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Preliminary NCAA.com Voting Offers Glimpse at All-Time March Madness(R) Players, Team and Moment

Mar 7 2013 12:00AM

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INDIANAPOLIS, IN -- (Marketwire) -- 03/07/13 -- NCAA.com, managed by Turner Sports, today previewed early results from voting for the All-Time March Madness Players, Team and Moment as part of the season-long celebration of 75 years of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship. Launched on NCAA.com/MarchMadness earlier this year, the latest poll front-runners include two buzzer beaters, a historic upset, a match-up of two of the game's legends and a championship comeback for the ages in the best moments category; championship squads from four of the sport's powerhouse programs across four decades in the best team category; and more than two dozen icons who dominated the collegiate game in various eras and only need one name to conjure memories of their greatness: Wilt, Oscar, Kareem, Walton, Magic, Michael, Christian and Carmelo.

The final results will be revealed exclusively on NCAA.com on Friday, April 5. In addition, the NCAA will honor the Top 15 All-Time March Madness Players, the Top All-Time March Madness Team, and the Top All-Time March Madness Moment on center court during the semifinal games of the Final Four on Saturday, April 6 in Atlanta.

Seventy-five players, 25 teams and 35 moments were selected for voting. Based on the voting to date, below are the 30 players with the most votes from fans and NCAA experts, in alphabetical order:

•Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, UCLA •Steve Alford, Indiana •Carmelo Anthony, Syracuse •Larry Bird, Indiana State •Bill Bradley, Princeton •Wilt Chamberlain, Kansas •Mateen Cleaves, Michigan State •Patrick Ewing, Georgetown •Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina •Elvin Hayes, Houston •Grant Hill, Duke •Bobby Hurley, Duke •Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Michigan State •Larry Johnson, UNLV •Michael Jordan, North Carolina •Christian Laettner, Duke •Jerry Lucas, Ohio State •Danny Manning, Kansas •Joakim Noah, Florida •Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston •Glen Rice, Michigan •Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati •Bill Russell, San Francisco •Ralph Sampson, Virginia •Isiah Thomas, Indiana •David Thompson, North Carolina State •Kemba Walker, Connecticut •Bill Walton, UCLA •Jerry West, West Virginia •James Worthy, North Carolina

The five teams leading based on fan voting come from a range of eras:

•Indiana University 1975-1976 •University of North Carolina 1981-1982 •Duke University 1991-1992 •University of Kentucky 1995-1996 •University of Kentucky 2011-2012

The top five most memorable moments among fans who have voted so far include:

•1979: Magic versus Bird •1983: NC State's last-second win over Houston •1992: Christian Laettner's last-second shot to clinch the win over Kentucky •1998: Bryce Drew's last-second shot for Valparaiso to upset Ole Miss •2008: Kansas comes back in closing minutes to win title

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