Jim Nantz is a graduate of the University of Houston from back in the day in 1981. He used to play collegiate golf with the likes of Fred Couples and Blaine McCallister. He holds a dear connection to his alma mater, and that has been evident during the current March Madness run the Houston Cougars are on. Nantz was in attendance at the Cougars basketball game against the Tennessee Volunteers in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. After all, he loves the team!

“I’m so stoked about this weekend. We all have that little boy inside us. That fan that still lives and has a place in your heart (with) what sports used to feel like. I have it with all things the University of Houston, football, basketball, whatever it might be,” Nantz said on “The Dan Patrick Show” on Thursday. “I am absolutely in love with this team. Kelvin Sampson, the head coach, he’s just incredible. I will be there in the stands wearing red and cheering us on against the mighty Duke Blue Devils come Saturday evening.” He continued, “It’s been a long-running affair (between Houston and me). For some reason, they even have a banner now right next to the Elvin Hayes, Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler.” Nantz was just 20 when Guy Lewis, the Hall of Fame coach for Houston, asked him to be the public address announcer at the home basketball games. So, obviously, Nnatz was there on Saturday as he promised with his son, Jameson, garnering all the attention, most hilariously.

“It isn’t like he got a job.” Barkley quipped when he saw Nantz entering the arena. “He quit, y’all. He got plenty of free time on his hands.” Nantz was a regular at the NCAA Tournament behind the mike but chose to retire from calling college basketball. Nantz is still an active part of the broadcast team of golf, though, which prompted Ernie Johnson to chime in, saying, “It’s Masters week, man!” Nantz is currently putting a strain on his schedule as he is very much inclined to see his alma mater win its first-ever NCAA title on the basketball court and spend more time with his family.

The Cougars are on a brilliant run, and all fans are expecting them to claim their first-ever NCAA title this year. Nantz is no exception. A win on Saturday against the mighty Blue Devils would send the Cougars back to the national championship game for the first time since 1984.

“I was prepared for this to be a new approach to Augusta this year. The plan was to get there on Sunday before, but then all of a sudden, my University of Houston basketball team went on a roll and found its way to San Antonio—and I have to be there for that on Saturday. That has brought an abrupt change to the current itinerary.”  Nantz had stated previously as to how his plans got into action.

Nantz was in attendance at the Cougars ‘ 69-50 victory over the Tennessee basketball team, and post that match, he laid bare his thoughts on the SIRIUS XM PGA Tour Radio. He was happy with the victory over Tennessee and shared that his Georgia plans took a reroute. “If we are fortunate enough to get past the Blue Devils, we’ll have Auburn or Florida waiting for us on Monday night. So I’m taking it all in. It’s just kind of rerouted some of my travel plans to Augusta. But I’m taking my son—my boy Jamison, AKA Jamo—and we’re going to turn on the afterburners. My boy’s not used to staying up that late, but he will on Saturday night, that’s for sure,” he explained.

Now that Nantz is gracing the college basketball scene as a spectator rather than a broadcaster, let’s take a look at some of his iconic calls as part of the broadcast team.

Jim Nantz’s iconic college basketball calls

Jim Nantz’s best call came in the 2016 National Championship final between Villanova and North Carolina. The scores were tied at 74 apiece, and Ryan Arcidiacono found Kris Jenkins, who threw up what could potentially be the match-winner. While the shot was going in, Nantz exclaimed, “For the championship!”  The shot went in, and the rest, as they say, is history.

In the 2023 Final Four match-up between San Diego State and Florida Atlantic, the match was poised at 71-70 for the latter. With seconds remaining, Lamont Butler of San Diego State was trying to create space with his dribble. Nantz expertly builds in tension as the seconds trickle down and says, “He’s gotta put it up! And…he wins it!” finishing the call as the ball goes into the basket. His expertise was brilliant as the call aptly built into the game-winning shot.

Do you think the NCAA Tournament severely misses a passionate commentator like Jim Nantz? Or better yet, would Nantz be open to calling for his alma mater, the Houston Cougars, in the final, should they qualify?