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The NCAA Tournament is known for its memorable moments. Buzzer-beaters in March become part of college basketball's collective consciousness, and heroes get remembered for years.
But sustained success in March Madness is tough to come by. It's difficult enough to make it into the field each year, let alone perform at the highest level once there.
Those who are capable of doing so find themselves in the record books for decades. In fact, only one of the top five all-time scorers in the men's NCAA Tournament played in the 2000s, and two played before the field expanded to 64 teams in 1985.
With the Sweet 16 set to tip off on Thursday, let's look back at some of the best performers in the history of the big dance.
Cincinnati basketball star Oscar Robertson is carried on the shoulders of teammates after leading his team to the championship of the Holiday Festival basketball tourney at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 30, 1959.Bettmann / Getty Images
Though Robertson burned bright in the big dance, his Bearcats never won it all. The future NBA MVP appeared in just 10 March Madness games from 1958-60, but he left a lasting impact on the record books.
Cincinnati was bounced in the regional semifinal despite 30 points from Robertson in his first March Madness appearance. No matter — he scored 56 in the regional third-place game, the second-highest scoring game in NCAA Tournament history. Robertson won another scoring title the following year and powered Cincinnati to a win in the national third-place game. The Bearcats won the third-place game again in 1960. Robertson finished his collegiate career having averaged a whopping 32.4 points per game in March Madness.
The Tar Heels’ all-time leading scorer was a fixture in March throughout his time in Chapel Hill. He played in 17 NCAA Tournament games from 2006-09 and cut down the nets in his last game in Carolina Blue.
UNC advanced further in each postseason run with Hansborough, from the round of 32 to the Elite Eight to the Final Four and then, finally, to the national championship. Hansbrough, who had 18 points in the title game victory over Michigan State, averaged 19.1 points per game in March Madness.
Manning’s decorated career with the Jayhawks culminated in a national championship as a senior. He played in 16 March Madness games from 1985-88 and saved his best for last.
Kansas reached the round of 32 when Manning was a freshman, the Final Four when he was a sophomore and Sweet 16 in his junior year. Manning put together an all-time run as a senior, scoring no fewer than 20 points on the six-game march to cut down the nets. He scored 31 points in a win over Oklahoma in the title game and finished with a 20.5 points per game average in the NCAA Tournament.
Hayes was a monster in March, scoring 10-plus points in all 13 of his NCAA Tournament games from 1966-68. The Cougars lost in the regional semifinal in Hayes’ first trip to the big dance and in the national semifinal each of the next two years.
The future No. 1 pick in the NBA and ABA drafts averaged 27.5 points per game in March Madness. His best run was in 1968 when he scored 49, 35 and 39 points to begin Houston’s run before losing to Lew Alcindor (now Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) and UCLA in the national semifinal. Hayes then scored 34 points in a win over Ohio State in the third-place game.
Duke's Christian Laettner hits "The Shot" to beat Kentucky in the 1992 Elite Eight.© The Courier-Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK
Laettner played in 23 NCAA Tournament games and three national championship games from 1989-92. The Blue Devils lost in the Final Four when Laettner was a freshman, but for the next three years they played for the title, winning back-to-back in 1991 and ’92.
Laettner averaged 17.7 points per game in March Madness for his career, and his career low was a six-point showing as a sophomore in the round of 32. However, Laettner’s career-high was a 31-point performance as a senior in the Elite Eight. That game will forever be remembered for “The Shot” that Laettner hit to defeat Kentucky in overtime.
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But sustained success in March Madness is tough to come by. It's difficult enough to make it into the field each year, let alone perform at the highest level once there.
Those who are capable of doing so find themselves in the record books for decades. In fact, only one of the top five all-time scorers in the men's NCAA Tournament played in the 2000s, and two played before the field expanded to 64 teams in 1985.
With the Sweet 16 set to tip off on Thursday, let's look back at some of the best performers in the history of the big dance.
5. Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati: 324 points
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Cincinnati basketball star Oscar Robertson is carried on the shoulders of teammates after leading his team to the championship of the Holiday Festival basketball tourney at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 30, 1959.Bettmann / Getty Images
Though Robertson burned bright in the big dance, his Bearcats never won it all. The future NBA MVP appeared in just 10 March Madness games from 1958-60, but he left a lasting impact on the record books.
Cincinnati was bounced in the regional semifinal despite 30 points from Robertson in his first March Madness appearance. No matter — he scored 56 in the regional third-place game, the second-highest scoring game in NCAA Tournament history. Robertson won another scoring title the following year and powered Cincinnati to a win in the national third-place game. The Bearcats won the third-place game again in 1960. Robertson finished his collegiate career having averaged a whopping 32.4 points per game in March Madness.
4. Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina: 325 points
The Tar Heels’ all-time leading scorer was a fixture in March throughout his time in Chapel Hill. He played in 17 NCAA Tournament games from 2006-09 and cut down the nets in his last game in Carolina Blue.
UNC advanced further in each postseason run with Hansborough, from the round of 32 to the Elite Eight to the Final Four and then, finally, to the national championship. Hansbrough, who had 18 points in the title game victory over Michigan State, averaged 19.1 points per game in March Madness.
3. Danny Manning, Kansas: 328 points
Manning’s decorated career with the Jayhawks culminated in a national championship as a senior. He played in 16 March Madness games from 1985-88 and saved his best for last.
Kansas reached the round of 32 when Manning was a freshman, the Final Four when he was a sophomore and Sweet 16 in his junior year. Manning put together an all-time run as a senior, scoring no fewer than 20 points on the six-game march to cut down the nets. He scored 31 points in a win over Oklahoma in the title game and finished with a 20.5 points per game average in the NCAA Tournament.
2. Elvin Hayes, Houston: 358 points
Hayes was a monster in March, scoring 10-plus points in all 13 of his NCAA Tournament games from 1966-68. The Cougars lost in the regional semifinal in Hayes’ first trip to the big dance and in the national semifinal each of the next two years.
The future No. 1 pick in the NBA and ABA drafts averaged 27.5 points per game in March Madness. His best run was in 1968 when he scored 49, 35 and 39 points to begin Houston’s run before losing to Lew Alcindor (now Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) and UCLA in the national semifinal. Hayes then scored 34 points in a win over Ohio State in the third-place game.
1. Christian Laettner, Duke: 407 points
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Duke's Christian Laettner hits "The Shot" to beat Kentucky in the 1992 Elite Eight.© The Courier-Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK
Laettner played in 23 NCAA Tournament games and three national championship games from 1989-92. The Blue Devils lost in the Final Four when Laettner was a freshman, but for the next three years they played for the title, winning back-to-back in 1991 and ’92.
Laettner averaged 17.7 points per game in March Madness for his career, and his career low was a six-point showing as a sophomore in the round of 32. However, Laettner’s career-high was a 31-point performance as a senior in the Elite Eight. That game will forever be remembered for “The Shot” that Laettner hit to defeat Kentucky in overtime.
Related: March Madness: Best NCAA Tournament Buzzer-Beaters Through the Years
Related: March Madness: 5 Highest-Scoring Performances in Men’s NCAA Tournament History
Related: March Madness: 5 Highest-Scoring Performances in Men’s NCAA Tournament History
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