March Madness: Ranking the Top 10 games of 2019 NCAA Tournament

1. Virginia 63 – Auburn 62

Auburn came into the Final Four matchup with Virginia riding high. They had just got through beating straight college blue-bloods in Kansas, North Carolina, and Kentucky. They beat the first two in convincing fashion including scoring 97 points on the Tar Heels. The slipped by Kentucky in overtime, but they way they had been hitting shots and playing offense it looked like they couldn’t be stopped. But they hadn’t played a defense like Virginia either.

Virginia’s defense was going to be the toughest test for the Tigers yet, and it proved to be just enough. It made Auburn work for everything they got in the game and it looked like they were going to run away with it late as they opened up a 10 point lead with 5:24 left in the game. The way the game was going it looked like an impossible hole for Auburn to climb out of.

Fortunately for the Tigers, Virginia forgot how to hit shots and they made a run. Over the next four minutes, the Tigers would outscore Virginia 14-0 to take a four-point lead with 17 seconds left. It looked like Auburn would be heading to their first-ever national title game and the offense would cost the Cavaliers.

With nine seconds left, though, Kyle Guy would give Virginia some life by hitting a three to finally stop their drought. A quick foul would put Jared Harper on the line for the Tigers. After making the first free-throw he would miss the second one, leaving Auburn just up two points.; Then some questionable calls would follow.

As Ty Jerome dribbled up the court he lost control of the ball and dribbled again. After review, he should have been called for a double dribble, but some would argue he was fouled first. Either way, they didn’t call the double dribble and they did call a foul on Auburn (they had one to give). Leaving just 1.5 seconds on the clock it looked like the Cavaliers needed a miracle to win. They found Guy for a three at the buzzer that clanked off the rim, but he was fouled. Many questioned if it was a foul, but the refs called it giving Guy three free-throws and a chance to win the game.

In a spot every kid dreams of growing up, Guy stepped up and calmly knocked down all three to give Virginia the lead and ultimately the game. It may have been a controversial ending, but the Cavaliers prevailed in a great game and made their way to their first championship game in three decades. Auburn was left to think about what if, but it was a historic run anyway.