game ranks sixth best all time
• Gail Goodrich, UCLA — two time national champion with UCLA, 35 points per game in 1965 ranks seventh best ever
• Isaiah Thomas, Indiana — 1981 tournament Most Outstanding Player, leading Indiana to its fourth national championship
• Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina — four time consensus All American, three Elite Eights and two Final Fours, 2009 NCAA champion

26. Stephen Curry, Davidson

This article was already written before Carsen Edwards detonated, with top 25 all in tow. And it would be easy enough to just delete Curry and go on with life, but Carsen is the closest thing we’ve had to Steph, and isn’t March about nostalgia almost as much as it is about greatness? Who can forget the baby-faced Curry dropping 40 on Gonzaga in his first tournament game, then dragging Davidson to the brink of the Final Four before losing to Kansas. Curry is one of only 11 players to score 30 points in four tournament games, and his 23 threes were fourth most in a tournament despite playing in only four games. Little did we know, it was only the beginning of things to come. But Edwards bested Curry in March. He scored more points, hit more threes, and dragged his team even closer to the Final Four.

25. Tim Duncan, Wake Forest

Long before Tim Duncan posted the exact same numbers for two decades of title winning basketball with the San Antonio Spurs, the Big Fundamental starred at Wake Forest, where he didn’t quite have as much help. Duncan’s Demon Deacons never quite made it to the Final Four, but that didn’t stop him from dominating the games he did play in. Duncan’s twin 22 rebound games rank in the top five since 1973, and he’s the only modern player with three 20 rebound games despite not getting many chances. Duncan also recorded 8 blocks in two games, both seventh best all time, and his 5.3 blocks per game in 1995 ranks third best ever. No wonder he was a sure thing number one pick, joining the guy right below him on this list in San Antonio.

24. David Robinson, Navy

The Admiral was so aptly named because of his time with the U.S. Navy, and David Robinson remains the only player from the Naval Academy to play in the NBA. Robinson almost single-handedly took Navy to a 7 seed in the 1986 tournament and recorded 23 blocks in four games, taking Navy to the brink of the Final Four. Those blocks are fifth in any tournament, and his nine blocks in one game are fifth best, too. The following year Navy lost in the first round to Michigan, but Robinson scored 50 points in defeat, the sixth most points to date in a tournament game and the most points ever in the first round.

23. Carsen Edwards, Purdue

We can’t go much higher with Carsen Edwards, and you’ll see why as you continue on down the list, but it’s no real shame to rank among the top 25 March Madness performers of all time, just ahead of three NBA MVPs and Hall of Famers with multiple championships. But Edwards did more in March, took his team farther, and that helped his number stack up better too. And let’s not forget — Carsen Edwards is only a junior. If he comes back and makes one more tournament run, maybe to the Final Four or even two wins more, he could move up this list in a big way.

22. Bobby Hurley, Duke

Would you have guessed that Bobby Hurley has played more tournament minutes than any player in March Madness history? Hurley is the all time tourney leader in both minutes and assists, and he’s the only player with two of the top 10 most assists in a single tournament. Hurley and the Blue Devils made the Final Four three times, and he led them to back to back championships in 1991 and 1992 and was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player in 1992. He’s one of the most hated players in college basketball history… but not even the most hated guy on his own team. But we’ll get back to that one.

21. Bo Kimble, Loyola Marymount

Kimble may not have been the winningest March Madness player ever, but he is one of the most memorable. Bo Kimble’s Loyola Marymount teams were wildly entertaining, leading the nation in scoring three times with a high tempo and a full court press. Kimble is one of six players in tournament history to score 40 points in a single game more than once, and his his 35.8 points per game in 1990 are the fourth most ever. But beyond all the numbers was one beautiful memory. To honor teammate Hank Gathers who had passed away unexpectedly in the conference tournament, Kimble shot his first free throw of each game left handed like Gathers. He was a perfect three for three.

