Seven Most Memorable March Madness Buzzer-Beating Announcer Calls

The three most exciting weekends in sports are nearly upon us as the NCAA tournament once again arrives to provide thrill after thrill. College basketball on a neutral court breeds tight competition and the do-or-die nature of late possessions amp the stakes up to an incredible level. Through the years we have seen hundreds of game-changing shots in the final seconds and true buzzer-beaters. But these 10 stand out for their importance, memorability and the way in which they transformed the television broadcast into something different altogether.

1992: Verne Lundquist: Christian Laettner hits 'the shot'

The Duke star, who already had knocked down a buzzer-beater in a Regional Final two years prior, put a cap on arguably the most famous game in college basketball history by catching a heave from Grant Hill, shaking his shoulders and finding the bottom of the net.

The iconic Verne Lundquist, displaying a tremendous economy of words, simply said "yes!" and let the moving pictures do the brunt of the work. The camera cut right to Duke's Thomas Hill, who put his hands behind his head in disbelief—a move mirrored across living rooms from coast to coast as everyone tried to process what they had just seen.

2016: Jim Nantz: Kris Jenkins 'for the championship!'

The 2016 national championship game between Villanova and North Carolina was a non-stop thrill ride. Lost to history is the absurd shot Tar Heels' Marcus Paige somehow sank to tie things up before Jay Wright schemed up a clever out-of-bounds play that saw Ryan Arcidiacono clear space for Kris Jenkins to win the whole enchilada.

Jim Nantz, no stranger to moments of this magnitude, rose to meet it with genuine shock and awe. His frayed voice had to fight through loud bangs and streaming confetti to create the perfect atmosphere of incredible chaos.

1983: Billy Packer: Lorenzo Charles's title-clinching dunk

The North Carolina State Wolf Pack came out of nowhere to capture a crown back in 1983, finishing the job by upsetting Houston's "Phi Slama Jama" as Lorenzo Charles cleaned up a desperation heave with a dunk to end the entire tournament.

Billy Packer's simple "they won it ... on the dunk" as Jim Valvano scrambled around looking for someone to hug created a great match of words and scenes. Not much more needed to be said.

1995: Tim Ryan: Tyus Edney keeps UCLA alive

It's kind of amazing how much changed with the NCAA tournament in the 30 years since this iconic second round moment. The loud paint scheme of Boise State's court is such a big part of this visual moment in which UCLA staved off elimination en route to a national championship.

Tim Ryan's narration was relatively calm but the little brilliance of throwing in that a team does not want to lose as it rushes up the court with everything on the line built the drama up in such a specific and satisfying way.

1998: Ted Robinson: Bryce Drew's dagger vs. Ole Miss

There will be people who tell you that college basketball should change their rules to allow teams to use a timeout to advance the ball to half court a la the NBA. They couldn't be more wrong because, as you've seen so far on this list, the challenge of finding a way to navigate 94 feet makes for great theater. Valparaiso schemed up a clever play to get the ball in the hands of sharpshooter Bryce Drew, who put a dagger through the hearts of Ole Miss fans.

Ted Robinson's play-by-play found him delivering an always-satisfying "for the win" as the decisive shot was launched. He then reacted in pure disbelief over what had happened. It's kind of cool to think that broadcasters long departed from game telecasts are still part of the tournament's indelible fabric.

2021: Jim Nantz: Jalen Suggs's half-court heave

Gonzaga entered its Final Four matchup against 11th-seeded Cinderella UCLA with a perfect 30-0 mark, and Jalen Suggs was ready to do whatever necessary to preserve it. His banked-in half-court shot at the final horn ushered in pure pandemonium and earned the Bulldogs a spot in the national title game, where Baylor delivered them their first and only loss of the year.

Another Nantz appearance may raise some eyebrows but it's a testament to his longevity and good fortune. His call of the Luke Maye heroics in a 2017 Regional Final probably also warrants inclusion but three would be overkill. It's interesting to remember that one of the more stately and refined voices in announcing could really capture that euphoric moment when things get ratcheted up to 11.

2019: Brian Anderson: Mamadi Diakite

Of all the available options, what Virginia was able to pull of against Purdue at the end or regulation may be the most improbable. A missed Ty Jerome free throw set off a mad scramble. The pass back up court in the moment felt like a mistake as the seconds were rapidly evaporating. But Mamadi Diakite was able to fling one perfectly toward the rim to ensure overtime. The Cavaliers would prevail and eventually went on to capture a national title.