NCAA Basketball: 25 greatest buzzer beaters of all time

14. Korie Lucious sends MSU to Sweet 16 (2010)

This is one of those finishes that was more impressive in slow-motion than it was live.

Korie Lucious was thrust into action for Michigan State in this second-round game for the Spartans after starting point guard and All-Big Ten Player of the Year Kalin Lucas injured his leg in the first round. Lucas was ruled out for the rest of the NCAA Tournament.

The spotlight didn’t scare Lucious, a highly touted recruit out of high school. He rose to the occasion and helped lead Michigan State to a second straight Final Four, but it wouldn’t have been possible without his clutch shot in the second round to beat Maryland.

Michigan State held a 15-point lead with about eight minutes left, but Maryland stormed back and Greivis Vasquez gave the Terrapins a one-point lead with 6.6 seconds left.

The Spartans didn’t take their time to get down the floor, as Draymond Green pushed the ball up the floor. Green looked to his right and found Lucious who eluded a defender with a dribble to the left and hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

What people didn’t see in real time was Delvon Roe’s well-timed duck under the pass to avoid a costly turnover. Without that maneuver by the Spartans’ big man, there would have been no Final Four, just a disappointing choke job.