5 unforgettable college basketball calls that still give fans chills

March Madness isn't just for fans, as the broadcasters get into the spirit with epic calls. College basketball fans share memorable moments along with famous calls that are remembered as well (or maybe better) than the plays in question. For most memorable college hoops moments, there's a great call. Here are five of the top broadcasting college basketball calls of all time.

Top 5 unforgettable college basketball calls

Now a coach, Bryce Drew provided a memorable moment that led to an all-time great call. (Photo Credit: IMAGN)

5. "Send it in, Jerome!"

This is an instance of the call being bigger than the play. On Jan. 25, 1988, in a regular-season game, Pittsburgh forward Jerome Lane went to the basket against Providence on the fast break. Lane not only hammered home a dunk, but he also busted the backboard to pieces.

The call is unusual largely because it's the color commentator who gets the great call. Bill Raftery is a legend, and it's moments like this where he shines. The play-by-play broadcaster seems unsure of what to say after Lane crushes the backboard, while Raftery's "Send it in, Jerome" remains an abiding memory.

4. "Bryce Drew did it!"

On the bucket list for most broadcasters is the chance to call a significant March Madness upset. In the 1998 NCAA Tournament, No. 13 seed Valparaiso and a little-known guard named Bryce Drew. Down two points with 2.5 seconds left and needing to go the length of the floor, the outlook wasn't bright for Valpo.

But CBS broadcaster Ted Robinson got the chance for the call of a lifetime. "To Drew, for the win, HE DID IT!" yells Robinson as color commentator Rolando Blackmon can only add an excited yell. It's not the flashiest call, but it's certainly a memorable one.

3. "And that's it! WHAT A COMEBACK!"

Gus Johnson, on the other hand, is all about the style. Long a favorite of college hoops fans, Johnson's excitement level seemed to hit off the charts after a memorable Sweet 16 battle in 2006 between UCLA and Gonzaga. The Zags had led by 17, but UCLA came back to steal the game in the final minute. On the final shot, Johnson's voice nearly gives way entirely.

But when the Zags miss their final shot, he finds the range to yell, "And that's it! WHAT A COMEBACK!" A few minutes later, studio host Greg Gumbel, reviewing the clip with much of America, cracked, "Gus will be out of the hospital in time for tomorrow's game."

2. "There's the pass to Laettner, puts it up, YES!"

Verne Lundquist is nothing short of a broadcasting legend. He always found the right mix of decorum and excitement, always had a little room for just a hint of reacting as a fan while speaking as a professional. Among the most memorable moments in his amazing career had to be the 1992 Elite Eight game between Duke and Kentucky.

Christian Laettner's shot has a perfect call. Lundquist and color analyst Len Elmore were on the same level as this epic game, and Lundquist's call of Laettner's shot resonates for Duke and Kentucky fans, or just historically as a classic call of a memorable hoops moment.

1. "They won it! On the dunk!"

One more time, it's a color analyst who gets the great call. In the 1983 NCAA title game, upset-minded NC State hung around against colossus Houston. It took one final epic moment to lift the "survive and advance" Wolfpack to a national title. When Derek Whittenburg's airball was caught by Lorenzo Charles and dunked just ahead of the buzzer, NC State and coach Jim Valvano had shocked the world.

NC State also seemed to have shocked play-by-play man Gary Bender, who dutifully called the play through to the buzzer. But in the chaos that followed the buzzer, it was Packer who summed up the moment. "They won it!" he admits with mild shock. "On the dunk!" It was an ironic moment, as the Houston team that coined Phi Slamma Jamma had been defeated by its own weapon.

Packer remained one of the voices of March, largely for his no-nonsense style and his ability to distill a historic moment into six words.

What's your favorite of our five iconic calls? Share your take below in our comments section!