When did college basketball hit its peak for you?

[Jeff Howe]

College basketball might've been my favorite sport when I was a kid.

I remember my brother and I messing with rabbit ears on an old TV to watch the Duke-UNLV semifinal in 1991. I hated Christian Laettner. I loved the Fab Five. The UConn-Georgetown Big East Tournament final in 1996 (Ray Allen vs. Allen Iverson) remains one of the most exciting basketball games I've ever watched at any level.

For me, college basketball peaked during the 2003 season. Texas' run to the Final Four. I've followed it as a fan and media member since then, but I remember more about that tournament and that season than almost every tournament that's been played in the last 20-plus years.

Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy it, and very few things are better as a sports fan than going to an arena for first and second-round NCAA Tournament games live, even if you don't have a dog in the fight. But T.J. Ford was captaining the ship for Texas to New Orleans, where Carmelo Anthony put an end to the Longhorns' title quest in the Superdome, when college basketball hit its absolute peak with me.

What was that season for you?

The one where your fandom, interest and love for college basketball was a 10 out of 10.

[Jeff Howe]

I wanted to bring this topic to the board because, as someone who is a "One Shining Moment" stan, the 2003 version hit me right in the feels when my YouTube algorithm suggested I watch it:

 

[Jeff Howe]

That Kansas-Syracuse title game also gave us this legendary Roy Williams postgame interview (for those who don't know, he took the North Carolina job about a week after this interview):

 

[ArizonaLonghorn]

13 minutes ago, Jeff Howe said:

What was that season for you?

The one where your fandom, interest and love for college basketball was a 10 out of 10.

Growing up in the 1960's in the Carolinas as an All-Conference high school basketball player this is an easy one for me.

1974, 1982, 1983, 1991, 1992, 1993, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2015 and 2017 were all very special years for me lol.  

[Jordan91]

The game that really got me heavily involved was the NC State Houston game. That was followed by Villanova playing its “perfect game” to win it all. The BMW crew stole my heart and then LMU after Gathers died. Like you it peaked in 2003. The entire week leading up to final four I tried to find articles from every major newspaper in the state so I could keep them.