Anderson Arena lived up to its name of “The House That Roars” Saturday, when students packed the arena to watch the Falcons take on conference rival Akron.
The University was giving out sideline squad t-shirts to the first 1,000 fans that attended the game and the student section was in full force.
The Falcons are undefeated at home this year and the impact the crowd has on games at Anderson Arena was never more evident than during Saturday’s win over Akron.
The crowd of nearly 4,000 didn’t have much to cheer about early in the game as the Falcons scored only their second field goal ten minutes into the game. It was not a Falcon player that got the crowd into the game — it was an Akron player that had the whole arena going crazy.
Early in the first half, a loose ball rolled out of bounds and into the sideline squad, a incident that occurs countless times during any home game. This loose ball, however, took an unexpected and game changing turn when Akron forward Andy Hipsher went to retrieve the ball.
Hipsher and a student, standing on the sideline, were face-to-face exchanging words when Hipsher threw the ball into the face of the student, knocking him back into the fans. There was no technical foul assessed to Hipsher, but the fan was promptly removed from the premises by campus police. Although the incident did not affect the score of the game, it had the crowd in an uproar and changed the face of the game.
From that point forward, the student section was relentless on their verbal attack and constant boos every time Hipsher was involved in the game. The Falcons seemed to thrive off the crowd’s electricity and the fans seemed to directly affect Akron’s performance for the rest of the game. With five minutes left in the first half, Akron was visibly frustrated, committing turnovers and in foul trouble.
The Falcons understand the importance of the home crowd and they seem to play considerably better when the sideline squad is rocking.
“When the crowd gets into the game it intimidates the other team and helps us out a lot,” said guard Cory Ryan. “When we get them into it, we know it has an important role. It’s like our sixth man and we try to get them into every game.”
With the fast-paced-offense filled with long three pointers and several dunks it is not hard to get this crowd on their feet.
“It felt good to be home, it was really nice seeing all those students at the game,” BG coach Dan Dakich said.
Dakich also encourages more fans to come to the games. “We need all the fans we can get. Fans are really close here at BG, and I hope that never changes.”
Dakich also knows the important role the fans have in the game and he knows the affect the crowd can have on a game or season.
“Akron tried to wear us out, but it is harder to wear out at home. The crowd is such a lift; we were a tired, beat-up team. The energy here makes it hard for you to wear out. Guys don’t seem to drag when the crowd is going nuts.”
The student section is like no other, and with fans right on the floor it provides an atmosphere unique in BG. They understand the impact and importance they have on each home game. The final chant of the crowd said it best, hollering “This is our house.”
Fans at BG will get a chance to wear their sideline squad t-shirts next Saturday when the Falcons take on conference opponent Northern Illinois.
The Falcons are hoping to keep the home winning streak alive throughout the remainder of the season.
