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Jim Nantz Was in Tears After Houston’s Incredible Final Four Comeback vs. Duke

Stephen Douglas

Jim Nantz reacts to Houston’s comeback win over Duke in the Final Four.
Jim Nantz reacts to Houston’s comeback win over Duke in the Final Four. / @GoodmanHoop
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The Houston Cougars beat Duke in the Final Four and earn their first trip to the national championship game since 1984. In order to do that they needed to stage an incredible comeback, ending the game on a 25-8 run.

At least one of the Houston fans in attendance had tears in his eyes after the win and that was Jim Nantz, the longtime voice of March Madness.

Nantz played golf at Houston and graduated from the school in 1981. Four decades later, he got to watch one of the greatest games in the history of the school without the added pressure of seeming somewhat neutral while calling the game.

Instead, he was able to let his emotions flow.

Nantz retired from calling college basketball after the 2023 Final Four. When he arrived at the game on Saturday he was roasted by his former co-worker, Charles Barkley. Whatever happens on Monday, Nantz will be back in sports fans' lives next weekend when he calls the Masters.

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Stephen Douglas
STEPHEN DOUGLAS

Stephen Douglas is a senior writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He has worked in media since 2008 and now casts a wide net with coverage across all sports. Douglas spent more than a decade with The Big Lead and previously wrote for Uproxx and The Sporting News. He has three children, two degrees and one now unverified Twitter account.

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