As March Madness has come upon us, it's time to stop and remember why we look forward to this time of the year.
Each year, there are games, people, and places that make the season a special one. The joy in college sports is that anything can happen, and when great moments take place, players become legends, arenas become hallowed ground, and dates live in infamy. This year, of course, is no exception, and here's the game, the player, and the arena that, come 2009, will be nothing but wonderful memories.
The Game
Vanderbilt 72, Tennessee 69
As much as I loved the Tennessee/Memphis game (and I loved that game), the following game lived up to its billing and more, as Vandy roared to a huge lead, the Vols came storming back, and in an all-out fight to the end, the Commodores held on, ending Tennessee's short reign at the top.
Why does this game stand out? Simple: you won't find a better showdown between guards than UT's Chris Lofton and VU's Shan Foster. Foster was simply on fire, going 9-of-13 from the field and scoring 32 points, while Lofton struggled, but still managed to put up 25 of his own. There is no doubt that, despite the talent returning next year, the in-state matchup won't live to the billing it did this year.
The Player
Michael Beasley, Kansas State
What does this guy have to do to be any more impressive? K-State gets pummeled by Kansas on the road, Beasley has to sit with two fouls in the first two minutes, and he still scores 39 for the game? Beasley is a one-man team, guiding the Wildcats to a pretty good year with his own nightly showcase of basketball brilliance. He does it all — dominant on the inside, deadly behind the perimeter, ferocious on defense. This guy is simply unstoppable.
I thought Kevin Durant was as good as a freshman could get last year, when he was the one-man wrecking crew for Texas. I was wrong. Beasley is as good as a freshman could possibly get, and think of how many NBA teams are licking their chops to sign him next year. The draft lottery hasn't meant this much since Orlando's win brought them Shaquille O'Neal.
The Arena
John Q. Hammons Student Center, Missouri State
When I first walked onto the floor inside the "Q", I wasn't overly impressed. It was an old 8,600 seat crackerbox of an arena. The media room was like a closet, the press conferences were held by a storage room, and the scoreboards reminded everyone of the 1980s. At first glance, you almost wondered if the NCAA had ripped the Bears off the last two years as punishment for the facility they played in.
Once the fans started filing in though, and the game was underway, the old "Q" showed its character. Missouri State could make that place shake with the noise level that resounded through those old walls. Suddenly, the building's character was revealed, and the old crackerbox became a favored place to cover a game. You could easily imagine the times where Charlie Spoonhauer and Steve Alford used to roam the sidelines as the head coach, and you realized that the "Q" stood for something great in college sports.
With the new JQH Center coming this fall, the old Q has sung her last goodbye. But not without a fond remembrance.
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