IUP Sees Red
February 5, 2016
As the crews from ESPN3 set up their equipment, the California University of Pennsylvania women’s basketball team were buzzing with excitement in the locker room. The excitement wasn’t just because of ESPN being there, as it was also for the crowd they were about to walk out to. Just to the players’, both from the women’s and the men’s team, excitement, the crowd didn’t disappoint.
The turn-out for the game was large. The game, which had Indiana University of Pennsylvania making the trip to the Convocation Center, was hyped up all around campus since ESPN was going to be there. The game also had significant importance because IUP is arguably Cal U’s number one rival. The students knew that, and came out in large numbers to support both teams. As sophomore Michael Ricci noted it was the “best atmosphere at any basketball game I’ve been at yet.”
The game that kicked off the events of the evening was the women’s teams. Morgan Jennings, a redshirt freshman who played 27 minutes in the game, said that she knew one day the team would have a big crowd at a big game. “I didn’t play last year. I watched our team play in the national championship last year and I knew ‘This is what I want.’ I was zoned in, considering that was the most minutes I’ve ever got in a game. I didn’t even realize how long I was in, but everyone was excited, so I was excited,” Jennings said with a big smile recalling the memory.
The women’s team ended up winning the game 57-44. Even with the cameras and presence of ESPN3 at the game, Jennings said the team didn’t change their mentality. “There really wasn’t much of a difference on the court, but it was more about the people who were there. ESPN was a perk. We didn’t play any differently just because they were there, but it definitely gave a little more motivation and excitement.”
Also keeping focus on the game instead of the craziness of the ESPN3 hype was senior men’s basketball player Nate Bellhy. However, Bellhy did acknowledge the crowd saying it was one of the bigger crowd’s the team has played in front of. “It was awesome. We normally don’t get crowds like that and to have a pretty much packed stadium was awesome to do and just to play in front of everyone was great,” he said with a big smile.
However once he got on the court, Bellhy, who played 15 minutes of the game, said he barely even noticed ESPN was there. “You don’t even think about it. I didn’t think at all that I was playing in front of ESPN, but afterwards and before you’re thinking ‘Oh we’re going to be on ESPN,’ but during you’re focused on the game,” the transfer from Washington & Jefferson said.
The men’s team did not get the exact results they were looking for. The team fought hard against IUP, but lost with a final score of 85-60. However, the team still has plenty of games left and in the eyes of Bellhy the team can turn things around. “We just have to work hard as a team and for the whole game. I think these last seven games that we can come out, get some wins, and hopefully make the playoffs and then try and make a run in the playoffs.”
The next upcoming double header will include the men’s and women’s teams facing Slippery Rock University at home in the Convocation Center. The first game. which is the women’s game, will begin at 5:30 p.m with the men following.
