Ranking the Modern Final 4's: The Best 5

5. 1998 (San Antonio): The tournament leading into this Final 4 was one of the best and the Final 4 would match. Kentucky was making its 3rd straight Final 4 and only one under Tubby Smith. North Carolina was back under Bill Guthridge in his first year replacing Dean Smith.

The other two teams were from the west. Utah and Rick Majerus made the Final 4 and Stanford represented the Pac-10. 

Kentucky outlasted Stanford in overtime in the first semi-final. Stanford lead for the first 30 minutes. Kentucky took the lead 54-53 and would lead for most of the final 10 minutes but the Cardinal would force overtime. In overtime, Kentucky survived the final :10 seconds and would win by 1. Remarkably, UK had only 6 turnovers in the game.

Utah shocked North Carolina in the other semifinal, 65-59. Utah built a 15-point lead in the second half but the Tar Heels managed to whittle it to 2 late. Andre Miller scored on a layup and the Utes hit their free throws to ice it.

In the title game, it looked like Utah would shock Kentucky as well, taking a 41-31 lead into halftime. Ultimately, the Comeback Cats would overtake the Utes lead by Jeff Sheppard and Scott Padgett. Kentucky had overcome double-digit deficits in its last 3 tournament games.

4. 1987 (New Orleans): The '87 Final 4 saw Syracuse make its first Final 4 under Jim Boeheim. UNLV made it behind Jerry Tarkanian. Shockingly, Providence as a 6th-seed made it with Rick Pitino as head coach. Filling out the four was Bobby Knight and Indiana.

In one semifinal, Indiana outscored the Runnin' Rebs of UNLV, 97-93. Steve Alford scored 33 points to help offset 38 by UNLV's Freddie Banks and 32 from Armen Gilliam.

Syracuse handled the Friars with relative ease in the other semifinal.

The title game was one of the best in the tournaments history. Indiana would win 74-73 on a late jumper by Keith Smart. The score was also 1-point at halftime. Syracuse had a chance to build a 3-point lead but freshman Derrick Coleman missed the front end of a 1-and-1. Coleman had 19 boards in the game. This game had 19 lead changes and 10 ties. Remarkably, until Smart hit his jumper, IU did not lead over the final 9 minutes. It was Indiana's 3rd title in 12 years.

3. 1991 (Indianapolis): A year earlier, UNLV had thumped Duke by 30 in the title game. They were to meet again in the semifinals this year with UNLV on a 45-game winning streak. The other semifinal had Kansas, lead by Dean Smith protege Roy Williams take on UNC.

Kansas outlasted the Tar Heels, 79-73 that's best remembered for Dean Smith getting two technicals in the final minute to help Kansas ice the game. 

Duke would get their revenge against UNLV, stunning them 79-77. UNLV lead by 2 at half but the game really turned late when the Rebels Greg Anthony fouled out with about four minutes left. Duke used a 6-0 run to take a 77-76 lead late. UNLV's Larry Johnson made 1 free throw to tie it. Duke's Christian Laettner made two free throws with 12 seconds left and UNLV never got a good look to tie or take the lead and the winning streak was over.

The title game seemed anti-climatic as Duke won 72-65 and a legendary career in the game had truly arrived.

2. 1997 (Indianapolis): This Final 4 had 3 one seeds in it. Minnesota had been a great team all year, running roughshod over the Big Ten. North Carolina was back in what would be Dean Smith's last coaching go round. Kentucky was the defending champ and favorite. Filling out the four was a 19-9 Arizona team that had stunned Kansas in the Sweet 16.

Arizona stopped Carlolina in one semifinal lead by Miles Simon. Arizona jumped out to a 3-point halftime lead. They'd hang on in the second half, ending a Tar Heels 16 game winning streak.

In the other semifinal, Kentucky beat Minnesota. The Gophers were game but only lead once in the game, 52-51. Kentucky responded with a 9-2 run and would hold off any other Gophers run.

The title game saw Kentucky as big favorites. Arizona had after all finished 5th in the Pac-10. The game itself was a classic. Arizona lead 72-68 with just over a minute left but Kentucky would hit two late 3's to force overtime. In overtime, Arizona scored 10 points, all at the line to shock Kentucky. Miles Simon lead all scorers with 30.

1. 1989 (Seattle): This Final 4 saw two Big Ten teams, Illinois and Michigan meet in one semifinal and Seton Hall and Duke in another. They were classics.

Michigan outlasted Illinois in a thriller, 83-81. The game had 33 lead changes. The final lead change came after the Wolverines Terry Mills missed a corner 3 but Sean Higgins put back the miss for the win. 

In the other semifinal, Seton Hall beat Duke easily, 95-78.

The final was a classic. Michigan tool a 12 point lead in the second half but Seton Hall refused to go away lead by the brilliant John Morton who scored 25 second half points, including 17 of Seton Hall's last 20. Glen Rice had a chance to win it at the buzzer but missed a 3.

In overtime, Seton Hall took a 79-78 lead. Michigan's Rumeal Robinson would drive the length of the court and be fouled with :03 left. Robinson, a 64% FT shooter would hit both and Michigan had a national title lead by a coach, Steve Fisher, hired before the tournament started.