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and sorrow. The conference championship was canceled, but the Lions still received an NCAA tournament bid. Seeded eleventh, the Lions were the highest scoring team in the nation at 122.4 points per game. Highly motivated by the loss of their teammate, Loyola Marymount rolled over New Mexico State 111-92 in the first round, led by Gathers best friend Bo Kimble with forty-five points. In the next round, the Lions continued their perseverance beating defending national champions and thirteenth-ranked Michigan 149-115. In the regional semifinals, Alabama slowed them down, but LMU was still able to pull off yet another upset 62-60. They then ran into a tough UNLV team, who was on their way to a national championship, and lost, ending their magical run. It was truly one of the most inspiring stories in all of sports.

#4. Providence (1987)

The Friars lost eight games during the season and received a bid to play in the NCAA tournament, but before their first round game was played, tragedy struck. Coach Rick Pitino suffered a disastrous lost when his infant son, prematurely born, died. After taking a brief leave of absence, Pitino came back and led the Friars, who relied on three pointers, to victories over Birmingham by twenty-two, Austin Peay by three, ninth-ranked Alabama by twenty-one, and fourth-ranked Georgetown by fifteen. By doing this, Providence was able to make the Final Four but that was it as they lost to Syracuse 63-77 in their next game.

#3. North Carolina State (1983)

The Wolfpack, who held a 17-10 record at the end of the regular season, only got to the NCAA tournament because of their ACC championship. Seeded sixth in the West, the Pack was able to make it all the way to the final against Houston. Along the way, in order, they barely beat Pepperdine 69-67 in double overtime, scraped by sixth-ranked UNLV 71-70, and was just able to get by fourth-ranked Virginia 63-62. After eventually making it to the championship game, N.C. State kept their streak of close games going beating Houston on a slam dunk with two seconds left. It capped off a miracle season for the Wolfpack.

#2. George Mason (2006)

The regular season record looked good for the Patriots, winning a school record twenty-three games. Although they weren't able to win their conference, they got a controversial eleven seed in the tournament. Not many felt like they belonged in such a prestigious event. George Mason proved its critics wrong as they were able to easily handle Michigan State and proceeding

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