NIT @ The Garden

[JTG]

How about some feedback from folks who were at the game. I'm curious about the turnout, the crowd, atmosphere etc. Didn't look to be many XU fans, and you couldn't really tell from the tv who the crowd got behind. It was extremely entertaining with the 17 lead changes. And the last minute was electric.

[JAPER]

Japer was there.

In live outside DC. Science Fair judge at my kids ES yesterday morning. Thought I’d be finished by noon. Judged the final and didn’t hit the road until ~2pm. Somehow made to Hoboken NJ, hopped on the PATH train and made it for the tip to meet some of my friends and XU grads and my nephew who works in the city.

75% of crowd was A/M fans. Nice folk by and large with some 80s style hair doos but whatever’s. 20% of crowd was Xavier fans. We were mixed in with one another and there really wasn’t a Xavier section except the group behind the X bench. The other 5% were locals who seemed to be pulling for X more or less. Some Seton Hall fans for example.

Don’t know what the attendance was, 5-6K? Maybe less. Great atmosphere and fun competitive game.

Texas folk high-tailed it out of the Garden after their boys shot rimmed out. Several hundred X fans stayed behind to get court level shots of the cutting of the nets and shots with players/coaches and Coach Miller who seemed to not want to share in any of the glory of Coach Hayes’ and the boys day.

X crowd seemed to erupt when jack’s banker went in with 3 sec to go. That was a nice moment in my X fandom career for sure and I’ve been to NCAA games back in the 90’s/00’s.

My buddies and I were cheering “Shades of ‘58” on the way out of the Garden and “69th place” clap, clap, clap-clap-clap.

That my journey entry for March 31st, 2022. Peace out.

[whopper]

i went tues and thurs from Conn and with a $20 round trip(senior) i bought a cheap(20) Stubhub ticket and went to both games. For the final i was sitting by myself on end line, ushers kept asking would i like better seat..i said "Yes..as long as it does not cost" and after 5 min i was seated 6 seats away from SHawn Miller (I noticed him but casual fan may not have). I was on an ESPN still when they focused on it (picture courtesy of X grad son in law) and had a great view of everythign. I think it would have been a $300 ticket to a Knick game. What a night and home by 1130

[XUBison]

i went tues and thurs from Conn and with a $20 round trip(senior) i bought a cheap(20) Stubhub ticket and went to both games. For the final i was sitting by myself on end line, ushers kept asking would i like better seat..i said "Yes..as long as it does not cost" and after 5 min i was seated 6 seats away from SHawn Miller (I noticed him but casual fan may not have). I was on an ESPN still when they focused on it (picture courtesy of X grad son in law) and had a great view of everythign. I think it would have been a $300 ticket to a Knick game. What a night and home by 1130

I love your stories. Seriously, I love reading your posts.

[whopper]

thanks, i first went to MSG in mid 70s to see "holiday tournament" with friend's uncle(a big hoop star and met bob cousy). Saw Larry Bird's first game and many Big East tournament games(from late 90s as uconn alumni and last few years as X dad). This was first single elimination final and maybe best(and last ) game i ever saw as moving to Kenwood in June from Conn. Sadly i have been doing this for a long time. Thanks for complement

[JTG]

Thanks for the info. I wanted to get a feel for what it was like in MSG that night as an X fan.

[Masterofreality]

From Guys I know who were there:
The crowd was about 5,000. That won’t really cut it in the Garden. That is a reason why it probably won’t be back.
The Xavier Band was there and great and there were probably around 1,000-1,500 true X fans and X sympathizers from Big East schools.
There are numerous Xavier alums in the NY, NJ and Connecticut area and they had a decent showing. Many showed up at The Keg pregame. That is Xavier’s home bar during the Big East Tournament and about a block away.
Lots of people who had bought tix were allowed-even encouraged-.to move down closer to the court to look better for TV. The lack of a close by team in the finals hurt attendance.
The insanity after the win made it all worth it, of course

[X-man]

thanks, i first went to MSG in mid 70s to see "holiday tournament" with friend's uncle(a big hoop star and met bob cousy). Saw Larry Bird's first game and many Big East tournament games(from late 90s as uconn alumni and last few years as X dad). This was first single elimination final and maybe best(and last ) game i ever saw as moving to Kenwood in June from Conn. Sadly i have been doing this for a long time. Thanks for complement

My first NBA game was at a different "garden", Boston Garden, where I saw Bill Russell put the wood to Wilt the Stilt. Needless to say, I was hooked on hoops after that.

[X-band '01]

From Guys I know who were there:
The crowd was about 5,000. That won’t really cut it in the Garden. That is a reason why it probably won’t be back.
The Xavier Band was there and great and there were probably around 1,000-1,500 true X fans and X sympathizers from Big East schools.
There are numerous Xavier alums in the NY, NJ and Connecticut area and they had a decent showing. Many showed up at The Keg pregame. That is Xavier’s home bar during the Big East Tournament and about a block away.
Lots of people who had bought tix were allowed-even encouraged-.to move down closer to the court to look better for TV. The lack of a close by team in the finals hurt attendance.
The insanity after the win made it all worth it, of course

That crowd will look great in the Palestra. It'll also look small if they play the NIT at either Hinkle or the Dump.