As the last few days of 2011 slip away, it seemed like an appropriate time to look back at the calendar year in college hoops. Here's a look at my take on college basketball's 10 best moments of 2011. Let me know in the comments or via Twitter what I left out.

Jimmer Fredette1. The birth of Jimmermania: The performance that sparked Jimmer Fredette's transformation from all-American candidate to basketball icon was his 43-point barrage to lead BYU past previously undefeated San Diego State in Provo last January. The senior guard sank 14 of 24 shots, a mesmerizing effort that inspired the first "You got Jimmered" chants from the crowd and sent everyone from NBA stars, to rappers, to fellow college player of the year candidates scrambling to find CBS College Sports on their TVs. Tweeted Kevin Durant: "Jimmer Fredette is the best scorer in the world!!" Added John Wall: "Jimmer Fredette is cold! #respect."

2. Kemba puts Gary McGhee on the ground: The signature moment of UConn's unlikely title run last March wasn't its hard-fought wins over San Diego State and Arizona at the Anaheim Regional or its unsightly 53-41 victory over Butler in the national championship game. Instead it was probably Kemba Walker dropping Pittsburgh center Gary McGhee with a pair of jab steps before burying the game-winning jumper as time expired in the Big East quarterfinals. The shot enabled UConn to continue its march toward five wins in five days at Madison Square Garden and signaled that the Huskies would be a title threat in the NCAA tournament.

LBSUDan Monson isn't shy about the motivation behind his Long Beach State program's aggressive non-conference scheduling this season.

"I wanted us to get in the conversation for an (NCAA tournament) at-large bid with it — That was our No. 1 goal," he said Sunday over the phone from Honolulu.

The 49ers' gauntlet of a pre-Big West schedule came to a close in the title game of the Diamond Head Classic, where they were dropped by Kansas State, 77-60.

With a win, they could have further solidified that standing as a legitimate at-large contender. Without it, you could argue that Monson's club should still be in that conversation here in late December.

Quick recap …

The 49ers started off the fireworks with a shocking 86-76 win at No. 9 Pitt on Nov. 16. They would lose five of their next seven, but four of those came at San Diego State, at Louisville, at Kansas and at North Carolina — to four likely NCAA tournament teams. Peppered in between were a few gimme home wins over Idaho, Boise State, BYU-Hawaii and Eastern New Mexico. They started this weekend in Hawaii with a 68-58 victory over shorthanded-yet-14th-ranked Xavier, then blitzed through Auburn en route to Sunday's championship game.

They now take a much-deserved week off before opening Big West play at UC Irvine on Jan. 2.

The 49ers only played four of their 13 non-conference games at home, but came away from the brutal stretch with plenty to show for it.

Kansas State celebrates Diamond Head Classic title (AP)While the rest of the college basketball world was taking Christmas off on Sunday, Kansas State was continuing one of the nation's more impressive under-the-radar non-conference runs.

With a 77-60 slashing of Long Beach State in Honolulu in the Diamond Head Classic title game, K-State improved to 10-1 on the year. It's a start few predicted after the program lost its top player and unquestioned heart and soul — Jacob Pullen — to graduation after last season and was left with a roster full of newcomers and guys who had never been more than complimentary pieces.

[Related: Should Long Beach State hoops be in the at-large conversation?]

Instead of just one of those guys emerging and filling Pullen's shoes, it's been a successful collaborative effort, as this may be the most cohesive group Frank Martin has had in his five seasons at the helm in Manhattan.

So far, including Sunday's triumph, the Wildcats own quality wins over Alabama and on the road against Virginia Tech. Their lone loss came in double overtime against West Virginia — hardly a setback to be ashamed of. They'll get a much-needed rest now before closing non-conference play at home against Howard on Dec. 31, then open Big 12 play with a brutal three-game stretch that starts at rival Kansas on Jan. 4, then is followed up by home games against Missouri and Baylor.

[Related: Who are the favorites to win Big East, Big Ten and Pac-12 hoops titles?]

While last year's team dealt with waves of adversity before the Big 12 season began — such as unsightly losses, transfers and suspensions — this one has gone in a different direction, simply getting stronger from the start.

All of us who complained Xavier didn't penalize its players sufficiently for their part in the brawl with Cincinnati earlier this month probably look pretty silly right now.

Whether one game for Tu Holloway, two for Mark Lyons and four for Dezmine Wells was sufficient or not, those punishments have definitely squelched the Musketeers' early-season momentum and sent them into a tailspin.

It was excusable when they were crushed by Oral Roberts without three of their four best players last week. It was more alarming when they fell by 10 to Long Beach State in the Diamond Head Classic quarterfinals with Tu Holloway back in the fold. And it was downright stunning Friday night when they fell 84-82 in overtime to lightly regarded Hawaii.

