U.S. Reed's Buzzer-Beater: My Favorite March Madness Memory

I've never been a HUGE basketball fan. Maybe it's because I was never very good at it. Oh, I loved to play when I was younger, but I was a power forward in a point guard's body.  I enjoyed to banging around under the basket, going up for rebounds and going for blocked shots.  And I had a sweet hook shot.  But I am 5-9 if I stand REALLY straight, so I was built more for the outside.  Problem there is I can't shoot and I have fewer handles than a plate.  

I have no interest in the NBA, and because I've worked so much basketball as a college sports information director and now as a sports broadcasting professor, I really don't care to watch college ball.  Until March.  

I know, I know.  Lots of people ignore college hoops until the Madness sets in.  For me, though, it's not because that's when the best teams are playing for the title or because Cinderella might find her glass slipper.  It's because that's when my dad and I shared some of our best memories.  We'd watch our beloved Arkansas Razorbacks dominate the old Southwest Conference with Eddie Sutton calling the shots and Sidney Moncrief bringing the magic. We'd marvel at big 6-10 Scott Hastings owning the low post. Those teams, in the late '70s and early '80s were some of the finest in college basketball.  

As I watched UConn's Jalen Adams sink a half-court buzzer beater to force a fourth overtime against Cincinnati and then saw Oklahoma's Buddy Hield have his apparent half court game-winner waved off against West Virginia, I flashed back to 1981 to relive my all-time favorite March Madness memory.

The date was March 14.  The Razorbacks' opponent:  Louisville.  

The place:  Austin, Texas in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.  Here you go:

Arkansas vs. Louisville: 1981

Ulysses "U.S." Reed was a senior, and that shot against the defending national champions put him on the map!  I remember I was lying on the couch, and my dad was across the room in his recliner.  Mom was upstairs in her sewing room watching the game on our little black-and-white TV (I have no idea where my sister was; probably reading in her room).  Dad and I were both bummed after watching Louisville's Derek Smith drain that jumper.  But seconds later, Reed sank the shot that will be etched in the minds of Razorback faithful forever.  Dad and I met in mid-air, screaming at the top of our lungs in the tightest bear hug I think I've ever felt.  Mom came shrieking down the steps, " Did you see that?!?!? Did you see that?!?!?!?"  We were too excited to answer.  But THAT is my favorite March Madness memory.

What's yours? Please share!