Where did Jim Nantz go to college? Legendary CBS broadcaster now able to cheer on alma mater Houston Cougars

Dan Treacy

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Where did Jim Nantz go to college? Legendary CBS broadcaster now able to cheer on alma mater Houston Cougars image

March Madness is rolling on without Jim Nantz's voice, but that doesn't mean Nantz has taken a step back from the NCAA Tournament altogether.

The legendary CBS play-by-play announcer was still in the building for a tournament game on Sunday night, as he was spotted in the crowd for No. 1 Houston's matchup with No. 9 Texas A&M.

Nantz retired from NCAA Tournament coverage last season, saying his final goodbye to college basketball broadcasting duties when UConn held off San Diego State in the 2023 national championship game in Houston. Ian Eagle is set to step up as the new voice of the Final Four, but Nantz could very well be in attendance if a certain title contender plays its way to Arizona.

Here's what you need to know about Nantz's connection to Houston, as well as where he grew up. 

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Where did Jim Nantz go to college?

Nantz spent his college days at the University of Houston, playing golf for the Cougars and spending time as future Masters winner Fred Couples' roommate.

It's not hard to see why Nantz fell in love with Houston athletics. While Nantz had some bad luck, graduating from the school just before the basketball program's golden years, Houston reached three consecutive Final Fours from 1982-84 with their iconic "Phi Slama Jama" teams. 

The Cougars missed the NCAA Tournament in 25 of Nantz's first 27 seasons as CBS' lead March Madness broadcaster, but the program experienced a revival in his final few seasons on the call. Nantz was fortunate enough to call a Final Four game featuring Houston in 2021, in the Indianapolis bubble. 

Houston honored Nantz at the Fertitta Center before the Cougars' regular-season finale against Kansas earlier in March. 

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Where is Jim Nantz from?

Nantz has a close connection with Houston, but he didn't grow up in Texas. He was born in Charlotte, N.C. before moving to New Orleans and ultimately to Marlboro Township, N.J. where he attended Marlboro High School.

Nantz then attended the University of Houston, where he played golf and developed a lifelong passion for the school and its sports. He now lives Nashville, Tenn.

Still, it meant something to Nantz that he was able to finish his college basketball broadcasting career in Houston. He was honored during the national championship game in 2023 and indicated before last year's tournament that the Final Four being played in Houston helped convince him that it was the ideal time to step away.

Nantz doesn't currently live in Houston, but part of his legacy in the city is the Nantz National Alzheimer Center at Houston Methodist Hospital, which he opened in 2011 after his father died of Alzheimer's Disease. His passion for the city and its most prominent university could take him all the way to Arizona, where the Cougars are hoping to play for a national championship in April. 

Dan Treacy

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Dan Treacy is a content producer for Sporting News, joining in 2022 after graduating from Boston University. He founded @allsportsnews on Instagram in 2012 and has written for Lineups and Yardbarker.