By CADE KENNEDY, Sports Editor
After a season full of twists, turns and surprises, we have made to the peak of college basketball. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to March.
For the first time since joining the NCAA, both the men’s and women’s basketball teams are going to the Great American Conference tournament.
This is not familiar territory for the Rangers, as the men’s team is making its fourth trip to the tournament.
The Lady Rangers have had similar trouble in making it to the postseason, as this is their third appearance.
If you listen to coaches talk about their teams, two words will usually pop out. The phrase I’m referring to is winning culture, and it is one of the most important aspects of a team.
To have a winning culture, several people need to commit to the culture. The culture starts with the team, but it needs to reach every single part of the campus.
For a university sending both basketball teams to the postseason, it baffles me that there is almost no mention of the games going on Friday.
I know that we have the resources to promote the game, as the games against Southwestern and Southern Nazarene had tremendous crowds and an electric atmosphere.
So the question I have remains, why are we not promoting our biggest game of the year?
I understand that we can not cancel classes to get every student down there, but even mentioning the game can have an impact on getting students to show up.
While attendance may not seem like much, it can have a massive impact on how a game can go.
The energy that a crowd can create can give a team a boost in how they are playing, and can change the momentum of a game.
The atmosphere is not the only impact that a large crowd can affect.
By having the student body make a three-hour drive to support them, it shows that we care about our teams.
It may not seem like much, but if we can support our players no matter where they are playing, then a winning culture can finally blossom here.
Enjoy a great week of basketball, and I look forward to seeing you in Shawnee.