The Daily Campus

Issue date: 2/11/09 Section: Commentary

Other than housing, it's the only other thing on campus that has needed a lottery. Before it switched to a lottery system, students camped out in tents to get season tickets. Even if they can't camp out for tickets anymore, students are still camping out for front seats. And people who didn't get tickets are willing to pay a pretty penny for them. We're talking about UConn basketball here - and it's a big deal.

It's a very exciting time for UConn fans. This is the first time since 2004 that the men and women's teams could both feasibly win the national championship. This past November, Sports Illustrated featured Hasheem Thabeet and Maya Moore on one of six regional covers for their College Basketball Preview issue, along with rankings that listed Connecticut as second in the men's top 10 and first in the women's. This season, both teams have proved not only that they deserved those rankings - they've gone above what was expected. As of Feb. 7, the women have averaged 86.6 points per game while holding their opponents to only 53.8. Since their disappointing loss to Georgetown in this season's Big East opener, the men have won 11 straight games to rise to the No. 1 ranking.

This season has brought a sense of pride to the entire UConn community, not just basketball fans. It's boosted school spirit on all fronts, from bandwagon fans to nostalgic alumni. While some people may believe that basketball is simply a sport and nothing more, and that basketball players don't deserve special treatment, the fact is our teams do a lot for this campus.

They're bringing people to the campus and attracting positive attention. They're exciting everyone. Game attendance is huge with both teams selling out their student sections, and there's not much that's more exhilarating than cheering on your team with fellow students. It's exciting to throw parties to watch the away games, and it's not very hard to find fellow fans to join in. C'mon, who doesn't love it when A.J. Price knocks down a 3-pointer or Jerome Dyson drives hard for a layup and draws a foul? How can you not feel good when the women's team constantly beats their opponents by at least 20 points with 4 or more players scoring in double figures? They're strengthening the school spirit on campus and statewide.

This is a great time to recognize the hard work that our basketball players, coaches and staff have put into the sport year after year. Even when they're not No. 1 in the conference or winning every game, they're something that the university can be especially proud of. They've brought joy to their fans, intense competition to their opponents (that any sports fan can appreciate), positive attention to the university and an overall sense of pride and school spirit, not only to the University of Connecticut, but the entire state.

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