An Emotional Night (Long post alert)

[brewcity77]

I've seen the BC more packed, and I've heard the BC louder, but I have never experienced a more jubilant atmosphere at the BC than last night. As we came back in those 6 minutes, the building transitioned from despondency to hope to joy. Sam's monster three, Katin taking over the point and drilling that ice cold shot to tie it up before calmly putting us ahead at the line.

Right before tip-off, I told my wife that I believed we could win. She knows Villanova is good, but doesn't follow rankings, and asked me what Villanova was ranked. I held up one finger, and she just chuckled and rolled her eyes. She knows I'm the constant optimist when it comes to Marquette basketball, so I don't think she had the belief I did.

Suffice to say, that belief was tested severely. With 6 minutes on the clock, I thought "we're getting blown out again, but every time I watch us play 'Nova I feel like we can beat them." I know there were disbelievers after that Philly game, but I really felt then as I did last night that we should be more competitive with them. And then that happened.

With about 2 minutes in the game and the chances of an upset starting to look tantalizingly realistic, a stream of about 20-30 students poured through our section headed down to the court. I saw the usher step forward initially to stop them, but when that many kids come by and you're just one guy, there's nothing you can do. He stepped back as quickly as he stepped forward and let them pass. My wife asked where they were going and I told her "They're getting ready to storm the court if we win." Her response was "But they don't allow that here." I just smiled and said "How are a couple barricades and maybe 20 security guards going to stop a couple thousand kids?"

As Nova took the final possession with energy surging through the crowd, I leaned over to my wife and said "If we can keep them scoreless for 8.8 seconds, we will beat the #1 team in the country." Villanova came down, the shot went up, Sam secured the rebound, and mass hysteria ensued. The students poured onto the court. I didn't storm the court myself, though a part of me wished I was in my 20s again. Alas, 40 is looming next year and as we all know thanks to Mike Gundy, that means I'm about to be a man, so those days are past. Instead, I just watched. Watched, recorded, high-fived everyone around me, old and young alike.

I didn't want to leave. I didn't want to go anywhere. That environment was freaking magical. Everyone in the building was so elated. As the crowds started to trickle out, I sat back down and watched the celebrations. I reflected on what this win means for the different segments of the Marquette community.

For those that have kept the faith in Wojo and the direction he's taking the program, last night felt like a massive redemption. It felt like all that faith being paid off. We suffered through that miserable first year, watched as last year's team started to win again but knew it was somewhat hollow due to the scheduling and the lack of a tournament berth. And this year, suffice to say for the moment we sure aren't anywhere close to that bubble anymore. All that faith paying off, because at least last night, we were back on top of the college basketball world. Where we belong.

For those that have taken the wait-and-see approach, I have to imagine last night was that crystallizing moment. It finally all came together, the team found the will, the talent, and admittedly the luck to win a game that most would have thought we wouldn't win.

And for those that were in the "Fire Wojo" camp, those that were disappointed with the direction of the program, I have to imagine last night brought them into the fold. People like 1SE, who were vocal in criticism but have started to see the inklings of promise, last night was that massive "we can freaking do this" moment. To all those people, I just want to say "We are Marquette" and it takes all of us to make our little community what it is. I certainly hope that you are now on board.

Finally, I got up from my seat. I walked to the aisle and high-fived some more students as they came up off the court. As we went outside, chants of "We are Marquette" rang throughout downtown. It wasn't just around the Bradley Center, as we walked west you could hear them echoing off buildings all the way up toward campus. Students were dancing on the sidewalks, arms still in the air, or just running back to campus. Another group was gathered around the light pole on the southeast corner of the BC, with one leading Marquette chants as everyone around him celebrated. My wife leaned over and said "I don't think I've ever seen anyone this happy after a win!" She was right. Certainly not in my lifetime, not at the BC.

