The Crowd Today

[businesslawyer]

Was at Gampel with my wife today. It was my holiday gift. I rarely go to Gampel — last time was the home loss to Louisville KO’s one championship year. But I was blown away by the intensity of the crowd. I don’t think we win today on a neutral court, much less on the road. That was one of those days where the crowd really ramped up the team’s intensity and seemed to will the players to victory.

Just thought those there deserve a pat on the back. And coming off the surprising UConn fan intensity at Fenway last week, maybe a trend is starting. And I’m not knocking our general fan support at basketball games — we’ve always been a huge help. I just was somewhat surprised how, down between 14 and 11 for the first five minutes of the second half, the crowd stayed intense even when the players weren’t showing it so much.

 

[Deepster]

I was at the Fenway Bowl and have been at MSG and the Elite 8 game against Illinois in Boston and I agree with you. There's something different in terms of overall intensity with our entire sports portfolio right now. The crowd support is taking over games. Period.

 

[NoSpamHere]

Nothing like watching your fans standing and screaming at the court with a beer in each hand on national TV. Shows how much we care

 

[HooperScooper]

Someone please let @cellocgg know.

 

[Hoophound]

Was at Gampel with my wife today. It was my holiday gift. I rarely go to Gampel — last time was the home loss to Louisville KO’s one championship year. But I was blown away by the intensity of the crowd. I don’t think we win today on a neutral court, much less on the road. That was one of those days where the crowd really ramped up the team’s intensity and seemed to will the players to victory.

Just thought those there deserve a pat on the back. And coming off the surprising UConn fan intensity at Fenway last week, maybe a trend is starting. And I’m not knocking our general fan support at basketball games — we’ve always been a huge help. I just was somewhat surprised how, down between 14 and 11 for the first five minutes of the second half, the crowd stayed intense even when the players weren’t showing it so much.

Our basketball fans really do love the Big East. It was great to see similar support for football at Fenway. The timing feels right this time. We are going places. The fanbase is big time.

 

[Willy Gee]

I've been to several games at gampel since I moved back to ct 3 yrs ago. The crowds are much louder than 30 yrs ago. I was there today. Good crowd, but I heard much louder last year. Creighton games was unreal.

 

[cellocgg]

Someone please let @cellocgg know.

I am feeling much better

 

[UConnTrumbull]

Well said. Hurley even said as much in his presser. This team needs the fan support more than last few years’ teams.

 

[willie99]

It's been like that for a while IMHO

BET vs Louisville 2011
E8 vs MSU 2014
MSG games the last two years
E8 vs IL 2024
All home games vs good teams

We're good

 

[CTBasketball]

The 1H was so bad the crowd had no life. 2H it came alive and helped get us to the finish line.

My one critique is that we need to stop playing music during Big Red’s chants.

 

[auror]

The crowd was really looking for an excuse to get excited in the second half and it helped the team a lot, for sure.

Guys like Reed and Mahaney that are not as certain as to their ability on this team go to another level when the crowd does as well.

 

[RuffRuff]

I was at the Fenway Bowl and have been at MSG and the Elite 8 game against Illinois in Boston and I agree with you. There's something different in terms of overall intensity with our entire sports portfolio right now. The crowd support is taking over games. Period.

Was at that Elite 8 game and the Nova game at Gampel last year, as well as multiple MSG games. The Nova game felt like the Dome was going to blow off Gampel. The fan support has been unreal. Winning and a super charismatic coach has a way of doing that, especially after a dark age.

 

[MrSec224]

There was one play the crowd was at its hottest today. Down 1 and Alex had a three he missed but if that one went down it would have required a new roof.

 

[Scoe]

There were multiple times the crowd stood up and applauded to try and get the team going when we were trailing by double digits.

 

[TroyHall98]

It's been like that for a while IMHO

BET vs Louisville 2011
E8 vs MSU 2014
MSG games the last two years
E8 vs IL 2024
All home games vs good teams

We're good

Agree that it’s been like that for a while. I go back to the Syracuse game at Gampel in Jan 1995 and the Michigan State game at Gampel in 1999 as the loudest I’ve ever heard.

 

[Dove]

There was one play the crowd was at its hottest today. Down 1 and Alex had a three he missed but if that one went down it would have required a new roof.

The Marco Patoni tiles are Championship caliber. They can withstand nuclear wars. They are much more advanced than Enzo's more beautiful, but basic, tile.

