The Most Memorable Buzzer-Beaters and Hail Marys

Scott Janovitz@@BrainTrain9X.com LogoFeatured ColumnistFebruary 23, 2015

The Most Memorable Buzzer-Beaters and Hail Marys

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    Perhaps more than any other athlete, Michael Jordan is remembered for last-second heroics.
    Perhaps more than any other athlete, Michael Jordan is remembered for last-second heroics.JOHN SWART/Associated Press

    Unless you're rooting for the losing team, nothing in sports is more exciting than a last-second Hail Mary or buzzer-beater. 

    Aside from the obvious implication—that whatever game you're watching is close at the very end—they represent the very best that sports have to offer: world-class athletes coming through in the clutch to accomplish the improbable. 

    Of course—depending on both context and level of difficulty—some buzzer-beaters are more memorable than others, and the same can be said of Hail Marys. 

    On the hardwood, for example, Christian Lattner's buzzer-beating shot to defeat Kentucky in the 1992 Elite Eight remains particularly memorable, as the play featured both high-level basketball and contextual significance.

    Likewise, few will ever forget Damian Lillard's more recent buzzer-beating dagger, which—in a glorious instanteliminated the Houston Rockets from playoff contention.  

    And the gridiron's version of the buzzer-beater—the Hail Mary—can be just as memorably thrilling, like in 2002, when LSU quarterback Marcus Randall ripped out Wildcat hearts worldwide with a game-winning bomb to Devery Henderson. 

    With these heart-wrenching moments in mind, we were naturally inspired to further reminisce and, as a result, have put together a list honoring the 15 most memorable buzzer-beaters and Hail Marys in modern sports history. 

    Some of our highlighted plays are remembered for the legends they involve, while others stand out due to general significance or the impressive manner in which they were executed. No matter what, though, each of our featured late-game moments share one thing in common: They will never be forgotten.    

Close, but No Cigar

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    He may not have made our Top 15, but Magic Johnson had numerous buzzer beaters worthy of mention.
    He may not have made our Top 15, but Magic Johnson had numerous buzzer beaters worthy of mention.Brian Drake/Getty Images

    Though we've spotlighted the 15 most memorable buzzer-beaters and Hail Marys in sports history, there are plenty of others worth mentioning. This, then, is our memorable list of honorable mentions: 

Lillard Grounds Rockets

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    We begin our tour of last-second heroics with the most recent buzzer-beater of all.

    Damian Lillard's now-famous shot went down just last year (2014), in Portland's first-round matchup with the Houston Rockets. 

    At the time, Portland was ahead in the series, three games to two, but trailed the Rockets in Game 6, 98-96, with just 0.9 seconds remaining. 

    The Trail Blazers, however, had no interest in returning to Houston for a Game 7.

    With a truly remarkable long-range, off-balance three, Lillard made sure they didn't have to, sending Portland to the second round instead, for the first time in 14 years. 

Big Shot Rob

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    Call him clutch or just plain lucky, but more than any other NBA journeyman, Robert Horry is responsible for a surprisingly disproportionate number of game-winning buzzer-beaters. 

    More importantly, the stretch 4 picked perhaps the very best time to drain his most memorable jumper.

    It occurred with Horry's Lakers trailing the Sacramento Kings late in Game 4 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals. 

    Down two with time running out, both Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal first missed quality attempts to tie. But, in an effort to run out the clock and keep O'Neal from rebounding his own miss, Sacramento's Vlade Divac tipped the ball out of the paint and out of harm's way. 

    Or so he thought. 

    Instead, the ball found its way into Horry's hands and with just enough time for Big Shot Rob to sink both a three and the Kings (L.A. came back from a 2-1 deficit to win the series in seven). 

Stewart Stuns Michigan

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    Michigan's Big House has served as the backdrop for a lengthy list of memorable plays, including Kordell Stewart's historic heave in 1994.

    In what is now referred to as the Miracle at Michigan, Stewart led his Colorado Buffaloes to a legendary come-from-behind win, which included two touchdowns in the game's final two minutes and 16 seconds.