Last night felt like it did in Minneapolis when we beat Kentucky. I've attended some big wins at the BC over the years, but for most of those, we expected to win, or at least expected we had a shot. Last night, I think there were a ton of skeptics and non-believers that were converted, and that energy, that raw emotion, it sure as hell felt powerful.

We walked over to Jim's Time Out on Lovell and Wells, largely because the beer is cheap and it's usually a fairly quiet place. It was, but a decent sized Marquette crowd found their way to join us anyway. High-fives all around, conversation with strangers, grads and students alike. The non-Marquette regulars were congratulatory and we all watched the highlights on ESPN.

Absolutely amazing environment. I only recorded a little, but feel free to enjoy the view from my seats:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0VfxUZUiUw

[MUFlutieEffect]

Great post.  Great video.  Both gave me chills.

[warriorchick]

Great post, Brew.

Speaking of rushing the floor, I took some video from our seats in the upper bowl, and then I said to glow, "Let's go down there!"  All of the entrances from the concourse were blocked off by security, so we decided to see if we could sneak in from the Courtside Club.  When we got down there, we saw that we could, and as I was singularly focused on getting to the court, I heard glow (who was a couple of paces behind me), saying, "Great game, Coach!  Congratulations!"  I turned around, and glow was shaking Wojo's hand, who had been walking basically unaccompanied to the press room while his team was still standing on the scorer's table.

That game is going to right up there with the 2013 Butler/MU game at the NCAA's as far as the greatest games I have seen in person.

So far, that is...

[ecompt]

Thanks for the post. You captured the moment beautifully. I am very happy you and your wife got to be a part of it.

[Coleman]

What was actual attendance last night?

What % was upper deck filled?

Just curious for those like me watching at home

[4everwarriors]

I'm figurin' lots of MU folks crossed over the Tempur-Pedic dividin' line last nite and 9 mos from now loads of little Katins, Duanes, and Lukes will be peein' and poopin' in der Huggies, ai na?

[warriorchick]

What was actual attendance last night?

What % was upper deck filled?

Just curious for those like me watching at home

No it was not, but I bet a bunch of folks are kicking themselves for not going.

Also, I found out that it is Rush Week at Marquette, and most of the fraternities and sororities had mandatory attendance last night for members as well as all of the kids who are rushing.  That probably took at least a couple hundred kids out of the student section.

[Babybluejeans]

Great post. Beating #1 is always a huge deal but this was clearly something bigger than that. The signal we've been waiting for--that the pain of the last 3+ years are over-- picked up with the shocker at Creighton and crescendoed last night. It said, "We're back."

[4everwarriors]

Lotta golf left ta be played, hey?

[BubbaWilliams]

Great shout out to Jim's Time Out!

[Coleman]

No it was not, but I bet a bunch of folks are kicking themselves for not going.

Also, I found out that it is Rush Week at Marquette, and most of the fraternities and sororities had mandatory attendance last night for members as well as all of the kids who are rushing.  That probably took at least a couple hundred kids out of the student section.

I didn't ask a yes or no question. I'm looking for attendance numbers and/or % upper deck full....

Also, anyone who puts sororities or fraternities over basketball should leave MU and just go to UW

[1SE]

People like 1SE, who were vocal in criticism but have started to see the inklings of promise, last night was that massive "we can freaking do this" moment. To all those people, I just want to say "We are Marquette" and it takes all of us to make our little community what it is. I certainly hope that you are now on board.

I was on board after Creighton! Didn't you see the .gif?

Great post. I'm thrilled that we've had this success - and my criticism has probably been colored by the fact that I was a student (and there) the last time we beat a number one, and (I think) the last time the BC was stormed. I was spoiled in my MU formative years and it's been rough to have this succession of down years.

The other part of my critique, from the get go, with Wojo was that I felt that, as a program (with the resources we were spending and the decade of NCAA success we were coming off of) we should have been able to grab an "established" coach. That we couldn't felt like a snub and in some ways I felt Wojo was the embodiment of that. *Almost* blue bloods can pick their established coach, they shouldn't have to resort to untested assistants.

