The Best College Basketball Moments This Year

Meta Description: Read on to find out which are the best college basketball moments so far in 2021. 

Best College Basketball Moments of 2021

The new College Basketball season is underway, and we are already seeing the best of what the top teams and players can offer. While we are already seeing highlight-reel packages, some of the best moments in college basketball have already happened. 

Either college basketball coaching has stepped up a notch, or the players have become superhuman because this year, we have seen some of the best plays and moments in a long, long time. Here are the best college basketball highlights from this year. 

Baylor beats Gonzaga

Baylor was up against one of the best teams in the country, the Gonzaga Bulldogs. While March Madness had been riddled with ugly offensive plays that many wanted to quickly forget, the first ten minutes of this game were incredible. 

While it wasn’t ten minutes of exceptional skill, it was ten minutes of utter dominance that put Baylor in the driver’s seat for the rest of the game. Gonzaga couldn’t recover, and the Bears took home the well-deserved victory. 

Jalen Suggs beats UCLA

One of the most memorable shots in March Madness, college basketball, and Gonzaga history came at the hands of Jalen Suggs. Even though Gonzaga didn’t win the title, this shot was a memory and moment that is hard to beat. 

With less than three seconds to set himself and much further away than he would have liked, Jalen Suggs launched a perfect shot into the air, the crowd going wild, the buzzer sounding off, and him sinking it. It was absolutely one of the best highlights of the tournament and one of the best moments of the year. 

Arkansas beats Texas Tech

Texas Tech and Arkansas had one of the most nail-biting games of the tournament. The two defensive juggernauts traded points, and with only a few minutes left on the clock, Texas was behind and was looking to score. 

However, a strong defensive display saw Arkansas block many shots, as well as a last-minute drive that would have seen them lose the game. They withstood the attacks, kept their cool, and found themselves in the last 16. 

UCLA makes final four

The UCLA/Michigan game was the furthest thing from basketball perfection. Players missing shots, shoddy passes, and a few instances of middle-school-looking plays dominated the game. However, UCLA was about to pull off a shock. 

The Michigan Wolverines had a number of chances to take home the victory, two 3-pointers right near the end, that they missed, being two of the biggest. It is hard to say if UCLA won that game or if Michigan did everything they could to lose it; either way, UCLA made it into the final four tournament. 

Loyola beats Illinois

It isn’t often that the number one seed gets sent home early by a lower-ranked in-state rival. However, that is precisely what happened when Loyola faced off against Illinois. The Ramblers suffocated Illinois, and not a single Illinois player could spread their wings and show why they are ranked where they are. 

During the game, Cameron Kurtwog was a standout, dominating Kofi Cockburn, a player widely regarded as one of the country’s most imposing and strongest players. While Loyola did lose in the next round, Illinois is still having nightmares of this defeat. 

Abilene Christian stuns Texas

The Abilene Christian Wildcats pulled off one of the biggest shocks in the tournament, defeating highly-rated Texas Tech. Some said the game was grimy to watch, but Abilene proved that hard work and effort could overcome a talent deficit. 

Texas was leading at halftime, and Abilene overcame the biggest Texas team and sent them packing in style through sheer effort and drive. 

Alex Reese

Even though UCLA would go on to win the game in overtime, Alex Reece’s 3-point bomb at the end of regulation time kept Alabama alive. UCLA had taken a three-point leading with only five seconds left in the game when the ball made its way to Alex Reece. 

With barely enough to make the play and even less time to set him, Reece took a shot from long range and sunk it. The Crimson Tide were able to stay alive, and while they lost only a few minutes later, Reece’s buzzer-beater is genuinely unforgettable. 

Oral Roberts

Massive seeding updates are part of the drama that is March Madness, and Oral Roberts became part of that tradition when they defeated No. 2 ranked Ohio State. Even though Ohio State came into the tournament on a high, Oral Roberts brought them back down to earth real quick. 

Kevin Obanor and Abmas combined to score an earth-shaking 9 points, with the rest of the Golden Eagles scoring just 6. It was a proper display of dominance, and even though the game ended 75-72, it didn’t look like ORU was going to lose. 

Jalen Suggs assist

Finally, the assist of the year so far has to be given to Jalen Suggs. Facing UCLA, Cody Riley looked certain to dunk on Suggs to take the Bruins into the lead 79-77. However, Suggs blocked the shot and sent through the assist of the year. 

Suggs recovered and set up a bounce pass to Drew Timme, who finished the dunk and gave Gonzaga the lead and the win. Many said it was similar to Anthony Edwards’s incredible assist at the Maui Invitational in 2019; either way, it was a pass and assist for the ages. 

The new season has only just begun, and we have already been treated to a number of incredible and unforgettable college basketball moments. Not only is there the regular college season to look forward to, but March is bringing the most prominent college basketball tournament of them all. 

March Madness 2022 is already looking like it is going to be one of the best ever, with even more highlights on the way. All we can do now is sit back and watch the best college ball players in action. 

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