Granted the Warriors never led until overtime and needed an off-balance game-tying three from Hauns Brereton at the end of regulation just to force an extra period, but that's still an inexcusable loss for Xavier (8-3). Hawaii (6-5) lost to Auburn on the same floor the previous night and has fallen earlier this season to the likes of Eastern Washington, Pacific and Pepperdine.

"We've got to figure out a way to be the team that we were two weeks ago," coach Chris Mack told the Cincinnati Enquirer. "We're going through a lot of adversity right now. Hopefully that what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger. Right now we're not a very good basketball team (and) we've got to rectify that."

AP11111603067PALO ALTO, Calif. — As Stanford reeled off win after win the past six weeks, the primary question facing the Cardinal was obvious: Was their torrid start the product of a modest schedule, or were they legitimate Pac-12 title contenders?

A 71-66 home loss to Butler doesn't definitively answer that question, but there certainly were some sobering signs that emerged.

Stanford's offense once again became far too turnover-prone when pitted against an active defensive team. Its erratic free throw shooting continues to be costly in close games. And most surprisingly, its previously formidable defense surrendered too many open shots and too many offensive rebounds to a Butler squad that struggled to score consistently for most of this season.

"I thought they did a good job executing what they wanted offensively, and I thought we could have been better," Stanford coach Johnny Dawkins said. "Some of our breakdowns were due to a lack of communication, something we really emphasize. We didn't have it as well as we would like tonight."

The mere fact that a five-point loss to Butler can be viewed as a clear disappointment for Stanford is a testament to the progress the program has made this season. The Cardinal endured losing seasons the past two years and were projected to finish sixth in the Pac-12 preseason poll, but they've ratcheted up expectations with a narrow loss to top-ranked Syracuse and solid victories over Oklahoma State and NC State.

What has sparked Stanford's improvement has been a defense that had allowed opposing teams to shoot just 39.3 percent from the field. The Cardinal has backed that up with an offense highlighted by the low-post play of senior forward Josh Owens, the dribble penetration of talented freshman point guard Chasson Randle and the timely shooting of Aaron Bright, Anthony Brown and others.

It's Owens and Randle who stood out most to Butler coach Brad Stevens on film.

110913817PALO ALTO, Calif.  — Here's a scary thought for future high seeds in the NCAA tournament: Butler coach Brad Stevens likes the direction his team is headed.

Yes, the Bulldogs finished their non-conference schedule a pedestrian 6-7. Yes, they suffered humbling losses to lightly regarded Evansville, Ball State and Valparaiso. But the way Butler culminated its best week of the season with a 71-66 road victory over previously surging Stanford on Thursday night has Stevens cautiously optimistic entering Horizon League play.

"What I like is that we're making strides," Stevens said. "What your record is makes no difference with where you are, and I think that's what we have to focus on. We're better than we were and we could have won a couple of those games. We've just got to keep getting better."

If the consensus a few weeks into the season was that this would be a transition season for Butler with so many young players stepping into increased roles, then the past week has been a reminder not to write off this year's Bulldogs just yet. Sandwiched around a loss at Gonzaga were victories over a Purdue team expected to finish in the upper half of the Big Ten and a Stanford team whose only prior loss came by six to top-ranked Syracuse.

An at-large bid to the NCAA tournament is a remote possibility at best for Butler because it sustained so many pre-Christmas losses, so the Bulldogs' best chance to return to the national stage this March is to win the Horizon League tournament. That seems like a realistic goal the way Butler's freshman- and sophomore-dominated roster has begun to jell defensively and show signs of life shooting the ball from the perimeter.

"Our young guys understand more about what college basketball is and how hard it is to be successful," senior Ronald Nored said. "I don't think as a unit we really understood that a month ago, but I think we're really growing into a team that takes every possession like you don't get another one. We're growing into that, but we have so much more room to grow. In another month, hopefully it's even better."

Torian GrahamIn addition to being one of the Class of 2012's most versatile scorers, shooting guard Torian Graham also may be its biggest tease.

First Graham thrilled NC State fans Thursday morning when he announced his intentions to play for the Wolfpack next season. Then, mere hours later, Graham told several media outlets that he had changed his mind and reopened his recruitment again.

It wouldn't be such a big deal that Graham had flip-flopped on his decision except that this is the second time he's done this to NC State. The Arlington County Day (Fla.) star originally committed to the Wolfpack in May a month after coach Mark Gottried was hired only to experience a change of heart in August.

Graham hasn't been forthcoming about his most recent decommitment, cryptically telling PackPride.com "Something came up ... I don't really want to talk about it." On Twitter, he has been equally elusive, responding to an NC State alum confused by his decision by saying, "if u don't know leave it alone."