XU v UMass 1995 in the Garden

[PURPLE REIGN]

I’ve seen a few posts indicating what a fantastic atmosphere yesterday‘s game was versus UConn.

The best environment I can ever remember was playing Marcus Camby and John Callipari’s UMass team in 1995 or 1996 at the Cincinnati Garden. First of all the venue was special but also UMAss was very highly ranked. They wound up going to the Final Four that year. XU led the entire game but lost a heart breaker at the end. Anyone else attend this game? Anyone know where I may find this game or highlights?

[GoMuskies]

I was there, but it was 1996, not 1995 ('95-'96 was our first year in the A-10). UMass was undefeated and #1. Xavier gave up a lead right at the end of regulation and lost in OT.

Yesterday's atmosphere was good, but in my opinion wasn't close to the Gardens in 1999 for #1 UC. An insane two hours.

[GoMuskies]

Here's a game recap:

https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1996-02-05-1996036092-story.html

[XU_Lou]

I’ve seen a few posts indicating what a fantastic atmosphere yesterday‘s game was versus UConn.

The best environment I can ever remember was playing Marcus Camby and John Callipari’s UMass team in 1995 or 1996 at the Cincinnati Garden. First of all the venue was special but also UMAss was very highly ranked. They wound in going to the Final Four that year. XU led the entire game but lost a heart breaker at the end. Anyone else attend this game? Anyone know where I may find this game or highlights?

I was there - it was freaking awesome!

[Masterofreality]

I’ve seen a few posts indicating what a fantastic atmosphere yesterday‘s game was versus UConn.

The best environment I can ever remember was playing Marcus Camby and John Callipari’s UMass team in 1995 or 1996 at the Cincinnati Garden. First of all the venue was special but also UMAss was very highly ranked. They wound in going to the Final Four that year. XU led the entire game but lost a heart breaker at the end. Anyone else attend this game? Anyone know where I may find this game or highlights?

I have this game in my archives. If you send me a Private Message I can send you a DVD of it.

But I don’t think anything tops the VILLANOVA game in 2016 when they were #1 and Xavier won.

[XUGRAD80]

I’ve seen a few posts indicating what a fantastic atmosphere yesterday‘s game was versus UConn.

The best environment I can ever remember was playing Marcus Camby and John Callipari’s UMass team in 1995 or 1996 at the Cincinnati Garden. First of all the venue was special but also UMAss was very highly ranked. They wound in going to the Final Four that year. XU led the entire game but lost a heart breaker at the end. Anyone else attend this game? Anyone know where I may find this game or highlights?

I was there. Still the loudest crowd I’ve ever been a part of. Saturday was great. The games mentioned elsewhere in this thread were all great too. But nothing in mind compares to that UMass game in regards to the level of sound.

[Masterofreality]

I was there. Still the loudest crowd I’ve ever been a part of. Saturday was great. The games mentioned elsewhere in this thread were all great too. But nothing in mind compares to that UMass game in regards to the level of sound.

Partly because the Gardens was acoustically horrible.
Shouts in that building echoed 3X over. Noise on Noise.
You should have gone to a Grand Funk Railroad concert in there! :crazy::crazy:

[xukeith]

Padilla and Travieso? Names correct of Umass guards?

[UCGRAD4X]

George Thorogood was pretty raucous too.

That UMASS game is still tops in my book as well.

[PURPLE REIGN]

I appreciate these responses. Nice to know I wasn't the only one who had that game at/near the top of my list. It's been 28 years so I figured I would be alone and my memory had betrayed me.

IMO it was a combination of the venue (Gardens), UMass ranking, the fact we were in a new league and not expected to compete, etc. It was so loud in the beginning....and it NEVER stopped. Incredible.

[D-West & PO-Z]

I’ve seen a few posts indicating what a fantastic atmosphere yesterday‘s game was versus UConn.

The best environment I can ever remember was playing Marcus Camby and John Callipari’s UMass team in 1995 or 1996 at the Cincinnati Garden. First of all the venue was special but also UMAss was very highly ranked. They wound up going to the Final Four that year. XU led the entire game but lost a heart breaker at the end. Anyone else attend this game? Anyone know where I may find this game or highlights?


I was there, but it was 1996, not 1995 ('95-'96 was our first year in the A-10). UMass was undefeated and #1. Xavier gave up a lead right at the end of regulation and lost in OT.

Yesterday's atmosphere was good, but in my opinion wasn't close to the Gardens in 1999 for #1 UC. An insane two hours.

I wasnt at the UMASS game but my dad always references that as the loudest Xavier game he has attended. I was at the '99 shootout (my dad was not). I was 13, it was my first shootout, and that is the loudest XU game I have ever attended. The sound just reverberated like crazy there.

[X-man]

I’ve seen a few posts indicating what a fantastic atmosphere yesterday‘s game was versus UConn.

The best environment I can ever remember was playing Marcus Camby and John Callipari’s UMass team in 1995 or 1996 at the Cincinnati Garden. First of all the venue was special but also UMAss was very highly ranked. They wound up going to the Final Four that year. XU led the entire game but lost a heart breaker at the end. Anyone else attend this game? Anyone know where I may find this game or highlights?

I was there as well. It was a fabulous game, even though the ending sucked. I did run into Skip Prosser shortly after that game and told him that as fans, we were thrilled to be in the A10 and that the UMass game was exactly why we felt that way. Skip kind of gave me the fish-eye. I don't think he felt the same way.

[kane79]

that game was also memorable as the game Tyrone Hill had his jersey retired. I was a sophmore in high school and it was pretty amazing

[D-West & PO-Z]

that game was also memorable as the game Tyrone Hill had his jersey retired. I was a sophmore in high school and it was pretty amazing

Interesting fun fact, I didn't realize that, thanks.

[cutterX]

I was also at that game and tell my 23 year old son all the time how loud and electric the Gardens was that day. If I remember correctly it was an early afternoon tipoff on a Sunday I think and I got there early. I loved the Gardens because you could walk around the outside of the entire court area of the arena and get fairly close to the players on the court. I remember thinking that this venue hadn't seen that kind of buzz since the Beatles played it in the 60's.

I was also at the 99 shootout but I still think the atmosphere was more charged up for the Umass team for some reason.
I think Juco transfer Kevin Carr had the game of his life.

Great memories.

Add the Uconn game now to this list too as it felt like old times again in Muskie Fandom

[bleedXblue]

Was the first game that I really tuned into and started watching Xavier. Yes, a grad in 91' but didn't really follow them much. After this game I was hooked and started buying season tickets when we moved to the Tas' in 2000.