20. Tom Gola, La Salle

Tom Gola was a three time consensus All American for the La Salle Explorers. He led La Salle to the national championship game in both 1954 and 1955, helping the Explorers win their only title in 1954 when he was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. Gola recorded a tournament record 102 rebounds in 1954, and his 96 the following year are third most. Gola was also the NIT MVP in 1952 and led LaSalle to the NIT championship in an era when that was still quite meaningful. He is considered one of the greatest NCAA basketball players of all time.

19. Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati

The Big O always did put up some pretty huge numbers. Oscar Robertson averaged 34 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 assists per game during his Cincinnati career. He won multiple national player of the year awards all three seasons at Cincy and was so good they named one such player of the year awards after him once he had left for the NBA. Robertson piled up the numbers in March too. His 56 points are the third highest ever in a tournament game, and he also compiled four tournament triple doubles. To properly appreciate that, you should know that only Magic Johnson and Draymond Green even have two triple doubles in March Madness history.

18. Bill Bradley, Princeton

Bill Bradley is the all time Ivy League leader in career points, free throws, and points per game, and he holds just about every record available at Princeton. Today we know Bradley as a politician, but Ivy Leaguers will always remember Bradley’s magical run to the Final Four with Princeton in 1965. Bradley scored an incredible 177 points, still a record for five games in a tournament, and his 35.4 points per game ranks fifth best all time. He is one of only two players to have three different 40 point games in March Madness, peaking with 58 points in his final outing, second most in tournament history. Bradley’s beloved Princeton finished in third place, but he was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player anyway.

17. Wilt Chamberlain, Kansas

Wilt Chamberlain had 52 points and 31 rebounds in his first game for Kansas, breaking both all time school records. That was just the beginning for a man who put up the most ridiculous numbers of any basketball player ever at every level. Chamberlain put up big numbers and overcame intense racism to reach the NCAA championship game against North Carolina but there he faced a new challenge as the Tar Heels literally triple teamed him all game, with one defender in front, one behind him, and another running at him when he got the ball. On offense, UNC resorted to “freeze ball,” passing the ball around to kill the clock in a pre shot clock era. Chamberlain and Kansas finally lost in triple overtime, but he was named Most Outstanding Player anyway, and we can thank his efforts for things like the shot clock and defensive rules that prevent us from that dreadful brand of basketball persisting today.

16. David Thompson, North Carolina State

David Thompson was named the Associated Press Player of the Year in 1974 and 1975, and he scored 30 points a game in his final year at North Carolina State. But his place in history will always be tied to his tournament run in 1974 not because of something Thompson did but because of who he beat. The UCLA Bruins had a seven year dynasty, winning a national championship seven straight times from 1967 through 1973, before Thompson’s Wolfpack stunned them in the Final Four in 1974. North Carolina State went on to win its first ever national championship, and Thompson was named Most Outstanding Player for his role in ending (or at least pausing) the dynasty.

15. Larry Bird, Indiana State

The Hick from French Lick only played in one March Madness tournament, but he made it count. Larry Bird led tiny Indiana State to its first tournament berth ever with a perfect 33–0, and the dream season ran all the way to the Final Four. There Bird helped the Sycamores defeat DePaul with 35 points, ninth most ever in a Final Four game, and he averaged 27 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 assists along the way. Unfortunately, Bird came up short against Magic Johnson and Michigan State in the final, shooting 7 for 21 in an 11 point loss. Still, the Bird vs Magic showdown was the game that launched college basketball as it’s known today, achieving the highest ever rating for a college basketball game. March Madness wouldn’t be the same without Larry Bird, and neither would our top 25.

14. Magic Johnson, Michigan State

Magic played only two years at Michigan State, but man, were they memorable. Magic Johnson led the Spartans to the Elite Eight as a freshman, but in 1979 he took them all the way to the title. Johnson averaged 22 points, 9 rebounds, and 10 assists that tournament and had one of only two Final Four triple doubles all time en route to winning Most Outstanding Player, but it was the final that everyone will remember forever. There Magic faced off against tiny Indiana State and Larry Bird in the most watched game in college basketball history. Magic put up 17 points, 13 boards, and 10 assists to lead Michigan State to victory in a game that changed college basketball forever. It would be the beginning of a beautiful lifelong rivalry between Magic and Bird.

