In sports, injuries can be devastating. They can ruin a team’s hopes of winning a title and in some cases end a player’s career.

Throughout the long history of competitive sports, there have been plenty of gut-wrenching injuries. Whether it be a torn ACL or a simple bone fracture, all types of injuries, in most situations, have a negative impact.

In a few instances, though, these ruinous injuries help a team to reach new heights.

The most recent example of the happening occurred less than a month ago. When Kevin Ware, a sophomore at Louisville, suffered a gruesome injury to his leg, it was clear that his season was over.

Although the injury left his teammates distraught, they were able to defeat  Duke and advance the to Final Four. With the loss of a fallen teammate the rest of the Louisville squad was determined to win for Ware.

The team proceeded to knock off Wichita State in the Final Four. Two nights later they won the national championship in Kevin Ware’s hometown, Atlanta, while Ware cheered from the bench wearing his number five jersey.

This inspiring run to a championship made me question, just what are the most inspiriational runs in college basketball?

After thinking it through, I came up with my top five list.

5. In the 2000 national championship, Michigan State point-guard and team leader Mateen Cleaves suffered a stress fracture in his right foot. He returned to the game and led the Spartans to their first national title since 1979.

4. After the death of team leader, Hank Gathers, Loyal Marymount made an inspired run to the Elite Eight before losing to eventual champion UNLV. During that Elite Eight game, teammate and close friend Bo Kimble, shot his free throws left-handed in honor of Gathers who shot his free-throws lefty.

3. Win for Ware. (Above)

2. In 1966 Texas Western was the first team to have five black players in their starting line-up. The team went on to win the national championship and helped America overcome racial segregation in basketball.

1. The Cardiac Pack in 1983 shocked the college basketball world by winning the national title as a sixth seed. This N.C. State team, lead by coach  Jim Valvano, was the first true Cinderella in college basketball and taught the nation to root for the underdog.