John Norman: Sitting in the stands at last night's game was by far one of my favorite moments in my four years here at UB. From the play of the team to the people in the stands, it seemed as if this night had been perfectly planned for years.
On the court, the Bulls played as complete a game as I've ever seen them play. They showed real character by out-hustling and out-working the first place Golden Flashes. Between Yassin Idbihi popping threes like Peja Stojakovic, Daniel Gilbert's fantastic layups and an all-around effort on defense, the on the court effort was simply amazing.
But, the night wasn't just special because of a breakthrough victory for the basketball team, but because, for the first time I can remember this school felt as if the students united behind something.
As time ran down on the Bulls' huge win, the 2700 students at the game started chanting "over-rated" and the classic "hey, hey, hey, goodbye" chant. Almost every one of the UB faithful had a smile on their face.
When everyone charged the floor, students were slapping each other on the back, giving each other high fives and raising their hands together in the middle. It really felt like a college atmosphere for probably the first time since Carolina came here in 1999. And like coach Witherspoon said, this time it was all for the Bulls.
Darren Riethmiller: 6:20 p.m. On my way over to the Arena I see something that has been non-existent in my four years here at UB; Both adjacent parking lots of Alumni Arena were packed and I see herds upon herds of people making their way to the back entrance of Alumni.
6:30 p.m. I take a glance to check out the pre-game drills for both schools and was amazed at the amount of students already at their seats, or fighting for the closest seat. I swear I saw more fans at 6:30 p.m. than the season average of around 3,000.
7:00 p.m. The crowd is pumped with the "Reggie" chants along with the hilarious chants against Kent State and then the game is on.
Never in my four years here at this University have I been witness to such an amazing display of basketball and fan support. I've seen UB blow out Marshall, escape the Gallagher Center with a last second shot to beat Niagara, but this was against Kent State - the cream of the crop of the MAC for the last six years. UB just didn't beat KSU, they handed them their derriere on a silver platter.
I wanted to rush the court with my fellow students, I wanted to stand up and chant "over-rated" and I wanted to be able high five the people sitting next to me when Calvin Cage drained his first three ball or when Yassin Idbihi drained one of his 3's and laughed all the way back to the defensive end of the court.
I couldn't, but I had some pretty sweet seats.
Jim Byrne: How can you even begin to describe the happenings in Amitrano Arena on Wednesday night? It was a 200-megaton explosion of everything that college athletics should be.
I was so nervous leading up to the game and during the beginning where the Bulls traded 3-bombs with the Flashes. I felt nervous for the Bulls, the fans and the university as a whole. It was as intense as intense could possibly be.
If you are not affiliated with this university in any way, you will never understand how important Wednesday night's game was. It meant more than anyone could ever imagine.
I will never forget that release of ecstatic emotion as the clock ticked down to zero. Hearing the screams of joy, seeing the ear-to-ear smiles and watching the ocean of blue flash flood onto the court put me on a level I never knew possible.
It was something I have never experienced here, something that dreams are truly made of.
It was unreal. It was surreal. It was the most beautiful thing I've ever witnessed at UB in my nearly four years here.
You could hear our Buffalo Bulls knocking on the door all season long. They were coming and you knew that eventually they would step through into the limelight and our longing hearts.
On Wednesday night they blew that door off of its hinges and splintered it into 6,197 pieces.
Our time has finally come.
