UNCG taught me to love March Madness

UNCG gave me hope. UNCG made me feel alive. UNCG made me understand what March is really all about — for the first time in my life.

For years I’ve been divorced from the action everyone enjoys, living vicariously through a hastily filled out bracket with the only reward being a pat on the back knowing I was correct.

Sure, the Spartans lost to Gonzaga in a game they were absolutely supposed to lose — but dammit if I didn’t believe they were actually going to win the thing down the stretch. Dreams of victory danced through my thoughts. Carefully crafting a tweet in my head about how to relish in 97 percent of brackets being busted by my weird, but lovable alma mater — but it wasn’t to be. Chalk happens.

The mere fact UNCG had everyone’s heart in their throat makes me well with pride. A team that hadn’t been to the dance in 17 years had the basketball world wondering how the hell it was even possible they were contending, let alone leading a four seed down the stretch.

I’m sitting here writing and hearing the talking heads in the “Capital One (TM) Tournament Center” talk about how Gonzaga had “one of those games,” and they just needed to “survive and advance,” but the reality is the Spartans gave the Zags a hell of a game. They were tenacious on the offensive glass, forced turnovers, and gave themselves every chance to steal one. It was simply a case of too many shots not falling at precisely the wrong time.

My Twitter is lighting up. People are sending me commiserations — and while it’s appreciated, I’m still feeling on top of the world. I just got to see my school play in the NCAA tournament for the first time. I witnessed them push a top seed to the limit. They were one minute away from being the talk of the world for a few brief hours, until the next upset happens.

More than anything this was a statement. A sign that UNCG has arrived. Really, truly arrived. They’ll never compete with Chapel Hill, NC State, or Duke for recruits, but the Spartans are ascending at a time Wake Forest is struggling. It couldn’t come at a better time to be on the western NC stretch of I-40. Wes Miller is a hell of a coach, and still under the radar just enough to keep himself from being poached — yet. So if anything, this loss means the school can keep ascending. It’s a blessing in disguise, really.

I’d be lying to you if I said I watched every UNCG game this season. I started really paying attention in early February when the realization of how good this team is sunk in. But they gave me my first experience of being truly invested in March Madness on a personal level, and I’ll forever be grateful.

Thank you, UNCG.