The top scorers in NCAA men’s basketball tournament history

An All-American, Williams helped the Hoyas win the 1984 nationwide championship as a freshman. He scored 19 factors off the bench in Georgetown’s national-title win over Houston. Nevertheless, he was simply starting. Williams helped the Hoyas get again to the nationwide ultimate the following season, however from a person standpoint, his most efficient NCAA Event got here in 1987, when he averaged 26 factors per recreation as Georgetown reached the Elite Eight.

Amongst Arizona basketball fandom and die-hard followers of the sport, Simon is greatest remembered for his two 30-point video games within the 1997 NCAA Event, which earned him Most Excellent Participant honors through the Wildcats’ run to the nationwide championship. A type of 30-point efforts got here within the national-title recreation win over favored Kentucky. A longtime performer all through his 4 seasons at Arizona, the All-American averaged 18.6 factors and shot 46 % per contest throughout these 14 NCAA Event video games.

The 6-foot-9 Collison was a incredible total court docket presence for the Jayhawks. He ranks second at school historical past for factors (2,097), second in made discipline objectives (858), third in rebounds (1,143), and fourth in blocked pictures (243). He was particularly good through the NCAA Event, averaging 16.7 factors and 11.3 rebounds in 16 video games. Throughout Kansas’ run to the 2003 nationwide championship recreation, Collison was dominant whereas averaging 18.7 factors and 13.5 boards throughout these six video games.

One of many stars on Duke’s 1991 and ’92 nationwide championship squads. Along with being the man who threw the lengthy inbounds move to Christian Laettner for that legendary Elite Eight buzzer-beater versus Kentucky, Hill did fairly properly for himself when aiming on the basket. A 3-time national-finalist, Hill was a 52.6-percent shooter for his NCAA Event profession. In the course of the 1994 occasion, Hill averaged 17.7 factors whereas serving to the Blue Devils attain the title recreation versus Arkansas. 

Sticking with the Blue Devils. The delight of prep powerhouse DeMatha Catholic underneath legendary coach Morgan Wooten, Ferry was a prized recruit for Coach Ok, and acquired higher every year at Duke. His profession culminated with a senior season by which he averaged 22.6 factors on 52.2 % taking pictures and seven.4 rebounds to win the Naismith and UPI Participant of the Yr Awards. A two-time ACC Participant of the Yr (1988, ’89), Ferry was a part of three Ultimate 4 groups at Duke. Within the Blue Devils’ 1988 nationwide semifinal loss to Kansas, Ferry had 19 factors and 12 rebounds. Then in the identical spherical, regardless of Duke falling to Seton Corridor, Ferry went for 34 and 10.

One other all-around nice, West averaged 24.8 factors and 13.3 rebounds for the Mountaineers throughout his three seasons of school ball. In the meantime, his 160 whole factors spanning 5 video games within the 1959 NCAA Event tied for the most-ever on the time, and earned West Ultimate 4 Most Excellent Participant honors. In his 9 event video games, the two-time First-Group All-American averaged 30.6 factors. West totaled 105 of these factors in simply three video games through the 1960 NCAA Event.

No, we’re not achieved highlighting Duke gamers simply but. Along with being one of many nice defensive gamers in Duke historical past (ranks second at school historical past with 266 steals and the all-time chief with 111 costs taken), Battier was fairly stable with the basketball. He helped the Blue Devils win the 2001 nationwide championship, throughout a event by which he was named Most Excellent Participant whereas averaging 22.5 factors, plus 10.2 rebounds. Battier’s 278 NCAA Event factors rank second-most at school historical past.

To the Indiana outsider, Cheaney may be greatest remembered for his involvement within the whipping incident with coach Bob Knight throughout a observe session on the 1992 NCAA Event. However, when his four-year profession at Indiana completed, he was the Huge Ten’s all-time main scorer with 2,613 factors. Cheaney scored almost 280 of these factors within the NCAA Event. He shot 57.1 % and averaged a formidable 21.5 factors whereas starring within the Huge Dance. In the course of the 1993 occasion, when Indiana reached the Elite Eight, he averaged 26.5 factors per recreation.

Dixon scored 155 of these 294 NCAA Event factors in 2002, when he led Maryland to the nationwide championship. How about these 33 factors in opposition to Kansas within the nationwide semifinals that 12 months? Nevertheless, Dixon, who scored 2,269 occasions throughout his 4 seasons with the Terrapins, was an distinctive event performer, averaging 18.4 factors, taking pictures 48.3 % from the sphere and 43.2 % from 3-point vary throughout these 13 video games. Maryland went 13-3 within the NCAA Event with Dixon on the ground.

The newest participant to succeed in the 300-point mark in NCAA Event. If it appeared just like the 6-foot-10 Timme performed endlessly at Gonzaga, it solely appeared that manner. Nevertheless, the large man definitely got here to play, and helped the Zags go 10-3 throughout his event run and attain the 2021 national-title contest with a 31-0 mark. Timme averaged 23.3 factors and shot 60 % in these 13 video games. Thrice he scored 30 or extra factors, and in addition posted 5 double-doubles for factors and rebounds.

