JERSEY CITY, NJ - Every so often, in the increasingly cynical world of sports and especially college athletics, we are reminded of just why we watch and come to the games. The opening nights for the Saint Peter's women's and men's basketball teams against NJIT and Lafayette respectively, were just that for me. I have covered a lot of events in my young career thus far, including Super Bowl LII, UFC 205 featuring Conor McGregor, and the Big East Tournament, and I have called games at the college level in sold out venues, in front of thousands of fans. These two nights at the Yanitelli Center felt different to me, mainly because of the Blue Zoo.
Coming into my first two games at Saint Peter's, I did not know what to expect from the Peacock faithful. My questions were somewhat answered on Tuesday night at the women's home opener, where the students came out, some of them with signs, to support their classmates. The contingent was vocal throughout the night, and the team responded, forcing thirty turnovers and playing with energy not expected from a team many consider to be an afterthought this year. With the phenomenal play of freshman
Briyanah Richardson, winning pedigree of new head coach
Marc Mitchell, and the enthusiasm of the Peacock fans, the outlook for the team seemingly flipped overnight.
All of my expectations, however, were shattered this past Wednesday. The attendance number in the box score could not come further from telling the story of the most raucous student crowd I have ever seen or heard at a basketball game, and among the most enthusiastic I have seen at any level in any sport. The team played its part in igniting the crowd, as an 8-0 run to tie the score near the end of the first half brought the crowd to a frenzy, where it stayed even through halftime, when it remained a party like atmosphere thanks to the in-house DJ playing some of the hottest songs of the day.
The second half brought things to a bit of a standstill, as the Leopards controlled the majority of play, and were thought to be running away with the game at times. But as the lead went from twelve to nine to seven to four and below, the crowd went from rowdy to raucous to delirious, and finally to euphoric as
KC Ndefo's go ahead dunk sent fans running up and down the steps of the bleachers, unable to contain their excitement. As the final horn sounded after overtime, the Blue Zoo celebrated the victory with perhaps the loudest version of the Sheck Wes smash hit "Mo Bamba" I have ever heard. There was no better way to cap off a special night in Jersey City.
A lot of the praise for this turnout belongs to Athletic Director
Bryan Felt and his marketing staff for organizing events such as the pregame tailgate and this past Monday's coffee giveaway, and Tuesday's hot dog giveaway. They, along with Mitchell and new men's coach
Shaheen Holloway, have displayed a commitment to the student body seen not even from many higher profile programs, and students responded in kind by making the Yanitelli Center the place to be on campus this week. Seeing this in person for the first time, I could not be more excited to be a part of the Peacock family, and if these first two nights are any indication, a party like atmosphere should be expected in Jersey City throughout the season.
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James Corrigan is part of the Saint Peter's Basketball broadcast team, calling play-by-play for men's games, and providing color commentary for women's games on Peacocks All-Access.
