Unsung Heroes: Saving Ryan's Almost Private Story of NCAA Playoff Success
March 19th, 2024 - 14:15
Since they usually weren't the focal point of offense, their postseason competition achievement can get lost in normal All-American traffic for the 14 schools boasting multiple national championships. Despite never participating in a Final Four themselves, there are often-overlooked players who exhibited authentic "One Shining Moment" in NCAA Tournament for a blue-blood program. Two undervalued guards from prominent programs deserving special mention are:
- Ryan Robertson - 31-point outburst for Kansas against Kentucky in overtime in 1999 is higher than all-time tourney best for any of his more-publicized teammates during four-year career (featuring Raef LaFrentz, Paul Pierce, Scot Pollard and Jacque Vaughn). KU's Robertson, taking only 10 field-goal attempts, is one of six opposing players - including Dayton's Henry Finkel (1966), Notre Dame's Austin Carr (1970), Indiana's Kent Benson (1975), Iowa State's Justus Thigpen Jr. (1992) and Wichita State's Cleanthony Early (2014) - scoring more than 30 points in defeat amid UK's NCAA tourney-high 132 victories. Among the 14 schools with multiple NCAA titles, Academic All-American Robertson has the lowest career scoring average (7.4 ppg) for a "blue-blood school" individual meeting the challenge and registering more than 30 points in a single NCAA playoff game.
- Ranzino Smith - 27-point uprising for North Carolina in only 18 minutes against Loyola Marymount in 1988 matches Michael Jordan's NCAA playoff high (against Temple in 1984). Among the 14 NCAA titlists in question, Smith has the lowest career scoring average (6.5 ppg) for an individual supplying more than 25 points in a single NCAA playoff game.
Ten of the 12 tourney games summarized below occurred in first or second round. Restricting alphabetical list to schools capturing multiple NCAA titlex, the following individuals exceeded by at least doubling their normal output by tallying more than 25 points in an NCAA playoff game despite college career scoring average lower than 12.5 ppg and subsequently not selected in first round of NBA draft:
| Multiple-Title School | Unsung Hero (Career Avg.) | HG | NCAA Playoff Opponent | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati | Leonard Stokes (10.2) | 39 | UCLA (Second Round) | 3-17-02 |
| Duke | Doug Kistler (11.5) | 26 | Princeton (First Round) | 3-8-60 |
| Florida | KeVaughn Allen (12.1) | 35 | Wisconsin (Regional Semifinals) | 3-24-17 |
| Indiana | Andrae Patterson (11.3) | 26 | Oklahoma (First Round) | 3-12-98 |
| Kansas | Ryan Robertson (7.4) | 31 | Kentucky (Second Round) | 3-14-99 |
| Kentucky | Joe Crawford (11.3) | 35 | Marquette (First Round) | 3-20-08 |
| Louisville | Edgar Sosa (9.7) | 31 | Texas A&M (Second Round) | 3-17-07 |
| North Carolina | Ranzino Smith (6.5) | 27 | Loyola Marymount (Second Round) | 3-19-88 |
| North Carolina State | Ilian Evtimov (9.3) | 28 | Vanderbilt (Second Round) | 3-21-04 |
| Oklahoma State | Corey Williams (10.3) | 27 | Tulane (Second Round) | 3-22-92 |
| UCLA | Tony Parker (8.3) | 28 | UAB (Second Round) | 3-21-15 |
| Villanova | Alvin Williams (10.9) | 31 | California (Second Round) | 3-15-97 |
NOTE: Michigan State has not had a player meet this criteria.