Basketball influenza becoming an epidemic

I grew up a hardcore football fan, so as recently as a few short years ago, I could have cared less about basketball no matter the level of competition or what time of year it was.

But now, much like the rest of the country, I catch college-hoops fever every March and it’s serious enough to keep me on the couch, glued to the TV for just about every second of every NCAA tournament game.

So what changed?

It’s not like I’ve suddenly developed some enormous love of the game. I still don’t watch NBA games because, unless LeBron James decides to do something amazing, they just aren’t captivating.

It’s not like I’m recalling some fond memories of time spent on the court as a youngster because I’ve never played organized basketball thanks to a lack of the gracefulness needed to take the ball to the hoop.

So what brought on the sudden interest in college basketball? That’s simple. Almost every game offers the opportunity to see something amazing — whether it’s a buzzer-beater or a six-overtime thriller.

It just seems like NBA games aren’t nearly as competitive or exciting as college contests. I mean most people can predict the Lakers and Celtics are going to win when they take the court and teams like the Thunder and Wizards are going to lose.

But who would have guessed that Baylor and Oklahoma St. would knock off the Big 12’s top two teams (Kansas and Oklahoma respectively) in the first round of the conference tournament? Or that Syracuse and West Virginia would upset Connecticut and Pittsburgh — both of which were ranked No. 1 in the country during the season — in the Big East tournament?

The Syracuse-UConn game was probably the greatest basketball game I’ve ever watched. I couldn’t believe my eyes when Syracuse guard Eric Devendorf hit an off-balance three-pointer at the buzzer. And it didn’t even matter that the shot was waved off, because the game only got more intense from that point on.

I was amazed at how hard both teams played even as the game continued well into the wee hours of the morning. Every time one team was about to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, another player would somehow summon the energy to make a highlight-reel play.

What impressed me most about this year’s conference tournaments was the teams that put on the best performances — aside from Baylor and WVU — didn’t really have that much to play for because they already knew they were a lock to be in the field of 64.

Obviously winning a conference-tournament championship is a big deal, but it seems like small potatoes compared to the chance to compete for a national title.
I don’t know if it’s because the players are working hard to earn a multimillion dollar deal from the NBA or if the college game is just more pure, but the fact is college basketball fans get their money’s worth in just about every game, which is something that can’t be said for any other sport.

March Madness means all eyes are squarely focused on brackets. It’s not going to be easy to decide if Louisville can ride the wave of momentum from their Big-East title to a national championship or if UNC can forget their ACC-tourney loss to Florida State and make another final-four appearance.

But if there’s one thing for sure, it’s not much compares to the excitement of an NCAA tournament game. And if this year’s conference tournament games are any indication of what’s to come, I certainly don’t want my March-Madness fever cured any time soon.