Jeff McCarragher canâÂÂt really describe what itâÂÂs like when Kansas UniversityâÂÂs menâÂÂs basketball team plays in Allen Fieldhouse.

ThatâÂÂs unusual for a man who makes his living painting word pictures.

âÂÂYou canâÂÂt put it into words,â said McCarragher, a KU graduate who is now the play-by-play radio broadcaster for the UNC Greensboro menâÂÂs basketball team.

âÂÂIâÂÂve tried to explain it,â McCarragher said. âÂÂI can remember being in the student section and Kansas would be up by 20 and weâÂÂre yelling so loud youâÂÂd think it was a two-point game.

âÂÂIt was so deafening it was hard to maintain your equilibrium. When we were students, we were ruthless.âÂÂ

Later, McCarragher, a 1997 grad, had worked his way down from the student section to the east sideline where he was broadcasting KU games for KJHK, the student radio station.

A native of Iowa City, Iowa, McCarragher came to Mount Oread because he wanted to be a meteorologist.

âÂÂThe best schools were Iowa State and Kansas,â he said, âÂÂand being from Iowa City I couldnâÂÂt see going to Iowa State, so I visited KU and I loved it.âÂÂ

After a couple of years at KU, McCarragher decided he didnâÂÂt love meteorology that much so he switched to broadcast journalism, specifically sports, when veteran broadcaster and KU professor Tom Hedrick suggested he give it a try.

âÂÂI took a tape recorder to Memorial Stadium where Lawrence High, I think, was in a playoff game,â McCarragher said, âÂÂand I sat up at the top all by myself and did that football game, and Tom said it sounded pretty good.âÂÂ

During the summer after he graduated, McCarragher wrangled a job as host on Royals Central, a studio show that inserted scores from around the country into Royalsâ broadcasts. That gig led him to his first play-by-play baseball job with the Greensboro Bats, a Yankeesâ Class A farm club.

At the same time, he hooked on as UNCGâÂÂs menâÂÂs basketball play-by-play man during Fran McCafferyâÂÂs first year as the Spartansâ head coach.

âÂÂI came at a great time,â McCarragher said. âÂÂFran McCaffery has really turned the program around. HeâÂÂs gone from five wins to 12 wins to 15 wins to 20 wins last year.âÂÂ

UNCG qualified for Friday nightâÂÂs Preseason NIT meeting with Kansas by disposing of Wagner College, 84-65, on Tuesday night.

During his stint as the Voice of the Spartans, McCarragherâÂÂs college roots have become common knowledge Ãi¿½” particularly among the veteran UNCG players, like senior forward Luke Boythe.

âÂÂWith about eight seconds left and the game pretty well in hand,â McCarragher related, âÂÂLuke was at mid-court and he looked over at me and said, âÂÂ’Rock Chalk Jayhawk. WeâÂÂre going to Kansas.âÂÂâÂÂ

And a homecoming for Jeff McCarragher.

âÂÂIâÂÂm really excited,â he said, âÂÂI think the last time I was in Allen Fieldhouse I did the KU-Iowa State game for KJHK.âÂÂ