NCAA Basketball History

On November 3rd, we talked about the history of Men’s College Basketball. While talking about it a few major events were mentioned. Those events were when Texas Western won the National Championship and was the first team to start five African American athletes in that game. Another was when Larry Bird for Indiana State and Magic Johnson for Michigan State played in one of the most memorable National Championship Games of all time.

These events along with many others are what have made March Madness what it is today. The perfect setup of sixty five teams in a playoff, single eliminations tournament has evolved over the past thirty years. The idea that each game means the entire season for every team in the tournament creates for an excitement that is unmatchable. Due to the events that have occurred in the past, the NCAA has been able to create something that creates such an enormous amount of attention. Each night is a big night on ESPN as they have Big Monday, all the way through Throw Down Thursday. They have the nation’s attention for every conference tournament; even the smallest of conferences and then Selection Sunday creates a large amount of controversy on who will make it in the tournament.

Some of the games that have made the NCAA tournament so memorable for me have been both recent and multiple years ago. One of my favorite games of the tournament was in 1998 when Valparaiso’s Bryce Drew hit a give and go three point shot to knock off the fourth seeded Ole Miss. The shot was amazing to me because at the time I was only ten and all I wanted to see was upsets. I loved seeing the Cinderella stories make it deep into the tournament. Granted I am still like that today, but at that point I would sit there and root for the lower seed in nearly every matchup.

Probably my favorite tournament of all time would have to be the 2007 NCAA Tournament when Ohio State was a number one seed and had so many close and exciting games. I enjoyed when Ohio State was down by three against Xavier and Justin Cage still had one more free throw attempt to seal the game with nine seconds to go. Cage missed the shot and Ohio State took the ball down the court and drained a three point shot from deep behind the line to send the game into overtime and eventually win the game. I also love the Tennessee game in the next round when Ohio State was down by 17 at the half. They came back with a huge second half to pull off a one point win. They also beat two great teams in Memphis and Georgetown before unfortunately losing to Florida in the National Championship, but it was such an incredible run.

Those were some of my favorite moments, but what are some of your favorite moments that have made the NCAA Tournament what it is today?

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