13. Danny Manning, Kansas

Danny Manning is the all time Kansas scoring leader with 2951 points, but you’ll forgive Jayhawks fans if they really just like to remember that one special year. That would be 1988, when Danny and the Miracles led 6 seed Kansas all the way to a national championship, defeating hated rivals Kansas State and Oklahoma along the way. Manning had 31 points and 18 boards against the Sooners in the title game, and his 163 points in the tournament rank fourth all time. Manning was the Wooden player of the year in 1988 and was also named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player before becoming the number one pick in the NBA draft.

12. Glen Rice, Michigan

Did you know Glen Rice scored the most points in one tournament in March Madness history? Rice scored an amazing 184 points in the 1989 tournament, also setting the record with 27 three pointers (until Carsen!) and 75 made field goals. Rice is the all time Michigan scoring leader, but he was never quite as unstoppable as those three great weeks in March. Rice helped Michigan cut down the nets with 31 points in the final. It remains the only men’s basketball championship in Wolverines history, and Rice was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. His dominance at Michigan was partly what brought the Fab Five to the University just a few years later.

11. Austin Carr, Notre Dame

Though he never quite led Notre Dame to the highest heights, Austin Carr is the most prolific scorer in March Madness history. Carr scored 45 points in one tournament game… and it was his second worst scoring output ever. He also had games of 47, 52, 52, and 61. His 61 points are the most ever in a Division I tournament game, and he has three of the five highest scoring games all time along with the most field goal attempts in a game with 44. Carr’s 158 points is the seventh most in a tournament all time — and he did it in just three games, versus five or six for everyone ahead of him. His 52.7 points per game in 1970 is the highest average all time, and his 41.7 the next season are second best. If only Carr’s teammates had been as prolific, too.

10. Jerry West, West Virginia

The Logo, as he would come to be known in the NBA, was one of the most prolific scorers at every level of basketball. Jerry West scored 25 or more points in eight straight tournament games, a streak unmatched in history. His 160 points in 1959 rank fifth for a single tournament all time, and West left West Virginia with the NCAA record for most tournament points all time. West made the finals and lost but was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player anyway, a pattern that would follow him to his time with the Lakers in the NBA where he went 1–8 all time in the NBA Finals and remains the only player ever to be named Finals MVP despite losing the championship.

9. Akeem Olajuwon, Houston

Big men ruled the hardwood in the 1980s, and Akeem (later Hakeem) Olajuwon was one of the very best. Olajuwon was part of the Phi Slama Jama teams with Clyde Drexler in Houston, known for their exciting pace and slam dunking. The Cougars made three straight Final Fours between 1982 and 1984. It’s hard to believe now, but Olajuwon never won the big one, losing in the final his last two years. Olajuwon was named Most Outstanding Player anyway in 1983, the last losing player to take the award, and he remains the all time tournament leader in blocked shots.

8. Jerry Lucas, Ohio State

Jerry Lucas was the Associated Press Player of the Year in 1961 and 1962, the first player to win the award twice. He made three straight all tournament teams and was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player in both 1960 and 1961, one of four two time winners. Lucas has the only 30–30 game in tournament history, his 30 rebounds third most all time in a March Madness game. Lucas played in three straight championship games and won one of them, helping the Buckeyes to their only men’s basketball championship in 1960.

7. Bob Kurland, Oklahoma A&M

Kurland wins the award for “dude you’re least likely to have heard of before” on this list, but that doesn’t take away from his outstanding accomplishments. Kurland won back to back national championships in 1945 and 1946 with Oklahoma A&M, now the Oklahoma State Cowboys, and he was the first two time tournament Most Outstanding Player. Kurland was the first player to dunk the ball regularly in games. He was also known for leaping above the rim to grab opponents shots and was so dominant that an NCAA goaltending rule was created to stop his wily tricks in 1945. If you’re so dominant they have to make a rule to stop you — and you win the championship the next year anyway — you know you’re kind of a big deal.

