Question for Older College B-Ball Fans

[Stringer Bell]

This was before I started watching b-ball (born in 80', started watching in 90'), but what was more of a shocker to you: NC State over Houston or Villanova over Georgetown?

[KG215]

I think it's debatable. Both upsets have their arguments.

Georgetown, though, was the defending champ and had everyone back for the '84-'85 season. Villanova was an 8 seed and benefited from no shot-clock to nurse a late lead and hold on for the win. People forget just how close that group of Georgetown players came to winning three titles in four years. Jordan hit his shot with like 20 seconds to go to put UNC up by one and then Fred Brown for Georgetown came down and threw the ball right to James Worthy to give UNC the championship in 1982. They of course won it two years later in 1984 and, if it wasn't for the huge Villanova upset, would have won it again in 1985. Who knows, if Patrick Ewing wins three titles in four years at Georgetown maybe he sheds he completely avoids the "loser" label and wins a few rings in the NBA.

All I now about the 1983 upset by NC State is that it was akin to UConn's run last year except instead of getting Butler at the end, NC State got the number-one team in the country who was loaded in the championship game. NC State won something like 9 or 10 games in a row to end the season (including winning the ACC tournament) just to get in the tournament and rode that momentum to a championship. 1983 Houston is considered one of the best teams who didn't win a championship. I'm sure you know this but they had Hakeem and Clyde Drexler so them losing to NC State was pretty surprising.

[JMT]

Think I'd have to say NC State.

Both were crazy runs. Nova was a lower seed and a real bubble team: 18-9, losers of 6 of their last 11. Had to beat a pretty good Dayton team on their own floor in the first round (tourney still permitted home teams back then)But they had played Georgetown very close in both regular season matchups ( losses by 3 and 7, if I remember correctly). And they were a solidly built "tournament style" team: had an inside presence in Pinkney who didn't back down from Ewing; pure shooter in Jensen; solid wings; multiple ball handlers; comfortable playing a slow-down game (last tourney without a shot clock).

Plus, my Dad called Nova winning the whole thing before the tourney started. We all laughed. It was the first year of our bracket contest (first year of the field of 64). He was the only one laughing when it ended. I miss my Dad.

NC State hadn't shown anything to indicate they were capable of the run they got on. Very much like UConn last year, though not as highly regarded coming in as the Huskies were. And that Houston team was loaded. The title game was shocking in that Guy Lewis, the Houston coach, was content to play at a slow pace, which played right into the hands of the Wolfpack. It was stunning; they'd run on teams, capitalizing on their athleticism, all year, and in the biggest game walked the ball up and down. Even down to the last couple possessions it was hard to imagine that NC State could win. It was just such an incredible mismatch.