Top 25 College Basketball Photos of 2011

This past year has brought us much excitement and surprise in college basketball. Butler made another run to the NCAA championship game and VCU made many commentators eat their words repeatedly. 

Connecticut was crowned national champion in 2011 to the surprise of many but Jim Calhoun and Kemba Walker. 

Coack K brought home his 903rd NCAA victory to make him to the most winning coach in Division I history. 

And this is only the beginning of another exciting year of college basketball. 

Here's a look back at the visuals of 2011. 

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For the Win...

March 12—With Washington down 75-74 after forcing overtime against Arizona in the Pac-12 Tournament championship game, Isaiah Thomas takes a three-pointer at the buzzer. 

Victorious

March 12— Isaiah Thomas celebrates with his teammates after hitting the game-winning three-pointer to give Washington a Pac-12 Tournament championship. 

Cardinal Disbelief

March 17—Head coach Rick Pitino and Louisville mascot are caught in disbelief as the Cardinals fall to Morehead State in the first round of the NCAA tournament. 

Louisville was unable to respond after Morehead State's Demonte Harper hit a three-pointer to put the Eagles up 62-61 with :07 remaining. 

Jimmer Range

March 24—Jimmer Fredette, who averaged 28.9 points for BYU, characteristically shoots a three-pointer from well beyond the three-point line. 

BYU lost to Florida in the Sweet Sixteen. 

Unstoppable

March 24—Duke defenders can only stand and watch as Derrick Williams dunks. Arizona beat Duke to advance to the Elite Eight. 

Bittersweet Sixteen

March 25—Jared Sullinger is contested by a Kentucky forward Terrence Jones as he dunks.

Sullinger's 21 points and 16 rebounds fell short against Kentucky, as the Wildcats won in the final seconds of the game to win 62-60 and advance to the Elite Eight. 

If the Glass Slipper Fits...

March 25—VCU, a No. 11 seed, rejoices as they prevail over Florida State in overtime in the Sweet Sixteen. 

The Rams would go on to beat Kansas in the Elite Eight, and then lost to Butler in the Final Four.

Elated

March 26—UConn players were ecstatic after they squeezed past Arizona, 65-63, to advance to the Final Four. 

Jumping for Joy

March 27—VCU and head coach Shaka Smart jump for joy as they defeat Kansas to proceed to the Final Four. 

Dual Disappointment

March 27—Kansas' Thomas Robinson, Marcus Morris and Markieff Morris hang their heads as they are upset, 71-61, by 11-seed VCU in the Elite Eight.

The Morris twins combined for 33 points and 28 rebounds but didn't get much other support from their fellow Jayhawks other than Tyshawn Taylor's 14 points. 

Hallowed Nylon

March 27—VCU head coach Shaka Smart holds up the net after his team defeated Kansas in the Elite Eight. 

Smart led his team on a "Cinderella" run to the Final Four despite being an 11 seed and a highly doubted team. 

Back-to-Back

April 2—Butler celebrates as they defeat VCU to go to the NCAA championship game for the second straight year despite being a No. 8 seed. 

Powerhouse Showdown

April 2—Powerhouses UConn and Kentucky squared off in the Final Four. Kemba Walker put up 18 points as the Huskies held on to a one-point lead to win 56-55. 

No Moore Maya

April 3—Head Coach Geno Auriemma embraces phenom Maya Moore as she steps off the court for the last time in a Husky uniform after losing to Notre Dame in the Final Four. 

Moore gave her all with 36 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 steals but could not cap off her UConn career with a NCAA championship. 

Diggin' It

April 3—Notre Dame's Skylar Diggins triumphs in victory as she sends the Fighting Irish past UConn and into the NCAA championship game. 

Diggins scored 28 points with 6 assists to beat the Huskies 72-63. 

Airborne

April 4— Kemba Walker splits the Butler defense with an acrobatic move. Walker led the Huskies to victory and a NCAA title. 

No. 1

April 4—Kemba Walker is surrounded by UConn teammates after the Huskies beat Butler in the NCAA championship game. 

Flying High

November 11— UConn's Jeremy Lamb explosively jumps and dunks over a Columbia defender in the Huskies' season opener. 

Seaside

November 11—North Carolina and Michigan State open the season with a game on a 1,092-foot carrier ship in California. 

Sunset Basketball

November 11—North Carolina and Michigan State aboard the USS Carl Vinson in California as a tribute on Veteran's Day. 

President Obama and the First Lady were in attendance to watch North Carolina defeat Michigan State, 67-55. 

903

November 15—Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski is congratulated by Bob Knight after Coach K won his 903rd game to become the winningest coach in NCAA Division I history. 

Knight was the previous record holder. 

Lights Out

December 3— With a few minutes to go in the first half, the lights went out in the Los Angeles Sports Arena while UCLA was playing Texas.

The Bruins went on to lose the game, 69-59.

Sportsmanlike

December 6—Duke's Coach Mike Krzyzewski and Tennessee's women's basketball coach Pat Summitt are honored as Sports Illustrated's Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year. 

Buzzer-Beater

December 10—Indiana players and fans erupt as Christian Watford hits a buzzer-beating three-pointer to upset No. 1 Kentucky. 

Red-Out

December 10—Indiana fans storm the court after the Hoosiers upset No. 1 Kentucky. It was a red-out in Bloomington.

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