The best photos of the 2011-12 college basketball season

Five months come and go so fast, you wish we had a way to hold on them longer. Wait, we do! If you've followed the blog all season long, you've noticed how we've done month-ending lookbacks at the best photos in the sport. On Thursday, I compiled and posted the best from the NCAA tournament. In that post, there's links to the previous months' archives of photos. Below, the best from this year, all in one place.

And I should've linked this in Thursday's best-of-the-tournament photo essay, but here will do just as fine. It's a gigapan photo shot of the Superdome. Zoom in on anyone/thing you'd like. If you find me, you'll see me leaning back in my chair like a boss.

Let's take a look back at the best shots, reminders of the biggest moments, and even a few we'd like to forget. The 2012-12 college basketball season, in frozen form.

November

It's the start of the season and Harrison Barnes' sophomore year is filled with promise! (US Presswire)

The aircraft carrier game does truly feel like five months ago. What a gorgeous, gorgeous shot this is. (Getty Images)

Did you forget about K setting the all-time wins record? (US Presswire)

This was pretty much the only complimentary thing Bob Knight did/had said about him all season long. (AP)

Jeremy Lamb embarrasses Columbia's Mark Cisco in the season-opener. I maintain this is the dunk of the year. (US Presswire)

This should be framed somewhere in the Duke offices. (Getty Images)

Of course! Who doesn't love foreshadowing. (AP)

Memorial service for former Oklahoma State women's head coach Kurt Budke and assistant Miranda Serna. (Getty Images)

Don't let this season be your last one, Pat. (AP)

That UNLV win over UNC was a ton of fun. (US Presswire)

The NBA lockout forced NBA players to occupy their time by attending college games. (AP)

Prior to his apology a few days later, Jim Boeheim was nervously defiant and aloof at his first press conference after the Bernie Fine news broke. (US Presswire)

December

And then Boeheim was sorry. This was after his team defeated Florida on Dec. 2. (US Presswire)

The first defining moment of Anthony Davis' career. (Getty Images)

I've heard the Jayhawk can be hired to creep out exes who can't let go. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Elon's Kevin Blake gets perpendicular. Sick stuff. (Elon Athletics)

Dick Vitale is honored a Calihan Hall with a court-naming. Vitale coached at Detroit in the '70s. (AP/Carlos Osorio)

Yancy Gates punches Landen Amos. What a shot. (Al Behrman/AP)

This celebration would actually come later that night, after the Xavier fight. (AP)

But before we could get to that, we still had the fight to figure out, and Kenny Frease triumphantly walking off the floor with a black eye. (Frank Victores/US Presswire)

Swish. Christian Watford gives Kentucky its first loss and Indiana its biggest win in years. (US Presswire)

JEFF WITHEY WILL KILL YOU. (Nick Krug/Lawrence Journal-World)

One of my favorite shots of the year. Jeffery Taylor in flight. (US Presswire)

JANUARY

Georgia State coach Ron Hunter coaches his fifth annual barefoot game in support of Samaritan's Feet, an organization that provides shoes for underprivileged children in over 62 countries around the world. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

The defining image of Thomas Robinson's Kansas career. (Kansas City Star)

Would you rather have the NCAA breathing down your neck or Jim Calhoun literally doing it? (AP/Fred Beckham)

Austin Rivers has led a tortured life. (AP/Gerry Broome)

Maryland treats Gary Williams the right way. (AP/Patrick Semansky)

When Illinois fans feel like crying, they remember Brandon Paul scoring 43, blocking Jared Sullinger and then realize how the team's season came crashing down. (US Presswire)

Tom Izzo gets win No. 400, and his players surprise him in the presser. Izzo remains to be among the best. (US Presswire)

FEBRUARY

UNC was on the wrong end of a last-second block (UK) and last-second shot, seen here. (Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

Celebration, from above. It's like a connect-the-dots to a victory charge. (Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

This monstrous Mike Moser poster is revolutionary, and I hope the NCAA doesn't ban them. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Rob Lowe is always watching you, even when he's taking a photo of something else. Unnerving. (Lance King/Getty Images)

It is unclear whether Delaware's Elena Delle Donne passed her most recent physical. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

A brief disagreement. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)

Love, love, love this shot of Kenny Boynton being defended by Mardracus Wade. His right ankle is taking all the pressure, while his body remains squarely balanced. The left toe is almost perpendicular to the floor, and the ball and shift is on. A terrific capture of a basketball move and body balance. (Beth Hall/US PRESSWIRE)

Jack Blankenship's photo took over for a day and a half. Now it seems played out. (Hal Yeager/The Birmingham News)

Missouri guard Michael Dixon regrets. Kansas celebrates. The rivalry is over. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

MARCH/APRIL

Draymond Green kisses the floor goodbye in his final home game. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)

Kyle O'Quinn gives CBS TV a shining moment after one of the most defining and enthralling NCAA tournament upsets in the past decade. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

Lehigh coach Brett Reed turns to his fans after Lehigh beats Duke, 75-70. Two 15s win in one day -- unprecedented, and it could be decades before we see it again. (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Kendall Marshall's Carolina career -- and the team's title-winning chances -- ended on this play. (US Presswire)

If a player has a college career end like this, he's one of the lucky ones. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Wisconsin loses to Syracuse. (US Presswire)

The awesome thing about this play is that it led to a breakaway layup by Doron Lamb. (US Presswire)

Awesome/terrifying shot. One eye, one brow. It will eat/kill/burn you alive. (US Presswire)

The Cats get Cal his first crown. (US Presswire)

The season begins and ends with Barnes. Two very different frames -- of photo and mind. (Stephen Mitchell/Daily Tar Heel)