The best March Madness performances by players on mid-majors
source: Getty Images Every year in the March Madness tournament, some school you have never heard of from the middle of nowhere qualifies. They almost are never expected to win, but sometimes, they have one ringer who can carry them very far. Here are some of the best players from mid-major colleges that have dazzled the competition when they go dancing in March.
10. Hal Lear, Temple (1956)
source: Getty Images Hal Lear was one of the best players to ever play at Temple, and was named the Final Four MVP regardless of not playing in the final. He was a large part of the reason for their success in the 1955-56 season, and had his jersey number retired by the school in 2013.
9. Doug Edert, St. Peters (2022)
source: Getty Images We all remember Dougie Buckets, the St. Peter’s guard with the poofy hair and mustache that lifted the Peacocks on their magical 2022 run, being the only No. 15 seed to make it to the Elite Eight. They beat Kentucky, Murray State and Purdue before running into UNC.
8. Ben Woodside, North Dakota State (2008)
source: Getty Images Ben Woodside dropped a career-high 60 points in a triple overtime thriller against Stephen F. Austin. While the Bison did not win, it was one of the best individual performances in the history of the tournament.
7. Jairus Lyles, UMBC (2016)
source: Getty Images UMBC knocking off No. 1 Virginia is a legendary game and moment in its own right, but Jairus Lyles knocked down 28 points in the victory. He could not stop hitting 3s, going 9-11 from the field.
6. Jalen Slawson puts Virginia to bed (2023)
source: Getty Images Virginia fans just can’t catch a break, huh?
No. 4 Virginia was upset by No. 13 Furman last season, led by fifth-year senior Jalen Slawson, who had 19 points, 10 rebounds and four assists and was by far the best player on the court that day. He eventually made his way to the NBA, as he was drafted in the second round by the Kings.
5. David Robinson, Navy (1986-87)
source: Getty Images Before David Robinson was a Hall of Famer, he led Navy to their first Elite Eight appearance in 1986. They beat No. 10 Tulsa, No. 2 Syracuse, and No. 14 Cleveland State before running to Duke and losing. The following year, Robinson dropped 50 in an opening-round loss to Michigan.
4. Bo Kimble, Loyola Marymount (1990)
source: Getty Images The 1990 Loyola Marymount University team was one of the hottest in the NCAA. They were led by two seniors — Hank Gathers and Bo Kimble. The pair grew up together and played together in high school and college.
The two led the country in scoring with 33 and 35, respectively. But, Gathers died unexpectedly due to a heart condition during a WCC tournament game.
Kimble shot his first free throw of the tournament left-handed to honor his teammate and good friend. As they faced a tough San Diego team, Kimble turned on the heat and finished with 45 points.
3. Ja Morant, Murray State (2019)
source: Getty Images Before he was a Grizzly and the NBA’s Rookie of the Year, Ja Morant’s triple-double led Murray State to an upset over Marquette with 17 points, 11 rebounds and 16 assists.
2. Steph Curry, Davidson (2008)
source: Getty Images Not many knew about Dell Curry’s son who was playing basketball at Davidson before his 2008 performance in the tournament.
He dropped 40 against No. 7 Gonzaga, including a go-ahead 3 with just over a minute to go.
1. Larry Bird, Indiana State (1979)
source: Getty Images Larry Bird and Indiana State faced off against Magic Johnson and Michigan State in the 1979 National Championship Game.
It was a game that gave a glimpse into the future of two legendary NBA careers, but Bird and his team just fell short.
Throughout the tournament though, Bird led the field in individual scoring with 27.2 and individual rebounding with 13.4. Out of all mid-major players though, Bird has to be up there as one of the best to come from that level.