Who are the 10 highest scorers in a Sweet 16 game in NCAA Men’s Tournament history?

When March Madness reaches the second weekend, the spotlight gets bigger and teams rely on their stars to shine brighter. 

Players have the opportunity to put their team on their back with high-scoring performances and earn a spot in college basketball history. 

With the Sweet 16 starting on Thursday, we look back at the players who have scored the most points in that round of the NCAA Tournament.

10 highest Sweet 16 single-game scorers in NCAA Men’s Tournament history

T-10. KeVaughn Allen (35 points vs. Wisconsin)

Allen wasn’t the most prolific scorer, averaging just 12.1 points per game over his four seasons at Florida, but his 35-point performance in the Sweet 16 in 2017 lifted the Gators over one of the most experienced college teams in recent memory. It came against the Nigel Hayes and Bronson Koenig-led Badgers in a game that Florida narrowly won, 84-83. Allen single-handedly put his team on his back, as not one of his teammates scored more than eight points in that game. The Gators went on to lose in the following round, 77-70, to South Carolina.

T-10. Gary Collier (35 points vs. Arkansas)

Collier’s 35-point performance wasn’t enough for Tulsa to reach the Elite Eight, as the Razorbacks dropped a whopping 103 points. Led by Corliss Williamson, Arkansas was tough, and Collier did his best to lead 12th-seeded Tulsa to what was the program’s second Sweet 16 appearance all-time. In that game, he dominated inside, using nifty post moves and fundamental footwork. 

T-10. Caleb Love (35 points vs Duke)

Caleb Love was the main reason why this game was close, as Duke was in the driver’s seat for the majority of the game. The senior guard finished with 35 points and 5-of-11 shooting from beyond the arc, and hit big shot after big shot to keep the Wildcats in it. This was the 10th time he’d faced Duke in his career, and the fourth time he’d scored over 20 points against them. 

T-6. Bobby Jackson (36 points vs. Clemson)

Jackson’s mid-range mastery and aggressive draw-fouling drives were on display as he scored 36 points to lead Minnesota to a 90-84 win over Clemson. The Golden Gophers made the Final Four in 1997 after beating UCLA, 80-72. It was their only trip there in program history, but it was later voided because of an NCAA investigation that found players had committed academic fraud. 

T-6. Roy Hamilton (36 points vs. San Francisco)

Hamilton was the third leading scorer on a 1979 UCLA team led by David Greenwood and Brad Holland, but he stepped up to lead the team to the Elite Eight. In the Bruins’ Sweet 16 game against San Francisco, Hamilton connected on 15 of 20 field goal attempts as the Bruins beat the Dons by double digits, 99-81. 

T-6. Drew Timme (36 points vs. UCLA)

Timme’s slow-plodding, fundamental inside game dominated teams throughout his four-year career at Gonzaga. While Julian Strawther’s game-winning 3-point shot is the withstanding memory from the Bulldogs’ 79-76 win over the Bruins, Gonzaga wouldn’t have been in a position to win if it weren’t for Timme’s 36 points. Timme wasn’t able to build on this performance, though, scoring just 12 points in an 82-54 Elite Eight loss to eventual champion UConn. 

T-6. Kemba Walker (36 points vs. San Diego State)

Walker’s 2011 March Madness run was full of special shot-making performances, but the Sweet 16 game might have been his best. He scored on the ball, creating space with his dribble, driving to the basket for athletic reverse layups and finger rolls. He scored off the ball, cutting back door when defenders tried to top-block him and coming off screens to knock down catch-and-shoot 3-pointers. The Huskies beat the Aztecs 74-67 to advance to the Elite Eight, before rattling off wins against Arizona and Kentucky to win the 2011 title.

T-4. Danny Manning (38 points vs. Vanderbilt)

Manning had one of the best careers of any college basketball player, finishing third all-time in NCAA Tournament points scored. In 1988, he earned Wooden Player of the Year honors and led Kansas to a national title. Manning was a creative post player who scored off face-ups, made hook-shots and bullied defenders. His 38-point performance led the Jayhawks to a 77-64 win over Vandy. Kansas beat rival Kansas State, Duke and Oklahoma to win the 1988 title. 

T-4. Armen Gilliam: (38 points vs. Wyoming)

Gilliam was nicknamed “The Hammer” for his bullying back-to-the-basket playstyle. He wasn’t a prolific scorer in college until his junior season, when he averaged 23.2 points per game and led UNLV to a Final Four for the second time in program history. In the Sweet 16, he scored 38 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in a 92-78 win over Wyoming. The Rebels beat Iowa in the Elite Eight before falling to Indiana in the Final Four.

On a freshmen-stacked team, Fox stood out and came through at a crucial moment, scoring 39 points against a UCLA team led by freshman standouts Lonzo Ball and TJ Leaf. The Bruins got the best of the Wildcats during the 2016-17 regular season, but Fox wouldn’t let that happen a second time. His 39 points all came from free-throws or two-pointers, as Fox found ways to get to his spot or the free-throw line to lead Kentucky to an 86-75 win. The Wildcats lost 75-73 to North Carolina in the Elite Eight.

2. Glenn Robinson (44 points vs. Kansas)

Robinson led the nation with 30.3 points per game in his junior season at Purdue, and one of his best outings came in the Boilermakers’ 83-78 Sweet 16 win over Kansas. His 44 points came mainly on jump shots, six of which were 3-pointers. He hit a pull-up in the short corner to put Purdue up 76-69 with two minutes left to help put the game out of reach. The Boilermakers lost 69-60 to Duke in the Elite Eight. 

1. David Corzine (46 points vs. Louisville)

Corzine, a versatile big man, tops this list. He led DePaul to a one-point win over Louisville in the 1978 Sweet 16. His 46 points came on 18-of-28 shooting, and he also blocked three shots to lead the Blue Demons to a narrow 90-89 win. DePaul, though, got blown out by Notre Dame in the Elite Eight, 84-64.

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