9/8/2008

3 photos

WVU Basketball…home of Jerry West, Hot Rod Hundley, Mike Gansey, Joe Alexander and who can forget Kevin Pittsnogle.

When West Virginia sucked at basketball, this place was pretty beat. The student section has always been rowdy but not until around 2003 was the Coliseum able to start selling all 14,000 seats, even for a bad weekday matchup.

Since then, this is the place to be on a frigid Morgantown afternoon in February. Bring your flask and head to the lowers at midcourt but get there early or risk sitting way up top with a distant view. The fact that the student section is courtside (rather than at the ends of the court) makes all the difference. You are right on top of opposing players. Students get in free and the locals don’t miss a game anymore. The old carpet is rolled out and the musket goes off before the game, never ceasing to scare everyone shitless but yee haa, its West by god basketball damnit and its the only way I’ll have it.The atmosphere is top notch and could go toe to toe with any other court in the Big East on a good night.

I miss this place so bad during bball season. I heard they fixed some things up this year, including a new court and scoreboard. I gotta get back.