Midnight Madness 2012: Top Moments, Videos and More

College basketball has officially arrived. 

On Friday, Midnight Madness signaled the first "real" practice of the season for programs across the country.  

Fourteen schools were showcased by ESPN's Watch ESPN and ESPNU Friday night, including North Carolina, Kansas, Kentucky, Syracuse, N.C. State, Missouri and Baylor's men's and women's basketball teams.

Here are some of the top moments and highlights from Friday night.

Videos

Tom Izzo quite possibly made the greatest introduction to Midnight Madness of all time:

Pretty sick, right?

Check out this slick behind-the-back look from standout recruits Archie Goodwin to Willie Cauley. Oh yeah, and the dunk was on the top recruit, Nerlens Noel. 

This clip couldn't be more Kentucky.

Jabril Trawick leaps out of the gym to throw down a sick one-handed jam to win the Georgetown dunk contest:

Talk about ups. 

This next clip comes from a Kentucky head coach. Ah, if only this was John Calipari. Nevertheless, this video is Kentucky's women's coach, Matthew Mitchell, dressed as MC Hammer:

Fantastic. 

Moments

Roy Williams receives a standing ovation

Roy Williams recently (Sept. 19) had surgery to remove a tumor on his kidney. Less than a month later, his appearance at Midnight Madness brought a standing ovation.

According to Sporting News' Ryan Fagan, Leslie McDonald took notice of the support given to Williams by North Carolina fans. “Being able to see the fans and that support, that brought happiness to me,” McDonald said.

What a great moment and start to the season for North Carolina, its fans and Roy Williams. 

Otto Porter says Hoyas will be in Final Four

Tim Welsh was at the Georgetown campus Friday night, and he wanted to bait sophomore stud Otto Porter into something he probably shouldn't say. Welsh asked the youngster where he saw the Hoyas finishing after Big East play.

Porter took that bait and ran with it, saying that the Hoyas would be in the Final Four. Job well done, Mr. Welsh. But do you blame Porter? Every kid probably thinks that they will be in the Final Four.

Welcome to Midnight Madness

There is nothing like college basketball.

Passion, energy, enthusiasm, desire, great coaching. It truly has everything you could ever want if you are a basketball purist. 

Midnight Madness may not be what it used to be with coaches being able to interact and be around their players in the summer, but it's still Midnight Madness—the real opening night of college basketball.