Flashback to one year ago: the most highly anticipated basketball season in recent memory was kicked off by a Hoops Mania featuring the apologizing CBS analyst Bill Raftery and not much more. This year, however, I have selected 50 (a totally arbitrary number) reasons why Hoops Mania 2006 rocked.

1. The sweet lighting inside and outside of the Pavillion

2. The band unveiling their version of “Ridin'”

3. Father Donahue pumping up the crowd

4. The players’ entrances through the student section

5. The highlight reels which gave us all goosebumps

6. The football team coming out to their largest crowd of the season

7. The return of Curtis Sumpter

8. Frosh Reggie Redding’s promising start

9. The dance team’s outfits

10. Scottie Reynolds’ rendition of “Chicken Noodle Soup”

11. The introduction by ‘Nova alumn, Howie Long

12. Mike Nardi’s energy

13. The start to a great Homecoming weekend

14. Sumpter’s good health after the ugly collision with Will Sheridan

15. Jay Wright’s pronunciation of “g-g-g-G Unit!”

16. The Speedo boy

17. The Speedo boy landing his front flip on his backside

18. Watching Nardi attempt to dunk during warm-ups

19. Receiving free rally towels

20. Not having to purchase SGA’s six dollar rally towels

21. The new salute that several of the players did during introductions

22. DJ 007 spinning hot tunes all night

23. Meeting the new freshman class

24. Tony Yayo

25. Tony Yayo’s orange hoodie

26. Tony Yayo’s “ice”

27. ‘Nova Nation’s enthusiasm throughout the night

28. Dante’s thunderous dunk

29. Free stuff

30. The P.A. announcer mispronouncing “Yayo”

31. Our fabulous cheerleaders

32. Two words: Jason Fraser

33. Mendel Doug’s surprise appearance

34. Jay Wright’s always trendy attire

35. Dwayne McClain’s return

36. The game’s result: a tie (everyone was a winner)

37. Standing in line in cold weather, waiting to erupt

38. The after-parties

39. The Wildcat trying to get “jiggy with it”

40. The rumors of the “special guests” leading up to the event

41. The dunk by the runner-up of the craziest fan contest

42. My friend Jay who was sitting in front of me who caught the Jay Wright signed T-shirt

43. My friend Jay who just barely missed a half-court shot for a 2-year lease on a Land Rover.

44. The first post-game fight song of the season

45. The introduction of the women’s basketball team

46. Jason Fraser absolutely dominating the 3-on-3 legends game.

47. The woman who said “no deal” and won season tickets

48. Tony Yayo’s performance and the introduction of his friend (see No. 50)

49. The Pavilion’s reaction to Yayo’s special guest

50. Curtis James Jackson, III