 

[HuskyNan]

Except for the women’s first game vs BU, both teams have had home game sellouts

 

[huskyjawz]

Was at Gampel with my wife today. It was my holiday gift. I rarely go to Gampel — last time was the home loss to Louisville KO’s one championship year. But I was blown away by the intensity of the crowd. I don’t think we win today on a neutral court, much less on the road. That was one of those days where the crowd really ramped up the team’s intensity and seemed to will the players to victory.

Just thought those there deserve a pat on the back. And coming off the surprising UConn fan intensity at Fenway last week, maybe a trend is starting. And I’m not knocking our general fan support at basketball games — we’ve always been a huge help. I just was somewhat surprised how, down between 14 and 11 for the first five minutes of the second half, the crowd stayed intense even when the players weren’t showing it so much.

I hadn't been to Gampel in a few years, myself. Before @Waquoit gets in a tizzy, Hartford gets loud as well. But as you stated, today the crowd was great. It's interesting to note that I was in the upper deck on the bench seating side. And that entire side was standing for the whole second half and when I looked across the court at the upper deck chair section, they were sitting down. I guess It's a lot better option to stand, when you have a bench seat than when you have a chair.

 

[businesslawyer]

I hadn't been to Gampel in a few years, myself. Before @Waquoit gets in a tizzy, Hartford gets loud as well. But as you stated, today the crowd was great. It's interesting to note that I was in the upper deck on the bench seating side. And that entire side was standing for the whole second half and when I looked across the court at the upper deck chair section, they were sitting down. I guess It's a lot better option to stand, when you have a bench seat than when you have a chair.

I was in the lower section across from the Providence bench, so I had a different view than you. Around where I was, almost everyone was standing on every defensive possession in the second half.

 

[J187Money]

Crowd was great - I think sometimes the complaint comes from the crowd not being hyped when we are killing someone. DH's comments in his press conference were spot on. This season isn't a coronation - the crowd needs to be PART of the team AT TIMES. There are going to be games where we need to help will the team to win. Crowd definitely gets an assist for yesterday.

 

[Deepster]

The standing thing is odd.

1) Perfect solution? Stand all game long. We know that's not happening.
2) I hate hate hate the "tradition" of standing and clapping until the first pt is scored. It is ANTI inspiring in that a) it gets awkward when it takes a few minutes to score and b) everyone IMMEDIATELY sits right down and all momentum crashes to the earth.
3) I wish there was a soft stat....but it "seems" every time the crowd stands and tries to get the defense pumped? The other team scores. Instant deflate.

So, unless you go on an extended run of a few minutes with growing momentum each posession? It can be hard in certain choppy games with lots of whistles (like yesterday).

 

[J187Money]

The standing thing is odd.

1) Perfect solution? Stand all game long. We know that's not happening.
2) I hate hate hate the "tradition" of standing and clapping until the first pt is scored. It is ANTI inspiring in that a) it gets awkward when it takes a few minutes to score and b) everyone IMMEDIATELY sits right down and all momentum crashes to the earth.
3) I wish there was a soft stat....but it "seems" every time the crowd stands and tries to get the defense pumped? The other team scores. Instant deflate.

So, unless you go on an extended run of a few minutes with growing momentum each posession? It can be hard in certain choppy games with lots of whistles (like yesterday).

1) Agreed
2) Agreed
3) It's BB - teams score all the time - crowd noise isn't magic.

The crowd feeds off momentum - once you get to 3-4 plays in a row that go in our favor it gets ratcheted up like crazy. Or in situations like yesterday when we needed it. But people are so used to us winning by a lot they just don't push.

I'm in the first row in 209 - and I'd stand a lot more but I feel like I make everyone stand behind me if I stand so I tend not to (to be fair the cameras partially block my view so I would stand just because of that).

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Except for the women’s first game vs BU, both teams have had home game sellouts

View attachment 106018
View attachment 106017

Another solid value-added post, and another in your long-running series of attractive avatars.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Crowd was great - I think sometimes the complaint comes from the crowd not being hyped when we are killing someone. DH's comments in his press conference were spot on. This season isn't a coronation - the crowd needs to be PART of the team AT TIMES. There are going to be games where we need to help will the team to win. Crowd definitely gets an assist for yesterday.

EVERYTHING will be needed, as this this team builds its season one game at a time.

The same applies for the other team representing UConn and playing in the same two home venues. Both coaching staffs are well aware of this and acting accordingly.