Midnight Madness produces some memorable moments each year, so The Dagger is chronicling the best ones from Friday's lineup all weekend. If you spot something we missed, let us know here or here.

JaKarr Sampson's first appearance in a St. John's uniform was worth the wait. Sampson, a decorated recruit who failed to qualify academically last season, finally took the floor in a red and white jersey for the first time Friday night at Red Storm Tip-Off. He celebrated the moment by winning the dunk contest thanks to a 360 jam off a soccer-style back heel flick from teammate Orlando Sanchez. The finish from Sampson was nice, but it isn't the best of its genre. Two years ago, Buffalo's Mitchell Watt heel flicked the ball to himself for a one-of-a-kind self-alley oop slam.

More from Best of Midnight Madness Series:

• Wagner forward leaps over his mom and dad for dunk
• Kentucky transforms Rupp Arena floor into a projector screen
• D.J. Byrd pulls one over on unsuspecting Purdue crowd
• Jamie

Roy Williams waves to the crowd during "Late Night with Roy" (AP)

Midnight Madness produces some memorable moments each year, so The Dagger is chronicling the best ones from Friday's lineup all weekend. If you spot something we missed, let us know here or here.

Amidst the over-the-top dunks, outlandish dance steps and blaring pop music, Midnight Madness actually featured a rare heartwarming moment. North Carolina fans chanted "Roy! Roy! Roy!" and gave an extended standing ovation when coach Roy Williams returned to the court weeks after a health scare in which he had a tumor removed from his right kidney. Williams acknowledged the applause with a wave and tried in vain to hold back his emotions. In addition to Williams, two other Tar Heels received a warm welcome back. Guards Dexter Strickland and Leslie McDonald chose to be introduced together since both are returning from ACL tears.

More from Best of Midnight Madness Series:

• Wagner forward leaps over his mom and dad for dunk
• Kentucky transforms Rupp Arena floor into a projector screen
• D.J.

Midnight Madness produces some memorable moments each year, so The Dagger is chronicling the best ones from Friday's lineup all weekend. If you spot something we missed, let us know here or here.

Original dunks are tough to concoct these days because of the proliferation of dunk contests, but Memphis high flyer D.J. Stephens may have succeeded Friday night. In the above video, freshman Shaq Goodwin lays the ball in, Stephens catches it as it goes through the net, puts it betweens his legs and throws down a powerful one-handed jam. (Sorry, the video quality isn't very good but at least the dunk quality is). That effort was more than good enough to win the dunk contest at Memphis Madness even though Stephens didn't make his final one, a wild behind-the-legs attempt he was trying for the first time.

Mark Gottfried descends to the floor via harness at Primetime with the Pack (AP)

Midnight Madness produces some memorable moments each year, so The Dagger is chronicling the best ones from Friday's lineup all weekend. If you spot something we missed, let us know here or here.

Mark Gottfried was going to jump out of an airplane and parachute onto the field at an NC State football game last year before bad weather canceled his plans, so it's no surprise the second-year coach made an aerial entrance Friday night. Gottfried descended to the floor via harness at Primetime with the Pack, floating through the air like an overgrown Peter Pan and slapping high fives with North Carolina State students on his way down. Of course, Gottfried's entrance was one of many highlights from the kickoff event to what NC State hopes will be its best season in years. The other most memorable moment? Check out this jumbo-sized fan's impressive dance moves.

Midnight Madness produces some memorable moments each year, so The Dagger is chronicling the best ones from Friday's lineup all weekend. If you spot something we missed, let us know here or here.

If hitting the Dougie was definitely the theme of Midnight Madness circa 2010, then 2012 was certainly the year of Gangnam Style. North Carolina danced to it. So did Maryland. And the Marquette women. Heck, even Minnesota coach Tubby Smith made a credible effort. Still no team went as all-out to get down to the unlikely Korean pop smash hit as Kansas' four man senior class in the above video. Nobody's more ready for this song to go the way of "Call me Maybe" and disappear forever than I am, but I have to admit I enjoyed Travis Releford's and Jeff Withey's rendition in particular.

Midnight Madness produces some memorable moments each year, so The Dagger is chronicling the best ones from Friday's lineup all weekend. If you spot something we missed, let us know here or here.

Whereas the vast majority of baskets made at Midnight Madness events across the nation are merely for fun, a San Diego State student actually sank one that matters. Craig Horlbeck, a freshman at San Diego State, sank a half-court shot at the school's Madness at the Mesa event Friday night to win a Toyota Tacoma pick-up truck. Later, San Diego State coach Steve Fisher showed off his sense of humor when referencing the moment. He joked he had a scholarship available for Horlbeck ... but the freshman would have to give the truck back to use it.

Midnight Madness produces some memorable moments each year, so The Dagger is chronicling the best ones from Friday's lineup all weekend. If you spot something we missed, let us know here or here.

Somehow, someway, Kentucky women's coach Matthew Mitchell stole some of the spotlight again from John Calipari at Big Blue Madness. Last year, he moon-walked to Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" clad in a Jackson-esque costume complete with a black top hat, shades and a white glove. This year, he donned MC Hammer pants, a glittery jacket and shades and danced to "2 Legit to Quit" to a deafening ovation from the crowd at Rupp Arena. There aren't many college coaches with the guts to attempt choreographed routines like the ones Mitchell has done. And there aren't many coaches with the rhythm to pull them off either.

North Carolina freshman Joel James, center left, wears a tutu and shows off his dance moves (AP)

Midnight Madness produces some memorable moments each year, so The Dagger is chronicling the best ones from Friday's lineup all weekend. If you spot something we missed, let us know here or here.

Rival student sections won't have to work too hard to find ways to rib North Carolina's freshman class the next few years. The newest Tar Heels gave them all the ammunition they'll ever need Friday night when they performed a dance routine at Late Night clad in tights and tutus with Adele playing in the background. North Carolina's returning players opted for either a salsa number, a Broadway routine or a hip-hop dance, but the freshmen apparently preferred ballet. Why the tutus and tour jetes? Tweeted freshman Marcus Paige, "I'd rather not talk about it...lol."