Posted March 17, 1998

Blowing the whistle on the biggest coaching blunders in tournament history:

1. Dean Smith, North Carolina, 1977.
Makes decision to pull the ball out and go to the Four Corners after taking the lead with 13:48 remaining in the title game against Marquette. The Warriors sag into the paint, UNC holds the ball for three minutes and fails to score, and Marquette goes on to win 67-59.

2. Rick Pitino, Kentucky, 1992.
Fails to put a man on inbounding Grant Hill of Duke at the end of overtime in the East Regional final. Hill's pass finds Christian Laettner at the opposite foul line, and Laettner's basket gives Duke a 104-103 win.

3. Don Donoher, Dayton, 1974.
Calls timeout just before Don Smith hits a jumper that would've given the Flyers the lead over seven-time defending champion UCLA with 14 seconds left in regulation of a West Regional semifinal. After play resumes, Smith misses and the Bruins win 111-100 in triple overtime.

Previous 3-Pointers:
March 16 -- Pulling down the most critical rebounds in tournament history
March 15 -- The most spectacular drives in tournament history
March 14 -- The most dramatic three-pointers in tournament history
March 13 -- Although passing is a subtle art, it can have spectacular results
March 12 -- Introducing the members of our tournament swat team
March 11 -- Pointing out the perpetrators of the greatest steals in tournament history
March 10 -- Tossing up the greatest free throws in tournament history
March 9 -- The greatest games in tournament history