Lancers, it's time to get up off the couch, put on your white and blue, get out of your residence halls and apartments and come support your school basketball teams. That's right, men and women's basketball are back in action starting this Friday night (Nov. 11), as the men take on Navy in Willett Hall at 7 p.m. It should be an exciting matchup between Longwood and Navy as the two schools have a semi-rivalry. Longwood has never beaten Navy in men's basketball and is looking to change that on Friday night. The Lancers last home game against the Midshipmen came on Nov. 15, 2009, where they lost 79-76.
The women's basketball team also starts play this Friday night on the road at Georgetown. The first home game for the women's team is Sunday afternoon (Nov. 13) against Cornell at 2 p.m. The men's team will play right after the women's team on Sunday against Virginia Intermont, making for a double dose of Longwood basketball. Just the doubleheader alone on Sunday should draw a big crowd. I know there's a lot of schoolwork to be done at this point in the semester, but if you want a break from your studies, come out to Willett and get caught up in cheering for the Lancers.
I personally will be at most, if not all, of the games this weekend. I'm the Sports Director for WMLU 91.3 FM (the campus radio station). We've covered Longwood basketball for just about four years now and those involved with the broadcasts, including myself, have a ton of fun. We will be courtside providing live coverage of many of the home games this season. I'll go on the record and say I need people at the home games so that there is some form of crowd noise in the background. If it was just me and the color commentator calling the game with no crowd in the background it would sound pretty dull. Don't let that happen.
College basketball season is something that I look forward to from the time the previous season ends in February to the start of the new season in November. I'm sure the same can be said not just for students, but also for faculty and staff. President Patrick Finnegan clapping for and cheering on the Lancers became a common sight at home games last season. Chants of "I believe that we will win!" reverberated through Willett Hall like a battle cry. I'm sure that chanting will carry over to this season, as will the continued presence of the Lancer Lunatics on the sidelines. There's also always the chance for the men and women's teams to make ten three-pointers in a game, which would give the crowd a free taco at Moe's Southwest Grill. You can never go wrong with Moe's, and it is all the more reason for people to come out to Willett.
We also have the new mascot, Elwood, who should be a fixture at all home games. There is also a new fight song that is set to be introduced sometime this fall to be used at home games. Everything about this basketball season feels urgent, exciting and volatile. There are two home games that will be broadcast on television this season (although one is over winter break).
I hope the home atmosphere this season is heads and shoulders above what it has been in the past. There's always room for more team support. Here's hoping the roof in Willett gets blown off (not literally) this season by all of the ruckus going on inside.
Although last season wasn't spectacular for the men and women's teams, with records of 12-19 and 7-23 respectively, the new season is a chance to make a statement. Old records aside, this is a new year for both Longwood teams and I hope a new year means a lot of highlights, victories and fun. Win, lose or draw, I hope the Lancer faithful (especially the student body) comes out to rock the confines of Willett Hall all season long.
