Stop number four on the HLN Student Section Challenge Tour brought me to UIC as the Flames hosted # 20 Butler for a Saturday afternoon match up.
Just before the ball was tipped, all the pieces seemed to be in place for a great showing by the UIC students. Five hundred-plus co-eds were taunting the Bulldogs with five minutes left to go in warm ups and the Pavilion was getting loud.
Even through the first few minutes of the contest the Flames were hanging in with one of the nation's top teams and the student section was doing their part to help. Then Gordon Hayward and the Bulldogs dropped the hammer en route to an 84-55 slaying of the Flames.
My sympathy goes out to the UIC students because I know they came out ready to compete for the trophy. But to give the readers some perspective on how dead things were on Saturday, the loudest applause I heard all game was at the 15-minute mark of the 2nd half when the athletic department gave out free pizza.
There isn't a student section in the country that looks good during a 29-point blowout. Although there is one thing I will say about the UIC students that I have not seen on any other campus yet ...attitude.
For a team that dwells in the basement of the conference standings, their students carry a swagger about them that certainly garners my respect. One of these students is Dan Campbell (see video below). Dan was chosen as the UIC Student Section Representative in the HLN Ultimate Fan Contest and is now entered into a drawing to win tickets and hotel accommodations to the 2010 Speedway Horizon League Men's Basketball Championship game on March 9.
In conclusion, great effort UIC but your Flames didn't give you much to cheer for.
Rumor has it that Wright State has a top shelf student section...we'll see on Saturday (1/30).
Stay Crazy, Horizon League!
-Mike
Remaining Challenge Tour Dates
Jan. 30: Loyola at Wright State
Feb. 6: Detroit at Valparaiso
Feb. 13: Butler at Cleveland State
Feb. 16: Cleveland State at Green Bay
Feb. 20: TBA at Detroit (BracketBuster Game)
Feb. 27: Detroit at Youngstown State
Tags: UIC - Men's Basketball
