As the seconds ticked off the clock, Kirby Swanson became irritable. He didn't want to see Arkansas obtain college basketball's most cherished prize.

Swanson (senior-liberal arts) couldn't look at the television screen, as the Razorbacks cut down the nets inside the Charlotte Coliseum.

"Duke should have won it," Swanson exclaimed after Monday's NCAA Men's Basketball Championship, when Arkansas beat the Blue Devils, 76-72.

Swanson watched Duke lose from his friend's apartment.

"I grew up in ACC country," the Maryland native said. "There is always an ACC team in the Final Four -- it's the toughest league in college basketball. I follow the conference religiously."

But Monday, an SEC team won the national championship -- capping off the college basketball season and putting to rest another NCAA Tournament. March Madness is over. Adam Hornyak can once again open a book and return to class.

Hornyak (freshman-division of undergraduate studies) found it difficult to leave his dorm room while the NCAA Tournament was on, especially during the early-round games. Hornyak watched most of the tournament from the foot of his bed.

"It all happens so fast," Hornyak said of the tournament. "People on my floor were screaming when Boston College beat North Carolina --everybody was going crazy because they couldn't believe it.

"If the Penn State men's team was in the tournament this year nobody would go to class."

Each season, the NCAA Men's Tournament proves to be crazy. It's a time when the unknown teams can shine. It's a time that captivates college basketball fans -- nothing else seems to matter.

For Bob Fletcher (senior-industrial engineering), watching the tournament is a necessity, even at his girlfriend's expense. Three weeks ago, Fletcher took his girlfriend to her formal. However, instead of cutting the rug, he watched the tube with his friend at the Rumors Lounge inside the Atherton Hilton, 125 S. Atherton St.

"At first, our dates weren't too keen with the idea, but they lived with it," Fletcher said with a laugh.

Fletcher's girlfriend, Jenn Cope (senior-finance) has a different take on the evening. She said, she didn't let the tournament ruin the formal.

"First of all, he asked my permission if he could watch," she said. "He loves it. That's all he's talked about for a month."

Like Fletcher, Mark Nelson (junior-health policy administration) also looks forward to the madness every season, even though he is a diehard college football fan.

"It's the most exciting event of the season, unless Penn State goes to the Rose Bowl." Nelson said. "You can even feel the excitement up here and this place is still more of a football town.

"CBS has to love this," Nelson added. "It's a basketball junkie's dream."

This year, the tournament not only attracted college students, but the President of the United States as well. However, Duke fan Sean Kelly (junior-hotel, restaurant and institutional management) was not impressed.

"He should have been at home watching the games," Kelly said. "He's got cable -- we're paying for it. Bill should go to Hillary's dorm room to watch it."

Just like most Penn State students did.