Best Cinderella Story of all time
Cinderella stories happen every year.Weather it's George Mason of 2006 or Villanova of 85, they always happen. Here are some big ones.
1963 Loyola Maromount [ IL]Ramblers.The Ramblers had many upsets and big wins, like over Duke 94-75. The Ramblers then came back from down 45-30 in the second to beat top seed Cincinatti in overtime 60-58.
1966 Texas Western Miners Texas Western made history by being March Madness's first team to have a starting lineup of black players. They beat Utah in the semifinals and were huge underdogs to Kentucky, an all-white team. The black starting lineup led the Miners past a very talented Kentucky team 72-65.
1983 North Carolina State Wolfpack Not even expected to make it past the first round, the Jimmy V led NC State Wolfpack past Pepperdine in double OT, taking advantage of their OT mistakes up 5, came back and 2 late scores powered them past UTEP. Then they blew out Utah, and then blew out Virginia and beat Georgia in the Final Four. Vs. Houston and NBA stars Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon, the Wolfpack's coach Jim Valvano helped the Pack come back, and tied at 52 with 4 seconds, a Pack player took a long 3 and fell short, but another player put it in with 1 second as NC State upset Houston for the 83 title.
1985 Villanova Wildcats In one of the wildest madness runs ever, the Villanova Wildcats and coach Rollie Massimino, the Cats became the lowest seed to take home the title. They beat 9 seed Dayton, then upset 1 seed Michigan, then beat Maryland and North Carolina to advance to the Final Four. After beating Memphis State in the semifinals, they faced 1 seed, Big East rival, and 10 point favorite Georgetown. The Hoyas were led by star C Patrick Ewing, a great college player who led Georgetown's tenacious defense. But the Wildcats shot 22-28 and 78.6 from the floor, and the Hoyas couldn't overcome that and Ed Pinckney's 16 points led Villanova over Georgetown 66-64.
1998 Kentucky Wildcats Down 17 to Duke with 10 minutes left in the Elite 8, the Comeback Cats of Kentucky overcame the deficit and shot amazing from the floor, and they recorded steals and stopped Duke from scoring, as 2 late 3's and 2 free throws keyed Kentucky's win. Then they faced Stanford in the Final Four, where they trailed by 10 in the second half, and then Nazr Mohommed led the team as they tied it and won 86-85 in OT. In the finals they faced the Utes of Utah, and they trailed at the half 41-31, and then they came back from down 13 in the second half to beat Utah, and in the game they shot 50.9 percent.
2006 George Mason Patriots In` the first round, GMU faced Michigan State, basketball powerhouse where Folaris Campell and Will Thomas led the Pats to a 10 point win. Then they faced defending champion North Carolina, where they trailed 2-16. But they came together as the Pats beat UNC 65-60. Then they won a tight game over Witchita State where they had great 3 point shooting, and then they faced top overall seed Uconn. The Patriots shot 50 percent on FG's and 3 pointers, and outrebounded Uconn but couldn't put the game away. In OT, George Mason held on for one of the biggest upsets of March Madness history 86-84, overcoming huge disadvantages in size and athleticism. They lost in the Final Four to Florida 73-58, but the George Mason Patriots run will be one of the best of all-time, and unforgettable.
Comment for this blog on one of yuour favorite Cinderella stories from this blog, or other big runs, like this year's Michigan State Spartans, in the championship game, beating hot USC, Kansas, top overall seed Louisville, 1 seed Connectucit, and facing powerhouse North Carolina
1963 Loyola Maromount [ IL]Ramblers.The Ramblers had many upsets and big wins, like over Duke 94-75. The Ramblers then came back from down 45-30 in the second to beat top seed Cincinatti in overtime 60-58.
1966 Texas Western Miners Texas Western made history by being March Madness's first team to have a starting lineup of black players. They beat Utah in the semifinals and were huge underdogs to Kentucky, an all-white team. The black starting lineup led the Miners past a very talented Kentucky team 72-65.
1983 North Carolina State Wolfpack Not even expected to make it past the first round, the Jimmy V led NC State Wolfpack past Pepperdine in double OT, taking advantage of their OT mistakes up 5, came back and 2 late scores powered them past UTEP. Then they blew out Utah, and then blew out Virginia and beat Georgia in the Final Four. Vs. Houston and NBA stars Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon, the Wolfpack's coach Jim Valvano helped the Pack come back, and tied at 52 with 4 seconds, a Pack player took a long 3 and fell short, but another player put it in with 1 second as NC State upset Houston for the 83 title.
1985 Villanova Wildcats In one of the wildest madness runs ever, the Villanova Wildcats and coach Rollie Massimino, the Cats became the lowest seed to take home the title. They beat 9 seed Dayton, then upset 1 seed Michigan, then beat Maryland and North Carolina to advance to the Final Four. After beating Memphis State in the semifinals, they faced 1 seed, Big East rival, and 10 point favorite Georgetown. The Hoyas were led by star C Patrick Ewing, a great college player who led Georgetown's tenacious defense. But the Wildcats shot 22-28 and 78.6 from the floor, and the Hoyas couldn't overcome that and Ed Pinckney's 16 points led Villanova over Georgetown 66-64.
1998 Kentucky Wildcats Down 17 to Duke with 10 minutes left in the Elite 8, the Comeback Cats of Kentucky overcame the deficit and shot amazing from the floor, and they recorded steals and stopped Duke from scoring, as 2 late 3's and 2 free throws keyed Kentucky's win. Then they faced Stanford in the Final Four, where they trailed by 10 in the second half, and then Nazr Mohommed led the team as they tied it and won 86-85 in OT. In the finals they faced the Utes of Utah, and they trailed at the half 41-31, and then they came back from down 13 in the second half to beat Utah, and in the game they shot 50.9 percent.
2006 George Mason Patriots In` the first round, GMU faced Michigan State, basketball powerhouse where Folaris Campell and Will Thomas led the Pats to a 10 point win. Then they faced defending champion North Carolina, where they trailed 2-16. But they came together as the Pats beat UNC 65-60. Then they won a tight game over Witchita State where they had great 3 point shooting, and then they faced top overall seed Uconn. The Patriots shot 50 percent on FG's and 3 pointers, and outrebounded Uconn but couldn't put the game away. In OT, George Mason held on for one of the biggest upsets of March Madness history 86-84, overcoming huge disadvantages in size and athleticism. They lost in the Final Four to Florida 73-58, but the George Mason Patriots run will be one of the best of all-time, and unforgettable.
Comment for this blog on one of yuour favorite Cinderella stories from this blog, or other big runs, like this year's Michigan State Spartans, in the championship game, beating hot USC, Kansas, top overall seed Louisville, 1 seed Connectucit, and facing powerhouse North Carolina
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