Finally. The long, empty summer endured by the Mighty Maniacs is finally over, as the UB basketball teams tip off their seasons Friday night against Canisius College. The games are some of the best events on campus, as they are free and exciting. The relationship between the teams and the loyal fans is something special, and should continue into this season.
The UB basketball program has a room to grow on the court, but they have made great strides in the stands. Fans will hopefully turn out to experience competitive basketball, an engaging environment and friendly players. The energy between the fans and the players builds during the game, as the team often rides the momentum created by their supporters.
There is no real reason not to attend UB basketball games. They are free, indoors, and due to shuttle busses, easy to access from all dorms and apartments. Live basketball is always a pleasure, and when students can collectively root for their school, it creates a sense of community that feeds off itself.
The idea to have the doubleheader with both the men and women's team is excellent. The men's team has a more outgoing fan-base that can be transferred over to support the women. By bringing the two games together, fans only need to make one trip and it saves time in arena setup department.
Students who attend the games will be treated to many different things. The school does an excellent job of filling in the time between the game with various giveaways and competitions. The stands are right on top of the action, and there are no bad seats in the entire arena. Everyone is involved.
UB basketball is also a chance for true college sports fans to come out of their shells. The home football season ended weeks ago, and something needs to fill that void. It is the naturally progression to make this transition, and UB has handled it gracefully, hyping up the date of the game for the last few weeks.
Hopefully, Alumni Arena will be rocking tomorrow night, and a full house will witness a victorious start to a successful season.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
