Every March, the cream of the College Basketball crop converges, crossing the country to see which program, propelled by future stars, is to be named champions.
In a month-long whirlwind, 68 teams are whittled down to a Sweet Sixteen, an Elite Eight, a Final Four, and, eventually, the kings of the bracket, the national champion.
Along the way, fans in the stands are treated to contests where the coaches seem to forget about defense, with the scorers getting a workout instead.
From a pair of Fighting Irish efforts in the early 70s to the all-out LMU 'system' of the late 80s and early 90s, here are the five highest-scoring games in NCAA Tournament history.
264 points - LMU (149) vs Michigan (115), 1990ย
* Jeff Fryer - LMU - 41 points and 11 three-pointers
* Terry Mills - Michigan - 23 points and 10 rebounds
234 points:ย LMUย (119) vs.ย Wyoming (115), 1988
* Bo Kimble - LMU - 29 points and 4 three-pointers
* Eric Leckner - Wyoming - 23 points and 8 rebounds
232 points,ย UNLVย (131) vs.ย LMU (101), 1990
* Stacey Augmon - UNLV - 33 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals
* Bo Kimble - LMU - 42 points, 11 rebounds, 8 3-pointers, 3 assists and 3 steals
227 points,ย Iowaย (121) vs.ย Notre Dame (106), 1970
* John Johnson - Iowa - 31 points and 9 rebounds
* Austin Carr - Notre Dame - 45 points and 10 rebounds
225 points, Houston (119) vs. Notre Dame (106), 1971
* Jim 'Poo' Welch - Houston - 38 points, 7 assists and 4 rebounds
* Austin Carr - Notre Dame - 47 points and 12 rebounds
