1. Alex Caruso Completes Wildest Comeback in NCAA Tourney History
Alex Caruso is that dude that just makes stuff happen. Need a defensive stop? He’ll get it done. Need a three? He’ll become prime Paxon. Need an upset? He’s there.
He showed he was about that life in the 2016 NCAA Tournament in what is the greatest comeback in March Madness history to date. That isn’t an exaggeration. Caruso led the the Texas A&M Aggies to double-digit comeback in less than 45 seconds.
The Aggies were expecting to play their inner-state rival Texas Longhorns in the Round of 32. Instead, Texas choked away a close game to Northern Iowa. There wasn’t a Lonestar Showdown … but there was an instant classic.
With 39 seconds remaining in regulation, Caruso and Texas A&M were down 69-57. At the 38-second mark, they grabbed an offensive rebound off of a Caruso missed three and made the put-back to cut the game to 10.
Nine seconds later, they got a steal on the inbound play and made the layup, cutting the deficit to eight. Four seconds later, they trapped an NIU guard and picked off the pass, getting another quick layup and cutting the lead down to six.
With just 20 seconds remaining, they hit a wide open three to make it a one-possession game. Three seconds later, they gave up a wide open dunk, in what should’ve sealed the game … but with 12 seconds left, Caruso went coast-to-coast and got the and-one.
Down two, they trapped NIU on the inbound and got the steal. They made the layup to tie the game and eventually won in double overtime. This game is the craziest comeback in March Madness history and will forever be immortalized in basketball communities, earning Caruso the top spot in the current Bulls’ March Madness moments.