Twice named SEC Participant of the Yr, Williamson was the undisputed famous person that led Arkansas to back-to-back appearances within the nationwide championship recreation in 1994 and 1995. In the course of the ’94 occasion, when Nolan Richardson’s Razorbacks gained all of it, Williamson was named Most Excellent Participant whereas averaging 21.7 factors and taking pictures worse than 60 % from the sphere simply as soon as through the Hogs’ six-game undefeated run. He additionally posted 4 double-double factors and rebounds recreation throughout his NCAA Event profession that spanned these 15 video games.

Earlier than turning into a senator and presidential nominee, Bradley was a basketball star at Princeton. He helped the Tigers attain the Ultimate 4 in 1965, at which he was named Most Excellent Participant, after scoring 58 factors on 22-of-29 taking pictures within the event’s third-place recreation victory over Wichita State. Bradley is one in every of 10 gamers, getting into the 2024 occasion, to attain no less than 300 factors within the NCAA Event (spanning 9 video games), and averaged 33.7 factors per contest — which ranks second all time.

Earlier than going by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, he gained three nationwide championships with UCLA as Lew Alcindor. The previous New York Metropolis prep phenom was a three-time First-Group All-American and the inaugural winner of the Naismith Participant of the Yr Award whereas taking part in for the legendary John Picket and the Bruins. Alcindor, thought of by many to be probably the most dominant school participant ever, was significantly good come event time. In his three nationwide championship recreation appearances, Alcindor totaled 91 factors on 38-of-53 (71.7 %) taking pictures.

Rice is Michigan’s all-time main scorer with 2,442 factors — and a nationwide champion. He was the Huge Ten Participant of the Yr in 1988-89. That was the season Rice averaged 30.7 factors, and went 27-of-49 from 3-point vary through the NCAA Event to earn Most Excellent Participant honors through the Wolverines’ unbelievable run to their solely nationwide championship. Rice was a outstanding scorer, who made issues look straightforward as his school profession went on — 5 occasions he scored no less than 31 factors within the Huge Dance.

There won’t be a extra full participant within the annals of the school recreation than Robertson. The “Huge O” averaged 33.8 factors, 15.2 rebounds and greater than 4 assists throughout his three years with the Bearcats. Robertson, who left college as school basketball’s all-time main scorer (2,973 factors), led Cincinnati to 2 Ultimate 4 appearances — however didn’t win a nationwide championship. Nevertheless, when it got here to tournament-time stars, Robertson stays one of many brightest. He scored 56 factors in his second NCAA Event recreation in 1958, and posted a triple-double in every of Cincinnati’s two nationwide third-place contests.

No participant in North Carolina basketball historical past has scored extra factors than Hansbrough’s 2,872 (additionally an ACC document) or pulled down as many rebounds (1,219). He is additionally the college career-record holder for double-figure scoring video games (138), made discipline objectives (939), and made free throws (982). In the meantime, when it got here to performing within the NCAA Event, Hansbrough maintained his star standing. He averaged 19.1 factors in these 17 event video games, and scored no less than 21 factors eight occasions whereas collaborating within the Huge Dance.

Manning not solely loved one in every of school basketball’s nice careers, however his efficiency within the 1988 NCAA Event stays outstanding. In main the upstart Jayhawks — dubbed “Danny and the Miracles” — to the nationwide championship, Manning recorded 163 factors and 69 discipline objectives. Manning averaged 20.1 factors for his profession, and of these 328 factors in a hefty 16 NCAA Event video games, he topped the 30-point mark thrice, highlighted by his 31-point, 18-rebound efficiency within the Jayhawks’ national-final victory over Oklahoma.

Introduced in by famed coach Man V. Lewis, Hayes and teammate Don Chaney had been the primary African-People to play basketball at Houston. The legendary Hayes averaged 31.0 factors as a Cougar, and people 358 factors in simply 13 NCAA Event video games nonetheless appear outstanding. Oh yeah, his 222 rebounds within the Huge Dance are No. 1 all-time. In the course of the first three video games of Houston’s 1968 NCAA Event, Hayes scored 49, 35 and 39 factors, respectively. He later dropped 34 through the nationwide third-place recreation loss to Ohio State.

Liked by the Cameron Crazies and the remainder of Duke followers, and hated by most different school hoops followers. Nonetheless, it’s laborious to argue with Laettner’s collegiate greatness. A profession 60.1 % NCAA Event shooter and the all-time chief with these 407 factors, Laettner was a two-time nationwide champion, an All-American and one of the clutch gamers ever. His game-winning shot in opposition to Kentucky within the 1992 regional ultimate solely solidified him as a collegiate legend. In a day of one-and-done and transferring out and in of the switch portal, it is unlikely anybody will high Laettner’s level whole and 23 video games performed within the Huge Dance.