Day 75, March 16: Madness!

My All-Time Favorite

March Madness Games

Some of my favorites would rank among the most memorable ever. Others might be forgotten by many. But here are mine, with a special tie at No. 1.

1. Iowa 93, Okla. 91; UNLV 84, Iowa 81 (1987): The only March Madness games I've ever seen in person, I covered them in Seattle

for the Telegraph Herald. Both were breathless.

2. Wisconsin 64, Purdue 60 (2000): Not a fantastic game, but very special because it put the Badgers into the Final Four.

3. North Carolina 88, Wisconsin 82 (2005): Watched this exciting game with the boys in a restaurant above the Arizona Diamondbacks stadium during a spring training vacation.

4. Villanova 66, Georgetown 64 (1985): I don't like either, but really dislike the Hoyas. Watched this thriller with several TH sports types

at John Rezell's apartment.

5. N.C. State 54, Houston 52 (1983): I saw this amazing game in an amazing venue - a podunk sports bar in Gillette, Wyo.

6. Mich. State 75, Indiana State 64 (1979): Everyone who saw it knew we were seeing a new era of team basketball

with Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.

7. Northern Iowa 69, Kansas 67 (2009): What a great, great upset for a neat smaller college. Put daring Ali Farokhmanesh on the map.

8. Duke 104, Kentucky 103 (1992): Again, not one of my favorite teams, but I watched this wild game and Christian Laettner's late shot in the TH sports department.

9. BYU 51, Notre Dame 50 (1981): Too hot from the Florida beach, I stepped into a sports bar during a spring break trip

and saw Danny Ainge's great drive to victory.

10. Marquette 67, North Carolina 59 (1977): The Badgers were horrible and I got enamored with Al McGuire's team

and savored this home-state title.