Column: Support from Saturday's crowd amazing
Collin Whitchurch / Assistant Sports Editor
Issue date: 2/23/09 Section: Sports
The rowdy 1,233 fans who came out to support the Eastern women's basketball team on Senior Day Saturday impressed head coach Brady Sallee.
But the crowd was around 1,100 less than the program-record crowd of 2,358.
A game last season against Illinois had that attendance, but Sallee said this crowd was better for one simple reason.
"The difference is that everyone who was at this game was here to see us," Sallee said after the 84-69 overtime loss to Murray State. "I think that for Illinois maybe people were here to see the opponent, but that wasn't the case today."
The most impressive part of the crowd Saturday was not so much their presence, but the atmosphere they created. The Blue Crew section was filled and standing and cheering throughout. Likewise, the crowd of parents, faculty, and supporters around the community was very much into the game. They were wearing shirts supporting the seniors and waving signs with cardboard cutouts of the faces of each senior.
It was also nice to see President Bill Perry; Dan Nadler, vice president for Student Affairs; and Blair Lord, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, not only attending the game, but standing and cheering down the stretch along with the rest of the fans.
It was a sight to see.
Despite the loss, the showing on Saturday was a telling sign of just how far the women's basketball program at Eastern has come. Based on everything said by coaches and players, it is hard to imagine a crowd like that showing up three or four years ago when the team was consistently winning only 10 or so games each season.
It is also a testament to how much the five seniors who were honored Saturday have given to the program and community. There were several teary eyes in Lantz Arena after the game, not just from players, but from hundreds of fans sad to see the five women who brought the Eastern basketball program back to prominence play their final home game.
But fans should not forget that they have a chance to see the team one more time this season, and it would be great to see the atmosphere from Saturday recreated when the Panthers host a first round game in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament March 3.
So while Eastern lost an emotional game Saturday, the atmosphere proved to be a victory for the program. A result of four years of hard work honored one more time.
Collin Whitchurch can be reached at 581-7944 or cfwhitchurch@eiu.edu.
But the crowd was around 1,100 less than the program-record crowd of 2,358.
A game last season against Illinois had that attendance, but Sallee said this crowd was better for one simple reason.
"The difference is that everyone who was at this game was here to see us," Sallee said after the 84-69 overtime loss to Murray State. "I think that for Illinois maybe people were here to see the opponent, but that wasn't the case today."
The most impressive part of the crowd Saturday was not so much their presence, but the atmosphere they created. The Blue Crew section was filled and standing and cheering throughout. Likewise, the crowd of parents, faculty, and supporters around the community was very much into the game. They were wearing shirts supporting the seniors and waving signs with cardboard cutouts of the faces of each senior.
It was also nice to see President Bill Perry; Dan Nadler, vice president for Student Affairs; and Blair Lord, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, not only attending the game, but standing and cheering down the stretch along with the rest of the fans.
It was a sight to see.
Despite the loss, the showing on Saturday was a telling sign of just how far the women's basketball program at Eastern has come. Based on everything said by coaches and players, it is hard to imagine a crowd like that showing up three or four years ago when the team was consistently winning only 10 or so games each season.
It is also a testament to how much the five seniors who were honored Saturday have given to the program and community. There were several teary eyes in Lantz Arena after the game, not just from players, but from hundreds of fans sad to see the five women who brought the Eastern basketball program back to prominence play their final home game.
But fans should not forget that they have a chance to see the team one more time this season, and it would be great to see the atmosphere from Saturday recreated when the Panthers host a first round game in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament March 3.
So while Eastern lost an emotional game Saturday, the atmosphere proved to be a victory for the program. A result of four years of hard work honored one more time.
Collin Whitchurch can be reached at 581-7944 or cfwhitchurch@eiu.edu.
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