It really has been quite a treat to watch this year’s college basketball season. It’s not over by any means, but some of the games we’ve seen have been tremendous, including some huge upsets and possible precursors to the NCAA Tournament.

But what’s really startling is how the season started and the way it’s shaping up right now.

The AP Poll released last week included seven teams that were unranked at the start of the season now in the country’s top 25. Teams like Clemson, Missouri and Illinois have surprised almost everybody to achieve a consistent ranking.

But even the teams that aren’t ranked are making noise, too.

This past week, two of the top three teams in the country — North Carolina and Oklahoma — went down to unranked opponents Maryland and Texas, respectively.

Wait. Texas?

When the Longhorns came to Madison Dec. 23, they were ranked No. 8 in the nation. Oh, how the tides have turned.

Texas’ season is a perfect example of what it means to go cold in a tough conference. The Big 12 is relentless, and now sitting at 7-5 in the Big 12, Texas is merely on the bubble for the NCAA Tournament.

But that is the exact reason why the NCAA Tournament — and the college basketball season in general — is so much fun to watch.

Our own Badgers suffered a detrimental losing streak earlier in the season, but after winning five straight games, Wisconsin is not only in the hunt for a tournament bid, but its tough schedule gives it the ability to play confidently against some of the tougher teams in the country.

But, as I’m sure you all know, this isn’t anything new.

Considering last year was the first time in NCAA Tournament history that all four No. 1 seeds advanced to the Final Four, we should be in for quite a bit of entertainment.

Even before the tournament starts, we’ve seen five No. 1 teams knocked off from their top ranking. Now that then-No. 1 Connecticut lost to No. 4 Pittsburgh last week, it will mark the longest tenure a team has held the top spot in the country. And it’s not like the Huskies were there for that long. They were only on top for three weeks.

But here I am, talking about my favorite part of the sports year — the NCAA Tournament — when there are still almost three weeks left in the regular season, not to mention conference tournaments.

So even after four months of play, what we look forward to most is a mere three weeks. But it’s those three weeks that show exactly what NCAA basketball is all about. It’s not about how teams got to where they are, but how they perform once they get there.

Last year, Davidson had its ups and downs before qualifying for the Big Dance, but look how Stephen Curry led the Wildcats to an Elite Eight appearance. And of course, nobody can forget George Mason’s Final Four run in 2006.

While I don’t want to be a homer, the Badgers also could make quite a bit of noise when the tournament rolls around. Remember that 2000 Final Four team? Well, while Bo Ryan has been a bit more consistent at getting Wisconsin higher seeds in the tournament, when the Badgers were under Dick Bennett, they made the Final Four as a No. 8 seed.

Right now, ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi has the Badgers as a No. 9 seed. Will they make the Final Four? Probably not, but that’s why the NCAA Tournament is there — to make the unthinkable possible.

Jonah is a sophomore majoring in journalism and Hebrew and Semitic studies. Are you also excited about the rest of the college basketball season and the NCAA Tournament? E-mail him your thoughts at [email protected].