Saturday afternoons are the best time to attend college basketball games, and if possible on campus. I understand when schools have to schedule games at the local pro arena because of the scope of the game. There are even situations (like NYC and Milwaukee) where MSG and FiServe are within easy walks of the schools they serve.

However, there is nothing quite like the on-campus experience on a Saturday afternoon, even during Winter break. It’s even more fun if you’re rooting for the visiting team because you learn about another school’s traditions.

Because of my cousin Dan’s alertness, I attended my first Loyola University basketball game in a few years yesterday morning at 1130. Of equal importance, he was able to coral some other cousins for the matinee with South Florida. While LU is my secondary team, it’s the one I’ve followed longer (52 years) and easier to connect with. Dad had an even longer relationship (62 years) so it’s not in my blood, rather the Ramblers are coursing through my veins.

The campus has changed dramatically since the team made the final four in 2018, not to mention in the past twenty years. Long gone is the Alumni gym, a staple on college campuses for years. Rife with unique traditions, the gymnasiums were characterized by seating that placed the fans on top of the players and often in coaches’ back pockets.

With a far nicer student building (connected to the Gentile Center), I met my cousins outside of an alumni gathering. Egad, some folks were enjoying beer. Not sure what they would have been like when I was on campus in the late 80’s. The PLCB, Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board ruled back then, and Philadelphia campuses were dry back then.

It was a latish arriving student crowd, but those of us waiting Sister Jean’s pregame blessing were pretty stoked. I guess the students were as psyched about the a.m. start as we were. Nothing like having the rest of a Saturday to get stuff done.

Historically, the local neighborhood has supported the team, but since the success of 2018, students and young alums have been more supportive of the program. What made yesterday’s game so enjoyable was attending with family-all of whom had enjoyed Dad’s company and enthusiasm at games. As it happened the Ramblers won in dramatic fashion 74-72 having only led for about 3 of 40 minutes. What the AP story failed to note was how the held off the Bulls who were down 3 points and shooting two free throws with a couple seconds remaining. The shooter and top scorer, Jayden Reid (23 points), made his first free throw, and almost executed the perfect miss-tip to tie the game.

Instead, the Ramblers held on to improve to 8-0 on the season. Years ago, Loyola played some of their home games at the Rosemont Horizon and it was dreadful for many reasons. Not the least of those was the absence of students. About seventeen years ago, I attended my first game at Hinkel Fieldhouse in suburban Indy. It was a snowy Saturday afternoon game, and the first game between Top 20 teams at the historic fieldhouse. I didn’t have a rooting interest in either Butler or Southern Illinois, but there was no place I’d rather be.

During my college years, games with bigger opponents forced us to play some games at the Spectrum. Maybe Patrick Ewing warranted that, but I preferred games on campus or at the historic Palestra. While they bussed us to LaSalle and St. Joe’s, most Big Five games were played at the Palestra. Over the years, politics and egos got in the way of the Big Five and many games have been relegated to Wells Fargo Arena on the pro sports campus. Coincidentally, yesterday at 3pm, Villanova and Temple faced off in the first of two games of the Big Five Classic. St. Joe’s and Lasalle played in game two.

As much fun as it is to attend professional sporting events, rooting on players that are really little more than a bunch of numbers and nifty stats whom we think we know because of what we read and hear, but are little more than that. We appreciate their talents, hard work and achievements, but we don’t know them from Adam and despite what they say in postgame interviews, really don’t worry that much about the fans.

Conversely, college students may not be as well versed in the game(s) or relevant stats, but they know the players. They attend classes together, eat in food halls, walk the quad. Not every school has this strong athlete-student bond, but when one attends games on campus, you can see or feel if one exists. I’ve no doubt that the current student population is feeding off the success of the ’18/19 teams.

We concluded the day with an excellent meal at a local establishment. Even though nobody celebrated the victory with ice cream, Dad would have given the experience 4 stars.