This fall, fans of Utah Valley University soccer helped both the men’s and women’s teams reach the top 25 in attendance in the nation. Both soccer teams had a great amount of success, each reaching their NCAA tournaments for the first time in program history.
The UVU men’s and women’s basketball teams need the same support that helped the soccer teams to their most successful seasons ever. The crowds at home soccer games bring an electric atmosphere. The crowds at home basketball games are doing well to muster a dull roar. The sustaining effect that a raucous crowd can have on a home team is real.
Both teams have lost some heart-breakers this season at home. The Wolverine men lost by only four points to Montana State. The Wolverine women came up just short in a comeback bid against in-state foe Utah State, losing by only four as well. Perhaps with a more rousing home crowd, the UVU teams would be able to seize momentum and ride that to some big wins.
Aside from the home court advantage that the UVU basketball teams need, the fact is that students that choose not to come to the games are missing out on some incredible basketball being played on campus. Earlier this season, the UVU men won a double overtime thriller in the UCCU center against in-state rival Weber State. They beat Antelope Valley by a shocking 44-point margin. The women have lost only one regular season game at home so far this season. They’ve won some classics, including one of the biggest comebacks in program history over the University of San Francisco, in which they scored 73 points in the second half and overtime. Sometimes, though, you wouldn’t be able to guess the quality of the games being played by the sound in the arena.
No offense to the members of the UVUSA who are basically at every home game but we need more than just those members in attendance. The MAWL was designed to create a student section that would stand behind its teams. Well at a school of over 30,000 students, it shouldn’t be a problem to get 50-200 screaming students there every night. Yes, the UVU basketball teams don’t win every game nor do they get to the NCAA tournament every year. But the Wolverine basketball teams are trying to build something special, and they are on the right track. They play well at home in the UCCU center, but they need the support of the home crowd. We can do better, Utah Valley. Get out and support our teams just like we’ve proven we can with the soccer attendance.
