This year, I sat in front of the TV to watch college basketball more than I would have ever imagined. For both the men’s and women’s tournaments, I adopted likings for certain teams, players and coaches, realizing the weight that collegiate athletics play in terms of entertainment.

Of course, my allegiance to Iowa and Caitlin Clark was prominent, as I followed most of the Hawkeyes’ games throughout the tournament. I also directed my attention toward Paige Beuckers and UConn, along with South Carolina, LSU and NC State. It was exciting and almost emotional to see the level of impact that these athletes brought to the women’s basketball realm.

On the men’s side, I didn’t pinpoint a favorite squad, but I enjoyed the initial upsets in the tournament, especially Duquesne’s opening-round win. Of course, I rallied with NC State who made a Final Four appearance as a No. 11 seed because I’m always an advocate of the underdog squad.

Overall, this tournament brought a surprising amount of joy. To an extent, viewing each game brought me closer to my friends, co-workers, peers and family. Casual banter about certain games or players made for easy small talk in situations that were new and in-depth analysis of what it means to make a deep run in the NCAA tournament were common conversations among my roommates.

I feel inclined to comment on the weight of what this year’s tournament meant for college athletics. On the men’s side, viewership will only increase and continue to instill passion for the sports in younger generations. In regard to the women’s tournament, an exponential increase in coverage and views has created a space for women’s basketball to grow, long after standouts like Clark, Beuckers, Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso move toward WNBA initiatives.

This year showed that there is common ground between men’s and women’s sports. People value competition, excellence and fire. Viewers will constantly look for entertainment that fulfills needs for happiness, joy and belonging. We are all one in a way, looking for something that makes us believe we are a part of something.

Hopefully, this tournament sets the standard for what the national stage should look like each year, with both men and women receiving coverage and attention that reminds us why we want to continue to play the game.

This year was significantly larger than just basketball. Now, I have to find hobbies to fill my time, but that’s okay. There’s always next March. Until then!