Been there, why haven't I done that?

My first taste of the NCAA Tournament was a pretty great gig. With UD Magazine media credentials in hand, I got to see UD Arena like I never had before and fully immersed myself in the madness. 

Growing up in Dayton, I find a common conversation starter has always been UD basketball. Echoes of “How’s the team looking this season?” and “Great win last night” are sure to paint the air around anyone donning Flyer gear in public. 

I’ve been attending games at UD Arena for longer than I can remember. As a child, my nonno had season tickets and prime seats. As a treat, he’d take me to games — and always made sure I had a hot dog before leaving, of course. During my undergrad years, I kept the tradition alive in his memory, this time with views from the student section. 

So how is it that I’ve spent so much time in the arena, yet never attended the First Four of March Madness? This year, that finally changed. 

From the courtside press bay on Monday, I watched as student managers methodically roamed the floors with spare basketballs, pep bands played rousing renditions of radio hits and teams ran drills with squeaky shoes.  

I meandered to the press conference room, where key players and head coaches answered questions posed by members of the media from across the country. 

I listened as University of North Carolina head coach Hubert Davis answered tough questions about their controversial selection into the tournament. He even stopped to give my hometown a shoutout:

“It’s my first time here in Dayton, so it’s really exciting for me to be here.”

I saw the well-oiled machine of the NCAA Tournament that’s been months, even years, in the making.  

Games officially kicked off Tuesday night with a nail-biting performance from St. Francis University and Alabama State University. 

Although the Flyers weren’t on the court, the energy that UD Arena breeds was in full force. The crowd thundered with each basket, ending the game on their feet to celebrate the narrow victory of Alabama State. 

During halftime I walked around the arena, eager to know what fans thought of all the hoopla surrounding the March hoops here in Dayton. 

I met Randy Crawford, a Tar Heels fan from Cleveland, who has been to three First Four games. He told me he loves coming to Dayton for the atmosphere in UD Arena. Crawford even took the time to show his friend Doug Brooks, another First Four first-timer, his favorite spots inside the Flyer’s home base.     

UD Arena brings people together, whether Dayton is playing or not. I’m grateful to have experienced being a Flyer fan through each stage of life. With a hot dog in my hand, I can now happily cross “First Four attendee” off of my Daytonian bucket list. 

Cat McNamara is the graduate assistant for University of Dayton Magazine. She is pursuing her master’s in public administration.