But this is undeniable success - we've put it all together for two great wins. Hopefully all the rest of the steps to the dance fall into place, but it's great to revel in MUBB success again.

[mugrad2006]

Thanks Brew, I felt of the lot of that same emotion, although I wasn't near the optimist you are. When Howard fouled out I had one step out the door.

But yeah, I've definitely seen louder, fuller games at the BC. But I don't think I've felt the slow build of emotion and disbelief like that game.

[warriorchick]

I'm figurin' lots of MU folks crossed over the Tempur-Pedic dividin' line last nite and 9 mos from now loads of little Katins, Duanes, and Lukes will be peein' and poopin' in der Huggies, ai na?

Speaking of which, anyone notice Travis Diener was not at the game?  Last night's win was only the second best thing that happened to him yesterday.  Apparently baby Luca Lyle Diener was born as well.

Glow is updating the recruiting thread as we speak. 

[warriorchick]

I didn't ask a yes or no question. I'm looking for attendance numbers and/or % upper deck full....

Also, anyone who puts sororities or fraternities over basketball should leave MU and just go to UW

Sorry - I would say 1/3 full at best.

[Coleman]

Sorry - I would say 1/3 full at best.

Ok. Thanks. Didn't mean to be crabby.

[warriorchick]

Ok. Thanks. Didn't mean to be crabby.

No worries.  I am having major focusing issues today in general. Been at work for almost two hours and haven't gotten a lick of work done.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

Nm

[warriorchick]

I've been critical of Wojo, but I feel like we are now progressing on things that really bothered me earlier in the season (defense still poor, but stronger and more flexible in style, team making more adjustments - like 1-3-1 and our attack of creighton 1-3-1, seniors seem to be stepping up and playing with more energy/leadership as well as making critical plays - particularly Luke, KR and Duane somewhat counts in this group).

So we fight hard, stay competitive in big games and win a few?  Call me satisfied.

I stand by my comment after the G-Town win and Seton Hall loss - no complaints if that team keeps showing up

Get out of here with your performance analysis.  There are plenty of other threads to put that crap.  This one is only for the feels.

[MomofMUltiples]

Speaking of which, anyone notice Travis Diener was not at the game?  Last night's win was only the second best thing that happened to him yesterday.  Apparently baby Luca Lyle Diener was born as well.

Glow is updating the recruiting thread as we speak.

https://twitter.com/DienerTravis/status/824100517278322688

[g0lden3agle]

I didn't realize people went to Jim's Time Out of their own free will

[warriorchick]

I didn't realize people went to Jim's Time Out of their own free will

It was much cooler back in my day when it was the "Ding Dong Bar".  it had cool animated neon lights of bells ringing on the front.

And no, it was not a gay club.

[mu03eng]

This morning:






When Hauser wrangled the last rebound and I basically fainted in my wife's arms

[BM1090]

No it was not, but I bet a bunch of folks are kicking themselves for not going.

Also, I found out that it is Rush Week at Marquette, and most of the fraternities and sororities had mandatory attendance last night for members as well as all of the kids who are rushing.  That probably took at least a couple hundred kids out of the student section.

I had class from 5:30 to 8:15. I gave my two tickets to friends and had them buy me a 3rd ticket so I could meet up with them following the game. I didn't want to miss any of the game but decided I'd make the responsible decision and attend class since The Graduate School costs about $200 per class.

Anyways. I looked at the score when I left...saw we were down 16. I almost didn't even go, since I wouldn't get there until about the 13 minute mark. I quickly changed my mind and sprinted to the BC.

I would have never forgiven myself if I hadn't gone. Outside of NCAA tournament wins and the Big East Championship, it was the best Marquette-related moment of my life. Pure jubilation.

[Mr. Nielsen]

Beating Cincinnati in 2002 & 2003 had great court storming. Fans stayed forever in those win as well.