Sultans Of Swat

No list of great NCAA blocked shots can be definitive—the stat has been kept for only 27 seasons—but here are six standout moments

1950: City College of New York star forward Irwin Dambrot blocks a final shot by Bradley's Gene Melchiorre to seal the Beavers' 71--68 victory in the NCAA championship game. With the NIT title already won, CCNY becomes the only team to take both the NIT and the NCAA crowns in the same year.

1970: UCLA's 6'8" Sidney Wicks swats away a shot by Jacksonville's 7'2" Artis Gilmore early in the national title game. UCLA coach John Wooden had moved Wicks, a future four-time NBA All-Star, from forward to center so he could guard Gilmore. The Bruins win 80--69 to earn their fourth straight title.

1974: In the first minute of the NCAA semifinal between North Carolina State and UCLA, the Wolfpack's David Thompson blocks a shot by UCLA's Bill Walton. N.C. State goes on to defeat the Bruins, interrupting their string of seven titles. Two days later N.C. State's 7'4" Tom Burleson (unofficially) blocks seven shots as the Pack beats Marquette 76--64 in the final.

2003: Syracuse forward Hakim Warrick (far right) flies out of nowhere to block Kansas guard Michael Lee's possible game-tying three with two seconds to go in the NCAA title game, preserving for the Orange a 71--68 win and its first NCAA title.

2006: Florida's 6'11" center Joakim Noah swats a championship-game record six shots in the Gators' 73--57 win over UCLA. Afterward UCLA guard Jordan Farmar said Noah had "changed about 10 more shots than he blocked."

2011: Arizona's Derrick Williams rejects Memphis forward Wesley Witherspoon's last-second layup to ensure an electrifying 77--75 win for the Wildcats in their opening game.