I looked around at a sold-out arena with flashing lights and loud music. I saw thousands of people from all over screaming and yelling. Audible “Let’s Go Irish” chants hung in the air around me. I was surrounded by people from all over wearing green in support of the Notre Dame women’s basketball team. This was my incredible experience of going to my first ever NCAA Women’s March Madness game between Notre Dame and Michigan.
Basketball has always been one of my favorite sports. I have played basketball before, and I love the game's speed, pace and unique on-edge feeling of not knowing what is going to happen next. This NCAA matchup encapsulated all of these feelings in just one game. Even more importantly, it was Notre Dame who emerged victorious.
I was not quite sure what to expect at first. I had been to multiple basketball games last year so I knew the tradition of turning off the lights, but this specific atmosphere was completely different in a sold-out Purcell Pavilion. The crowd's enthusiastic support was so loud that it was almost deafening. I couldn't help but feel the love for Notre Dame women's basketball. Seeing just how many people of all different ages and backgrounds came out to watch, showed how much the crowd genuinely cared about the team.
The student section was certainly a large part of the loud environment. Every student in attendance was on their feet throughout each quarter, only sitting during timeouts or the breaks between quarters. This commitment showed the love and support that the students felt obligated to give their team and fellow classmates. The consistent yelling, dancing and singing of the Notre Dame Victory March or cheers, especially the “Let’s go Irish” chant, certainly maintained the high energy throughout the entire game.
Despite Notre Dame's early lead, I was still on the edge of my seat throughout the contest. The Irish pulled ahead early 32-12 after the first quarter, which made a sports enthusiast such as myself feel very comfortable and excited. However, in the second quarter, Michigan quickly struck back and nearly made it a 10 point game. This comeback caused a bit of discomfort, and I had no idea what was going to happen next. The ball moved up and down the court at such a rapid pace that I struggled to follow the play at times. Even though I was concerned, Notre Dame led 46-28 and halftime and controlled the second half to win 76-55.
Watching the Irish pull away in dominant fashion to go back to the Sweet 16 was truly one of the best experiences I have ever had. The electric atmosphere, consistent yelling, unwavering support and genuine love and admiration for the women’s basketball team were incredible to be a part of. I cannot wait to watch another game to experience the same on-edge feelings not knowing what was going to happen next.
The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
