COLUMN: Stand up and show your support
When was the last time you and your roommates went to a men's or women's basketball game at McGuirk Arena?
Whenever that last game was, if ever, were you on your feet and yelling, cheering or degrading Central Michigan opponents?
Many can say that they've recently attended a game, but few have done the latter.
I've been covering basketball here since 2011 and I've seen an increase in attendance, but it's what you do while you're at the game that's important. There are few sports where fans have as much impact on the game as basketball. They give energy to the players on the court and can get into the heads of the opposition.
Men's basketball head coach Keno Davis and his staff have gone above and beyond to get fans into McGuirk Arena. They've sent e-mails, got many to follow Davis on Twitter, travelled around campus to promote the team and even held student section practice sessions to show what a good student section looks like.
Unfortunately, that practice session doesn't look anything like what it has been in McGuirk Arena.
Having the best student section in the Mid-American Conference shouldn't be tough, but I wouldn't be hard pressed to find one better than CMU.
I understand men's basketball isn't putting up wins right now, but a strong student section can go a long way in improving that mark.
That is why Davis and his staff have made it a point to get the students to show up and make their presence known. They want to change the atmosphere of CMU basketball, and a big part of that is home court advantage – which doesn't exist right now.
As far as the women's team goes, there really is no excuse to stay seated.
You have a team that can score triple digits on almost any given night. Crystal Bradford is good enough to represent the United States and help lead it to a gold medal. Niki DiGuilio is statistically the greatest shooter in CMU history.
You have a team that can, and has, competed with the best teams in the country. What are you doing sitting down?
McGuirk Arena is a tough place to play for opposing teams because of the team alone. If the student section was actively involved in the games from start to finish, it would be impossible for any MAC team to come to Mount Pleasant and leave with a win.
Tomorrow is the perfect day to start showing up and showing your support. At noon, the MAC West leading women take on MAC East leader Bowling Green. Then at 7 p.m., the men take on rival Eastern Michigan.
I'm calling out Sue's Crüe and Club Keno. Show that you exist. Make yourself heard.
