This Monday November 3, the University of Colorado Boulder Men’s Basketball team had its first game of the season against the Montana State Bobcats, and won. It was a neck- and -neck game that had fans on their feet, terrified even to breathe! After two hours of sweat, the Buffs held strong and should be applauded for their stamina, and tenacity when it mattered most.Â
Freshman point guard, Isaiah Johnson, came in clutch with his clean and precise foul shots that racked up points for the Buffs, while Sebastian Rancik and Fawaz Ifaola played quite vivaciously. Everyone gave it their all, with players committing fouls left and right throughout the game. However both teams persevered and matched the energy in the room taking the game to the next level.Â
The cheer and poms teams also brought the energy, paired with our spirited band and favorite mascot, Chip, to get the crowd prepped and ready to cheer — and we did! Yelling louder and louder as the teams ran back and forth on the court fighting for their shots. It should also be noted that basketball superstar, Dwyane Wade, was there as well, which definitely got fans pumped and ready! I am typically not a huge sports fan, and I can’t claim to know that much about basketball, but after this game you can bet I will be in full support of my team!Â
The game had a life of its own, starting with a crowd that was quite mellow. Hardly anyone from the other sections were standing (excluding the student section filled with loyal buffs). Yet by the end of the game the whole crowd was on their feet, until the stadium was echoing with excitement.Â
It was magical to be in a space with everyone equally passionate about their team, and to see the connection and support between the players. Everyone played their hardest and although we lost the connection at points, the CU team always reclaimed their place. Despite there being a little scuffle while referees and coaches tried to figure out if a foul was clearly called, there wasn’t any player drama overall. This time the Buffs came out on top, and after the painful loss in last Saturday’s devastating football game, I was so grateful for my school’s spirit to return.Â
The first half was a journey, the Buffs were ahead until near the end with under two minutes to play. Montana started to take the lead and the ball was dropped on CU’s part. However by the time the second half began our team was revved and ready to make some moves on Montana.Â
Although we were still behind by a few points for most of the half, a few well needed time out calls and some player substitutions led us to catching up. Finally, with just minutes to go, we were neck and neck battling it out on the court, with Colorado finally seizing the victory and coming out on top! This game has me excited for the rest of the season to progress, and I’m sure a great many viewers were proud buffs! Until next time, this buff is signing off.