In the pantheon of NCAA men’s basketball, March symbolizes a time when legends are born and records are shattered. A spotlight on the past reveals an era dominated by a frenzy of high-scoring titans, with Loyola Marymount University commanding center stage. The late '80s to the early '90s saw the most astonishing numbers being put up on the board, reflecting a game that was as much a race against the clock as it was against the opponent.

When dissecting these high-octane contests, the data unveils a trend: Loyola Marymount didn't just play ball; they turned the hardwood into a pinball gallery, with scores ricocheting off the walls. The zenith of this mad dash for points was the 1990 second-round clash between the 11th-seeded Loyola Marymount and the 3rd-seeded Michigan – culminating in an eye-watering 264 points, a high-water mark for NCAA tournament action. Their relentless offensive barrage was rightly mirrored by their liberal allowance of points, a daring but effective tactic.

Loyola Marymount's brazen approach transcended the superficial glamor of high numbers. It represented a full-throttle embrace of offensive dominance, setting a tempo that teams struggled to match. In stark contrast, the defense-optional strategy underscored their high-risk, high-reward philosophy. The adjacent 1990 UNLV squad – also a scoring powerhouse – validated the strategy by capturing the national title with a decisive victory over Duke, boasting the highest point total in a championship faceoff.

The implications of such revelatory gameplay echo beyond mere nostalgia. These teams reshaped the sport's approach, carving out a tactical philosophy that valued the spectacle and psychological impact of an unstoppable offense. It was a visceral affirmation that sometimes the only defense necessary is one that lives and breathes scoreboard intimidation. The rise of analytics in modern gameplay casts these record-breaking feats in a new light, prompting a question of sustainability and evolution in today's game.

Looking to the future, one can’t help but wonder whether the echoes of Loyola Marymount's scoreboard blitz will reverberate through the strategies of current NCAA teams or if the pendulum will swing towards a more calculated, analytics-driven approach. As the game evolves, the balance between offense and defense becomes a moving target, primed for the next revolution.

In the grand scheme of hoops history, the extraordinary score-fests of yesteryear remain a testament to bold strategy and the unyielding spirit of competition. While the game’s tactics will continue to evolve, the stories of those games will forever be etched into the bedrock of college basketball lore, continually reminding us of the time when the best defense was an offense that refused to look back.