    Even after their first score, though, Stewart and the Buffs still found themselves in a precarious spot, trailing Michigan—26-21—while sitting a solid 64 yards from the end zone with just six seconds remaining in the game.

    With time for only one more play, Stewart had no choice but to load up his cannon of an arm and fired an absolute rocket, which traveled nearly 75 yards in the air and deflected off one man before falling into Michael Westbrook's outstretched arms. 

    The catch gave Colorado a stunning 27-26 win over Michigan, but it's Stewart's throw—rather than the game's final outcomethat will forever be remembered. 

Bird Burns Blazers

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    Much like Michael Jordan (to whom we will get in just a bit), Larry Bird is well known for his clutch play late in games.

    Now commonly referred to as Larry Legend, Bird's mystique has been largely built upon his willingness to take and ability to hit game-winning shots. 

    And though it took place in a regular-season game, Bird's most memorable buzzer-beater occurred in 1985, when he sank the Blazers, 128-127, with a sensational falling-out-of-bounds fadeaway jumper. 

    The basket was part of a remarkable 48-point outing for the legend, and it provided the great Johnny Most with enough ammo to lay down one of the best play-by-play soundbites in sports history. 

Dancing with Drew

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    Over the years, the NCAA basketball tournament has become synonymous with unthinkable upsets and thrilling finishes. 

    In a major way, Bryce Drew's 1998 desperation dagger—which lifted 13th-seeded Valparaiso past fourth-seeded Ole Miss—helped cement the tournament's theatrical reputation.

    And Drew's shot was more than just a buzzer-beater; it was a bold game-winning three that required flawless teamwork and two pinpoint passes, all in a matter of 2.5 seconds. 

Bluegrass Miracle

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    When Kentucky welcomed defending SEC champ LSU to town on November 9th, 2002, few gave the unranked Wildcats a chance to compete, much less win.

    But, thanks to a furious fourth-quarter comeback, Kentucky found itself in the most improbable of positions, leading the Tigers, 30-27, with just 11 seconds remaining. 

    To anyone watching—including the Kentucky players, who had already doused head coach Guy Morriss with celebratory Gatorade—the 'Cats had shocked the world, pulling off one of the biggest upsets in SEC football history. 

    The Tigers, however, were not nearly as convinced. 

    With time for one last heave, LSU quarterback Marcus Randall connected with wideout Devery Henderson for an all-but-impossible 74-yard touchdown pass, completing the unlikeliest of comebacks with one of the college football's most memorable Hail Marys.

Fisher Sends Spurs Fishing

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    Of all the buzzer-beaters to make our prestigious list, perhaps none were as shocking as the one Derek Fisher hit in Game 5 of the 2004 Western Conference Semifinals. 

    With the series tied at two games apiece, Fisher's all-important jumper occurred just moments after what, at the time, appeared to be a Tim Duncan game-winning shot. 

    But, despite little hope and even less time—just 0.4 seconds, to be precise—Fisher dug deep into his bag of tricks and pulled out a miracle.

    And, thanks to his one-of-a-kind catch-and-shoot buzzer-beater, Fisher's Lakers went on to defeat the Spurs in six games and advance all the way to the 2004 NBA Finals. 

First of a Kind

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    On December 27th, 1975, no one knew what a Hail Mary was. That's because the term didn't exist until the very next day—December 28th—when the great Roger Staubach coined it himself. 

    To be exact, the Hall of Fame quarterback came up with the expression after leading his Dallas Cowboys to a come-from-behind divisional playoff win over the Minnesota Vikings. Naturally, he did so in the game's waning seconds, and via a deep bomb to wide receiver Drew Pearson.

    After the win, when asked about the desperation play, a pious Staubach humbly admitted, "I closed my eyes and said a Hail Mary." 

Ending with Edney

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    While most of our buzzer-beaters belong to the catch-and-shoot family, Tyus Edney's 1995 game-winning bucket demanded so much more. 

    Trailing Missouri, 74-73, with just 4.8 seconds remaining in the second round of the NCAA tournament, Edney's Bruins were not only forced to inbound the ball from under their own basket, but also failed to advance it beyond the free-throw line. 