6. Bill Russell, San Francisco

It turns out Bill Russell wasn’t only a champion in the NBA. Russell won 11 NBA championships and an Olympic gold medal, but he got it all started at the University of San Francisco where he led the Dons to a 60 game win streak and back to back national championships. Though Russell was never known for his scoring, he is one of the greatest rebounders of all time. Russell had five 20 rebound tournament games, and his 25 and 27 boards in his two title games are the best performances of all time. Russell also won a Most Outstanding Player award, a predecessor to the five MVPs he would win in the NBA before going down as one of the all time basketball greats.

5. Patrick Ewing, Georgetown

Patrick Ewing was as dominant as any big man in the 1980s. He was a three time consensus All American and made three all tournament teams. Ewing’s Georgetown Hoyas made it to the national championship game in three of his four seasons, all of them memorable. In one of them, Michael Jordan hit a game winner for North Carolina (poor Ewing would see that a few more times), and in another 8 seed Villanova played the game of their lives to eke out a two point win. But in between those two, Ewing out dueled Akeem Olajuwon and Houston in 1984 to win the only title in Georgetown history, and he was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.

4. Elvin Hayes, Houston

Elvin Hayes was Houston’s first Black American basketball player in 1966. He led Houston to the Final Four the following two seasons. In those two tourney runs, Hayes recorded eight 25 point games, tied for most all time with Jerry West, and five 20 rebound games, tied for most with Bill Russell. His 167 points in five games was the most in a tournament at the time, and his 97 rebounds are second most all time in a tourney. Hayes played in the first ever nationally televised regular season college basketball game, “The Game of the Century” against Lew Alcindor and UCLA, in which Hayes and Houston snapped the Bruins’ 47 game win streak. Hayes also won AP Player of the Year in 1968, interrupting wins by Alcindor in 67 and 69. His 222 career rebounds remain an all time tournament record, and he’s second all time in scoring.

3. Bill Walton, UCLA

Today we know Bill Walton as the ever droning voice of PAC 12 basketball, either the most entertaining or most frustrating color man in sports, depending on your point of view. But Walton was once one of the greatest college basketball players who ever lived. Walton was at UCLA for the better part of their record 88 game wining streak, and that included back to back championships with the Bruins. Walton was named Most Outstanding Player both times, one of four two time winners, and he was AP player of the year both seasons too. Walton himself did not lose a basketball game for almost five years between that streak, his freshman team at UCLA, and high school. But Walton’s most storied game came on the biggest stage in the 1973 title game against Memphis State, where Walton shot 21 for 22 to score 44 points, the most ever in a championship game, basketball perfection at the highest level.

2. Christian Laettner, Duke

Christian Laettner remains one of the most hated players in college basketball history, but he’s also one of the most decorated. Laettner played four years at Duke and made the Final Four in all of them, finishing runner-up as a sophomore and leading the Blue Devils to a championship his junior and senior years. His 21 wins are an NCAA tournament record; so too his 23 games, 142 free throws, and 407 points. Laettner won the Wooden in 1992 and the Most Outstanding Player award in 1991. He also played one of the greatest single games in tournament history in the famed 104–103 regional final against Kentucky. Laettner was a perfect 10 of 10 from the field and 10 for 10 from the line and hit the fadeaway buzzer beater we will continue to see every March for the rest of our lives — whether we like it or not.

1. Lew Alcindor, UCLA

Debate the rest of this list all you want, but there’s no debate about which player belongs on top. Lew Alcindor, known today as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, was the greatest player in college basketball history. Alcindor played three varsity seasons at UCLA and won three national championships, and he was named the Most Outstanding Player all three years from 1967 to 1969. Alcindor lost only twice in three years at UCLA and never in a tournament game. He recorded at least 16 rebounds in all six Final Four games he played, and his 34 and 37 points in a final are two of the six highest championship game outputs ever. Alcindor was so dominant at UCLA that he got dunking banned for almost a decade. Make no mistake about it: Lew Alcindor was the most dominant college basketball player that ever lived.

Originally published as a freelance opportunity for thesportsdrop.com, with updates and additions for Carsen Edwards. Follow Brandon on Medium or @wheatonbrando for more sports, television, humor, and culture. Visit the rest of Brandon’s writing archives here. Thanks to Basketball Reference as always.