This past weekend in the round of 32, teams kept putting up ridiculously good numbers for offense. I would say as much in real time, and after two or three instances of this I was asked: Well, just how good are these performances, historically speaking?

Good question.

Here’s what I have for the top 25 games of NCAA tournament offense ever. As usual, “ever” is understood to encompass just the most recent 29 percent of tournaments as archived faithfully by my friend Ken.

Tough luck, old times! You should have tracked offensive boards and turnovers sooner and more frequently.

But before anyone asks: Villanova’s “Perfect Game” against Georgetown in 1985 comes in at 1.16 points per possession. Perfect shooting, yes, but turnovers were committed.

This is a very unofficial curation. Corrections and additions are welcome.

Still, it is likely that four of the best six tournament games on offense ever came from just two individual tournament runs. And one of those teams didn’t even reach the national title game. March Madness is beautiful, truly.

As these games are counted down, I will give short explicatory shrift to No. 1 seeds whomping No. 16s. These games happened, they count, they’re listed here. I just don’t find them terribly interesting.

25. (1) North Carolina 101, (5) Indiana 86: 1.42 points per possession
2016 Sweet 16

The Tar Heels and Marcus Paige in particular hit threes left and right. Hoosier fans were despondent online in real time, pointing out, correctly, that for the season UNC only shoots 30-whatever percent on their threes and here they are being the Golden State Freaking Warriors against us. Twitter was younger and I was more eager then. I ventured to point out, hey, for the game it’s really IU that outscored UNC from beyond the arc. Just look at this incredible shot volume from the Heels. My analysis did not land well.

North Carolina went on to lose to Villanova in the national championship game on a rather memorable shot.

24. (1) Duke 78, (2) West Virginia 57: 1.43 points per possession
2010 Final Four

Pay no mind to the low point total, for this was a 54-possession contest. In 2010, the 30-second clock was still being opposed as fiercely as committee-free tournament fields will be until about 2026. This was the game where Bob Huggins crouched over an injured Da’Sean Butler like an EMT. That Duke team will always be the worst two-point-shooting national champion of all time, but man did they love offensive boards and resulting kickouts for threes. Brian Zoubek got five offensive rebounds against the Mountaineers and Jon Scheyer scored a game-high 23. Scheyer was a better player than he would let on in self-deprecating comments in the 2020s.

23. (11) VCU 94, (3) Purdue 76: 1.43 points per possession
2011 Round of 32

Before this game the Rams were a lovable Cinderella coming out of the first ever First Four, and Georgetown fans were being archly morose (it’s true!) about losing to a No. 11 seed in the round of 64. But beating the Boilermakers by 18 really got everyone’s attention. Shaka Smart’s been mentioned for every vacancy everywhere since March 20, 2011. This was Matt Painter’s best Purdue team yet, and who knows how far the Boilers could have gone if Robbie Hummel hadn’t missed the season with a torn ACL. (Hummel was a better player than he would let on in self-deprecating comments in the 2020s.) Bradford Burgess put up 23 for VCU and the rest is history. Smart’s group reached the Final Four before coming up short against the Morris twins and Kansas.

Speaking of the Jayhawks….

22. (2) Kansas 108, (10) Arizona State 76: 1.44 points per possession
2003 Round of 32

Kirk “Zoom Zoom” Hinrich had 24 and Nick Collison added his usual 22-10 kind of double-double against Ike Diogu and the Sun Devils. KU would of course make it all the way to the title game before running into Carmelo Anthony, the OG one-and-done sensation. (One-and-done didn’t actually exist yet as an NBA rule.) Roy Williams said a naughty word in that postgame interview and headed to North Carolina.

21. (12) Cornell 87, (4) Wisconsin 69: 1.44 points per possession
2010 Round of 32

Everyone but the committee knew about Cornell in 2010. The Big Red played a true road game at Kansas that January and took the Jayhawks into the 40th minute before losing by five. Users of an emerging site called KenPom could see Steve Donahue had one of the best offenses in the country. Sure enough, Cornell dispatched No. 5 seed Temple by 13 in the round of 64 and then played its game of games against the Badgers. In what was possibly the peak moment for Ivy hoops until Princeton was called for goaltending in the 2023 Sweet 16, the head coach of a No. 4 seed from the Big Ten was criticized nationally for not trying a different defense against Ryan Wittman, Jeff Foote, and mighty Cornell. The Big Red advanced to the Sweet 16 and were promptly ground into paving aggregate by John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, and Kentucky.

