Epitome

Epitome is defined as "The embodiment or encapsulation of; A representative example; The height; the best; A brief summary"

Tonight's game was the epitome of March Madness. This game was exactly why we watch the tournament. It was David vs. Goliath. It was Cinderella vs. one of the most beloved and hated teams in all of sport. It was...flat out thrilling!

I can't remember the last time I was this enthralled in a college basketball game that had didn't involve my favorite team. It may be my family's roots in Indiana, it may be the fact that I like to see the underdog show up for big games, or maybe it's just the love of the game. But regardless, I found my heart racing and my butt at the edge of the recliner in the closing minutes.

Tonight had everything you could ask for, except for maybe more whistles...but who wants the game to be slowed down that much? I don't really want to watch the Spurs play the Spurs in the college national championship. The refs, as I discussed with a friend, really let a lot of stuff go tonight, but at least they were consistent in their efforts. Both teams put up a scrappy effort, seriously when was the last time you saw so many jump balls? That takes absolute heart by both teams to get in the scrum and fight.

There were old school big men in Howard and Zoubek fighting it out, while hybrid swing-men like Hayward and Singler battled. Both teams led multiple times during the game, and neither by double digits. The defense the teams played was impeccable and most times, crucial.

But what really showed was that each one of those players showed a tremendous heart and love for the game. Heart is what keeps some fans watching college basketball and refusing to watch professional. These kids have everything to play for, and everything on the line. They aren't being paid massive amounts of money to show up. They're not playing for contracts and incentives. They're out there to show they're worth that scholarship and to bring a title home to their respective school.

Duke proved to be victorious, and for the first time since North Carolina and Illinois played a nail-biter back in the 2005 final, I feel that the best two teams in America were on the court playing for the trophy. And while one continues to cement its legacy among the "Mt. Rushmore" of college basketball, the other begins its steps toward national recognition and a perennial spot among America's favorites to succeed deep into March.

Both teams will be returning a lot of key players, given they don't go to the draft. We could in fact see both teams make a run deep into next years tournament, and one thing's for sure, I'll be watching to see what happens.