Wednesday night (March 3rd, 2010) marked the final home games in the careers of two of the top college basketball players in the country and leading Player of the Year candidates. Maryland’s Greivis Vasquez and Kansas’ Sherron Collins are two of the most decorated college players of the last 5 years, whose memorable careers on campus came to unforgettable finishes. Both players’ teams took down top-5 opponents to make for extra special nights. The on-court confidence and sense of urgency helped lead each team to a huge victory.

Maryland took down hated rival #4 Duke in front of a raucous crowd. Being the final home game for Vasquez, as well as fellow seniors Landon Milbourne and Eric Hayes, clearly upped the level of intensity for both the Maryland players and fans. From the moment the ball tipped off at the Comcast Center, there was a sense that the Terps were just not going to lose this game. Whoever scheduled the Duke game as Senior Night deserves a raise (although it was probably a computer). Who knows if the Terps would have been able to pull out this victory, and a current share of the ACC season title, on any other night on their schedule.

Meanwhile, Kansas dominated in-state rival #5 Kansas State behind the typical devoted fanbase of Allen Fieldhouse. There was no chance for an upset tonight, not when every guy on Kansas was playing their hearts out for their senior leader and to clinch the Big 12 regular-season title. Even though Collins only shot 5 for 15 tonight, his teammates upped their games in appropriate fashion. It was hard to watch this game (on ESPN360, albeit) and not feel the intensity.

A popular line of thinking in preparation for an important senior night game is that the players will be too amped up and emotional to play in their element. I believe that’s true in some sense, but the benefits of playing in that environment clearly outweigh the dangers. These seniors get absolutely fired up and play with a passion that rubs off on their teammates. Sure, all teams should play that way every night. But you’re kidding yourself if you don’t think a senior night game against Duke is what Greivis Vasquez lives for.

After the close Maryland “upset” win, their students rushed the court in frenzy. Players stayed on as long as they could and basked in the glory while showing love to their coaches and fans.

"You couldn't really ask for a better script than that," said senior Eric Hayes. "The ACC regular-season title was on the line; it was just a real special night."

In Lawrence, Kansas, the thumping of their in-state rivals allowed for a more calm, serious celebration. The victory was capped off by Sherron Collins addressing the faithful Allen Fieldhouse crowd and thanking them.

"This is it, it's the last one," said Collins. "I didn't want to get off the court. I wanted it to go on all night, but it couldn't."

I was in attendance for Scottie Reynolds’ final home game as a Wildcat. While the excitement was palpable throughout the game, it came in a 31-point blowout over South Florida. If we were able to play UConn for Senior Night, that loss 2 weeks ago almost certainly would have turned into a win. Of course, there is no way that a computerized schedule maker takes something like this into account. Nor was Duke able to anticipate that their upcoming final home game would be against a North Carolina team headed for the NIT, if they’re lucky. But it benefits home fans and players alike when their final games become a spectacle of celebration and energy against a top opponent, and every senior in the country wishes they could go out like Greivis Vasquez and Sherron Collins did tonight.

If a team like Maryland or Kansas wants to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament, they should remember this game and what it felt like, and try to duplicate it just a couple more times. Just 4 more in mid-March is all it takes to bring your team to the Final Four. It’s obviously easier said than done, but the great teams always find a way to do it.