20. (2) Alabama 96, (10) Maryland 77: 1.44 points per possession
2021 Round of 32

The only game on our list from the 2021 bubble. Jaden Shackelford and John Petty made a bunch of threes for second-year coach Nate Oats as usual, but what the Tide added as a new wrinkle was pulling down half their misses. Alabama was one round away from coming up short in an epic overtime game against team of destiny UCLA.

19. (3) Illinois 89, (11) Duquesne 63: 1.44 points per possession
2024 Round of 32

The time is 2024. Gasoline costs $3.64, etc.

The Illini got the 2024 high-scoring ball rolling on Saturday night in the round of 32. Others would follow their example the following day….

18. (1) Purdue 106, (8) Utah State 67: 1.44 points per possession
2024 Round of 32

The time is 2024. The block/charge rule has been tweaked, etc.

Zach Edey had a 21-11 double-double at halftime.

17. (4) Duke 93, (12) James Madison 55: 1.45 points per possession
2024 Round of 32

Teams score more efficiently in 2024 than previously, thanks in part to a steadily declining turnover rate across Division I. As this trend continues, we are likely to see more and more current events in the otherwise musty old record books.

16. (5) Illinois 92, (4) Cincinnati 68: 1.46 points per possession
2004 Round of 32

Bruce Weber’s group missed its first two three-point attempts before making eight in a row and building a 49-25 lead in the first half. Deron Williams scored 31. Giddy Illinois fans started up a late-game chant: “We want Duke!” They got the No. 1 seed Blue Devils in the Sweet 16, and JJ Redick and Shelden Williams cruised 72-62. The Illini were a year away.

Speaking of the following year and its national championship game participants….

15. (1) North Carolina 96, (16) Oakland 68: 1.46 points per possession
2005 Round of 64

Whomp. Also note that in 2005, Greg Kampe was already in his 21st season coaching the Golden Grizzlies.

14. (4) Virginia 84, (13) Albany 57: 1.46 points per possession
2007 Round of 64

Who says the Cavaliers can’t score? J.R. Reynolds rang up 28 points, Sean Singletary added 23, Adrian Joseph (pictured) grabbed four rebounds and Dave Leitao’s team advanced with a swagger. The Hoos were then edged 77-74 in the round of 32 by Chris Lofton and Tennessee.

13. (1) Villanova 93, (16) Lafayette 52: 1.46 points per possession
2015 Round of 64

Whomp. Get used to seeing the Wildcats on this list from here on out.

12. (11) Arizona State 98, (11) Nevada 73: 1.46 points per possession
2023 First Four

Good for you, First Four! The preliminary round makes its appearance on the roll of honor courtesy of DJ Horne (now with NC State), Desmond Cambridge, and the rest of the Sun Devils. Last year after all of you turned away from the game because ASU was up at halftime 53-26, history was made!

11. (1) Washington 97, (8) Pacific 79: 1.47 points per possession
2005 Round of 32

Where have you gone, mighty Huskies? With five players who would get a least a cup of coffee in the NBA, Lorenzo Romar’s rotation was so stacked that Brandon Roy was coming off the bench. (That sound you hear is Kevin Pelton weeping.) Nate Robinson, Bobby Jones, and Tre Simmons combined for 57 against a Pacific team that earned a rare Big West at-large. U-Dub was upset in the Sweet 16 by Francisco Garcia, Taquan Dean, and No. 4 seed Louisville.

10. (1) Florida 112, (16) Jackson State 69: 1.48 points per possession
2007 Round of 64

Whomp. The defending national champion Gators were on their way to a repeat.

Speaking of the 2007 national championship game’s participants….

9. (1) Ohio State 98, (8) George Mason 66: 1.48 points per possession
2011 Round of 32

The Buckeyes were fearsome in those days, what with Jared Sullinger dominating the paint and Jon Diebler showing a rate for three-point accuracy that began with a “5.” It all came together against Mason, as Diebler drained his usual four treys only to have David Lightly step forward with seven on his way to 25 points. This was the last game Jim Larranaga coached for the Patriots. For its part OSU was then eliminated by Terrence Jones, Brandon Knight and No. 4 seed Kentucky in a 62-60 Sweet 16 thriller.

