Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK
There were so many buzzer-beaters this weekend at every level of basketball. Let’s rank ‘em.
Folks, March is right around the corner. For some this might mean spring cleaning, going outside more and overall better vibes. However, March means one true thing: the NCAA tournament is back! That means we get more insane plays as the games start to mean a bit more.
In the last week of February, we got a taste of March from some absolutely insane buzzer beaters. Which, of course, means we’re going to rank them!
5. Trae Young sinks the Nets
This one feels like it should be higher, yet it only comes in at 5. Young is incredibly skilled, and uses the shot fake to perfection to get his defender off the ground and get a free shot. However, it just feels like this shot didn’t mean as much in the grand scheme of things. Highly underrated skill to get the shot off, though. Deserves major props.
4. Hunter Dickinson sends the Wolverines to overtime
This one also required a whole lot of skill. Michigan C Hunter Dickinson had to catch the ball off the inbound after being fronted by a Wisconsin defender, which made him have his back to the basket as he caught the ball. He then had to turn around and get into place from three point range as time was expiring, and it was pure.
3. Matthew Cleveland sinks the Hurricanes
It’s one thing to beat your rival school on a buzzer beater.
It’s an entirely other thing to do it like this, on the road, like Florida State’s Matthew Cleveland did to Miami over the weekend. The immediate rebuttal to a would-be game winning three by Miami being one-upped by a miracle shot warms this FSU fan’s heart, and the fact that it was the same guy who beat Virginia on almost the exact same shot is an added touch of clutch.
2. Arizona State’s halfcourt heave takes down Arizona
This one goes above FSU’s because of distance. Arizona State’s Desmond Cambridge Jr. let that shot go from beyond halfcourt, and drilled it to beat their rival school, a top ten team on the road. The best part is that you can hear the air come out of the stadium after Cambridge sinks the game winner. Just pure class.
1. Caitlin Clark’s finishing touch on a masterful performance
If you haven’t heard, Iowa guard Caitlin Clark is one of the best basketball players in college basketball, regardless of men or women. The junior guard had 34 points, nine rebounds and nine assists in their win over Indiana, but this three pointer were the most important of her 34 points. She comes off the screen and has to get set in position with 1.5 seconds left, and absolutely drills it. The celebration after is top tier as well.