    As a result, Edney was forced to dribble nearly the entire length of the court, but—with blinding speed—somehow managed to weave his way through the Tigers' defense. 

    Once he passed half court, the standout point guard used a brilliant behind-the-back dribble to free himself up for what is now remembered as an iconic, game-winning bank shot. 

    More importantly, Edney's heroic moment not only saved UCLA's tournament life—avoiding an early exit for what would have been the second year in a rowbut paved the way for the Bruins to win their first national title in 20 years. 

Charles in Charge

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    While Tyus Edney's 1995 buzzer-beater kept UCLA in the national title hunt, NC State's Lorenzo Charles actually sealed the deal with his memorable shot. 

    The year was 1983 and the setting was, of course, the NCAA national title game. 

    Charles and the Wolfpack entered the contest as prohibitive underdogs, with few giving them even the slimmest of chances against what was an all-time great and historically dynamic team from Houston, led by Hakeem Olajuwon (who, at the time, was known as Akeem) and Clyde Drexler. 

    But thanks to a brilliant game plan created by then-head coach Jim Valvano, NC State managed to hang with Houston and found itself in a tied ballgame with enough clock for one final possession.

    Still, when State's Dereck Whittenburg fired an air ball from long range with just three seconds remaining, overtime seemed like a foregone conclusion.

    Not so fast!

    Instead, out of nowhere, the sure-handed Charles—aka Superman—took to the air and, in one fluid motion, caught his teammate's errant shot and emphatically slammed it through the hoop just as time expired, dunking the Wolfpack to just their second national title in program history. 

Hail Flutie

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    In truth, this play needs neither introduction nor explanation. 

    After all, it is arguably the most recognizable and memorable moment in college football history.

    But, for the rare unknowing out there, Doug Flutie's iconic Hail Mary took place on November 23rd, 1984.

    With just six seconds remaining in the game, Flutie's No. 10-ranked Eagles trailed the defending national champion Hurricanes, 45-41.

    And while most rationalists thought the game was all but over, Flutie proved them wrong, delivering an unthinkable 48-yard strike to Gerard Phelan for a miraculous game-winning score. 

Stockton Sinks Rockets

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    All buzzer-beaters are exciting, but the best occur in the most significant, pressure-packed moments. 

    In 1997, Utah's John Stockton delivered on all fronts.

    After dropping Games 3 and 4 in Houston, Stockton came to Utah's rescue.  

    With the score tied and just 2.8 seconds remaining in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals, the veteran point guard calmly collected a pass from teammate Byron Russell and then confidently drilled a deep game-winning three. 

    The final shot was not only dramatic, but monumental, too, sending the Jazz to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history. 

Last-Second Laettner

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    More than perhaps any play in college basketball history—buzzer-beater or not—Christian Laettner's shot to beat Kentucky in the 1992 Elite Eight is utterly unforgettable. 

    With the No. 1 Blue Devils trailing No. 6 Kentucky, 103-102, with just 2.1 seconds remaining, Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski drew up the perfect full-court play. 

    More importantly, on the biggest of stages, Laettner and his teammates executed it with legendary perfection. 

A Gift from Mary

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    Our final Hail Mary is perhaps the most unique of all, remembered more for the controversy it sparked than the game it won.

    The largely questionable touchdown occurred in September of 2012, in a game between Seattle and Green Bay, and with much-criticized replacement refs on the field.

    To this day, it is considered one of the biggest refereeing blunders in NFL history and, for that reason and more, Russell Wilson's heartbreaking heave will never be forgotten. 

All About Jordan

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    Throughout his 15-year career, Michael Jordan missed many a last-second shot. No one, however, cares to remember them.

    Instead, our lasting image of Jordan is shaped by his numerous legendary buzzer-beaters.  

    Whether you first think of his buzzer-beater in Game 5 of the 1989 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals (linked above)—known now simply as The Shot—or of any of his other historic game-winners, Jordan will always be remembered for, and associated with, last-second heroics. 

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