Memorable moments (Pt. 2)

By Alan Rubenstein Sports Central Columnist

The advent of New Year's is the traditional halfway point of the college basketball season. There have been some shocking upsets, amazing tournament runs, and outstanding performances so far.

Here's the final installment of this two-part article. (To read part 1, follow this link: Early season's memorable moments.)

6. Division II Alaska-Fairbanks Wins the Top of the World Classic

Every season, we see Division II, III and NAIA teams that serve as hosts and supposed cannon fodder for Division I schools that are supposed to run rough shod over them. In Alaska this year, the Universities of Alaska-Fairbanks and Anchorage decided they were tired of serving as gracious hosts and wanted to show to the rest of the country that they could hoop it up in the arctic.

In the Top of the World Classic, the Nanooks didn't just pull off a noteworthy upset en route to the title; they upset Wisconsin-Green Bay, Nebraska, and Weber State to claim their first Top of the World title. It was also the first time that a non-Division I team won an eight-team Division I tournament. Anchorage pulled off their own upset defeating Montana for seventh-place in the Great Alaska Shootout.

7. UCLA Loses Early-Season Home Games

Riding the high of a second-round upset of Cincinnati and another sweet 16 appearance in last season's NCAA Tournament, UCLA was looking to ride that wave to a good start this season. It was not to be. The Bruins opened the year with consecutive losses in exhibition games and then began the season with home losses in three of their of first five games at home before beginning the Pac-10 season.

The first two were especially painful. San Diego rode into Pauley Pavilion with former Bruin assistant Brad Holland leading the Toreros to an 86-81 overtime victory in the opener. Against the Lumberjacks, UCLA led 32-26 at halftime, but three consecutive treys to open the second half gave NAU confidence. The Bruins have started 4-9 overall and their 2-7 record at venerable Pauley Pavilion is already the most home losses in a season for the 11-time national champions.

8. Cincinnati Dominates Oregon

After making their first elite eight appearance since 1960 and a 6-0 start to the season, the Oregon Ducks strode into the Jimmy V. Classic with a top-five ranking. Many thought that after losing four starters and Bob Huggins recovering from a heart attack that Cincinnati would be in for a down year. Throw in their first loss to intrastate rival Dayton in 13 years and an anemic performance offensively in a 50-44 loss to Xavier and the Bearcats were not in their accustomed position among the nation's elite.

The second half of the double-header produced a 77-52 Cincinnati victory as Huggins' game plan of making the game into a street fight worked to perfection. Junior college transfer Tony Bobbitt, who had only 28 points to that point of the season, exploded for 29 against the Ducks, including going 6-11 from three-point range.

9. Arizona and Jason Gardner Down T.J. Ford and Texas

The anticipation of the nation's highest-ranked teams did not materialize after the Longhorns lost to Notre Dame the previous week. The McKale Center did host a classic matchup of two of the country's best point guards, however. Jason Gardner's experience proved valuable down the stretch as the senior from Indianapolis scored 6 of his 13 points in the final two minutes to lead the Wildcats to a 73-70 victory. Arizona was playing without All-American forward Luke Walton who was suffering from a sprained ankle. T.J. Ford finished with 13 points matching Gardner, but committed six turnovers to Gardner's one.

10. Indiana Coach Mike Davis Goes Ballistic Against Kentucky

With Indiana trailing 65-64 after a Marquis Estill layup with 12.8 seconds left, the Hoosiers put the ball in freshman Bracey Wright's hands with the game on the line. As Wright went up for a layup, UK center Jules Camara blocked his shot. Davis erupted onto the floor slapping his own head in reference to Wright being hit on the head. Replays showed that Wright was hit by teammate Jeffrey Newton and not a Wildcat. Davis was called for two technical fouls and ejected after storming the court. Kentucky's Keith Bogans would hit five of six free throws and Kentucky would defeat their border-state rivals 70-64 for the eighth time in nine tries.

Article courtesy of Sports Central.