8. (3) Iowa State 93, (14) NC Central 75: 1.48 points per possession
2014 Round of 64

You don’t get many close games on this list and, yes, the Cyclones won by 18 at the final horn. Still, ask Fred Hoiberg today and he’ll tell you ISU was pushed to historic heights just trying to stay ahead of LeVelle Moton’s Eagles. Iowa State was up by six at halftime. Georges Niang came up with 24 points to give the Cyclones the win. ISU lost by five to eventual champion UConn in the Sweet 16.

7. (1) Louisville 103, (12) Arizona 64: 1.49 points per possession
2009 Sweet 16

The Cardinals were destined to end their 2009 run with surprising abruptness, courtesy of a 12-point defeat at the hands of Michigan State in the Elite Eight. Still, this was one of Rick Pitino’s strongest Louisville teams. Earl Clark, Terrence Williams, Samardo Samuels, and Edgar Sosa won 13 straight before running into the Spartans. Arizona was in the hands of interim head coach Russ Pennell. When asked if he were worried about an “uncertain” employment status with the UA program after losing to Louisville by 39, Pennell laughed: “It’s pretty certain.”

6. (1) North Carolina 113, (16) Mount St. Mary’s 74: 1.50 points per possession
2008 Round of 64

Whomp, but do put a pin in this one as we cross the point-and-a-half barrier.

5. (2) Villanova 95, (2) Oklahoma 51: 1.52 points per possession
2016 Final Four

This was a normal game for the first 10 minutes, and even at half the Sooners could still have hope down 14. (No hill for a climber, right? Ask Kansas about 2022.) Then the roof fell in. OU famously demolished these same Wildcats by 23 in Honolulu the previous December, a fact that was precious little help to Lon Kruger’s team in Houston in April. This was first-generation Nova Dynasty. New guy Jalen Brunson was still a supporting player behind established oldsters like Josh Hart, Ryan Arcidiacono, and Kris Jenkins. North Carolina brushed Syracuse aside with little fuss in the other semifinal, and for 40 hours there was wailing and gnashing of teeth and assigning of blame online (it’s true!) with regard to uncompetitive basketball on the brightest stage. Monday night then changed the subject yet again.

Speaking of the 2016 national championship game’s participants….

4. (1) North Carolina 88, (6) Notre Dame 74: 1.54 points per possession
2016 Elite Eight

The late stages of that 2016 bracket were lively! Let us hope for more of the same from our remaining 15 games in 2024. As for eight years ago, one of the two most amazing things about UNC’s win in the regional final is that Notre Dame clocked in at 1.30 in its own right. This was easily the most competitive contest on this list. Bonzie Colson’s jumper gave the Fighting Irish a 52-51 lead with 13 minutes remaining. The other remarkable aspect of this performance is of course suggested by entry No. 25 on this very list. The win over the Irish marked UNC’s second consecutive game scoring at least 1.44 points per possession.

3. (2) Villanova 92, (3) Miami 69: 1.57 points per possession
2016 Sweet 16

Two of the six best tournament games on offense in the KenPom era were recorded by Villanova in the same run — and after the first weekend.

2. (5) Tennessee 121, (12) Long Beach State 86: 1.59 points per possession
2007 Round of 64

No 12-5 upset this time. You will not find many stretches of tournament basketball more sublime than what Bruce Pearl’s Volunteers did in the second half against Long Beach State. Tennessee put a “Loyola Marymount in 1990”-like 64 points on the board in 20 minutes of what was a rapid yet still not outlandishly fast-paced 76-possession contest. Chris Lofton, JaJuan Smith, and Ramar Smith all got above 20 points in less than 30 minutes of playing time. Note that the Vols were in the same pod as Virginia (No. 14, above). Fans who came out to the games in Columbus, Ohio, on March 16, 2007, saw some scoring.

1. (1) North Carolina 108, (9) Arkansas 77: 1.61 points per possession
2008 Round of 32

After losing by 31 to North Carolina, Arkansas sophomore Patrick Beverley was asked what just happened. “I don’t think we played extremely well, but I don’t think we played extremely bad,” he responded. “It’s just that Carolina shot so well, and we couldn’t respond.” The Tar Heels were coming off a 1.50 points per possession outing in the round of 64 against Mount St. Mary’s. In two games that first weekend, UNC put 221 points on the board in just 142 possessions of basketball.

This historically high-scoring North Carolina tournament run ended at the Final Four. The Heels allowed fellow top seed Kansas to jump out to a 40-12 lead in the first 15 minutes of their national semifinal. Calling the game for CBS, Billy Packer raised hackles.

Packer: This game is over.

Jim Nantz: Is it?

Packer: Yes, it is.

Nantz: Wow!