I have a few, (Danny (Manning) and the Miracles would be runner-up) but 1989 really stands out in my memory. I was a senior in college and I remember Glen Rice (Michigan) torching the tournament. But the championship game with my local Seton Hall (I was at Rutgers) was just a great game. I still remember Rumeal Robinson hitting those crucial free throws at the end. Add in the drama with Bill Frieder getting canned by the legendary Bo Schembechler before the tourney started after accepting another position and it was just so memorable. Yours?
This one because my state now has mobile gambling.
Sorry for being a buzzkill, I don’t think this is the type of answer you’re looking for.
As a Kansas fan, my top three are obviously 1988, 2008, and 2022.
1988 - Danny and the Miracles, as mentioned in the OP. Playing against Oklahoma, our (then) Big 8 conference rivals. Both teams knocking down threes like crazy. 50-50 halftime score.
Fun trivia - the last three teams Kansas beat in the tournament - Kansas State (regional final), Duke (Final Four), and Oklahoma - were the only three teams to beat KU at home that year. A popular t-shirt at the time said “Don’t Beat Us At Home. Paybacks Are A Bitch.”
2008 vs Memphis. Down by 9 with just over two minutes left in game, Kansas continued to foul Memphis, who could not hit a free throw. Mario Chalmers three at the buzzer (“the shot heard round the world”) to send the game into OT. Kansas scored the first half dozen points of OT and Memphis could not recover. (Turns out it didn’t matter in the end, Memphis’ entire season was later vacated.)
2022 vs North Carolina, down 16 at halftime, Kansas came roaring back in the second half for the win.
The Earvin Johnson-Larry Bird final of 1979. Nothing else comes close.
I haven’t watched many, but I liked the one where Ali Farokhmanesh cold-bloodedly received a pass and - instead of holding onto it to dribble out time, or - any of the other ‘common sense’ things one could do - just straight up launched a 3. Took huge courage or recklessness, since he’d have been mercilessly criticized if he missed.
I also liked George Mason beating UConn in its Cinderella run to the Final Four in 2006.
One of my favorite regular tournament games was UCLA vs Missouri in 1995. Missouri tried to run down the clock, got a one point lead with 4.8 seconds left, then basically stood around flat-footed while Tyus Edney drove the length of the court to lay up the game winner.
1990 of course. The year of the buzzer-beaters topped off with a mid-major (and my favorite team) UNLV winning it all.
Worst semi-final game ever was the next year.
Duke vs Kentucky 1992. The Christian Laettner game. Mostly because I have always hated the Wildcats, and this game is a perfect way to annoy their fans.
The Bryce Drew buzzer beater (Valparaiso vs Ole Miss, 1998). I’m a native Hoosier, and any game that makes the state of Indiana look good is alright with me.
There was a great run in the late 80s-early 90s for sure.