It wasn't the type of crowd you would expect to support a 2-20 college basketball team, but when you are talking about Kennesaw State University athletics, you can expect the unexpected.
The day started with a pregame tailgate outside of the KSU Convocation Center organized by the students where free pizza was given to hungry fans as it was hosted by the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life and the KSU Athletics Black and Gold Club.
Also, The Greek Challenge took place during Thursday’s game with the winning chapter receiving $750 towards their charity.
They also tried the first-ever “Silent Night” on Thursday where fans are remained silent until the Owls scored four points. When the team hit the four-point mark, fans erupted.
Kennesaw State offers a nice basketball environment for fans.
The game started quickly for Kennesaw State as they reeled off the first nine points of the game in front of a crowd estimated at about 1000 people, mostly students.
That lead may have evaporated, but the fan's stayed with the team the entire game. A good sign in the long run for a 2-21 team.
This was about more than just basketball.
Kennesaw State men's basketball coach Lewis Preston was thankful for the fans.
"I would like to thank Greek Life, all the fraternities and sororities that participated tonight," said Preston. "The energy they had was phenomenal."
Some facts about Kennesaw State sports from their athletic department:
• Kennesaw State’s signature Division I win was an 80-63 victory over Georgia Tech before a KSU Convocation Center record-crowd of 4,784 on Nov. 15, 2011.
• Lewis Preston was named the fourth head coach in program history on April 16, 2011.
• This past summer, the Kennesaw State Department of Athletics, as part of an overall re-branding initiative, signed a multi-year contract to have its 17 intercollegiate athletics teams outfitted in Adidas apparel and footwear.
• Kennesaw State Athletics also introduced a whole new family of logos that appear on team apparel, facilities and a re-designed www.ksuowls.com athletics website.
• The KSU Convocation Center also has a refurbished floor, sparkling new video board with sponsorship signage on the south end, a ribbon board on the north side under the hospitality suite, a new LED scorer’s table and media tables highlight the atmospheric changes to the seven-year old facility.
• Kennesaw State University is the third-largest university in Georgia, offering more than 80 graduate and undergraduate degrees.
It's no secret that Kennesaw State is preparing to possibly add football, and building the fan base is key.
Sports and fitness plays a big part of the college experience on the Kennesaw State campus.
I continue to think Kennesaw State is really on the brink of something big, and the more fans and the community get behind them, the more success they will have.
Comments