The Justice

Media Credit: David Sheppard-Brick Guard Joe Coppens '08, right, celebrates with members of "TheJury" after a 68-53 second-round NCAA Tournament win over Bowdoin College.

Red Auerbach Arena was completely empty at 3 p.m. last Friday afternoon, eerily quiet as Athletics staff members counted down the hours before over 2,000 fans would arrive for first-round NCAA Division III Tournament games.

But instead of waiting nervously, members of the Athletics staff were calm, even though they were just three hours away from the biggest event in the venue's history.

"For a [University Athletic Association] game, we already have to pay a lot of attention to detail," Athletic Director Sheryl Sousa '90 said. "We just had to step up a couple of notches."

The first- and second-round contests drew about 3,300 total fans, which included boisterous Brandeis students, dedicated opposing teams' fans, parents, devoted Division III personnel and even some Waltham residents. Once it was over, the event's planners said the weekend was a resounding success.

"We've been so excited about the crowds we've been getting all year, so to be able to do this for our fans was quite the experience," Sousa said.

Sousa submitted a bid to host first-round action, which is reserved for the top teams in Division III, before the end of the regular season. Hosting is normally reserved for the top two teams in each of Division III's eight regions, so long as they are located close to other tournament qualifiers. But in past years, due to the region's strength, New England's third-place team has been selected for home games as well, with Rhode Island College being the latest third-place New England team to host last season.

The men's basketball team ended the year ranked third in the New England, behind Amherst College and the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth, but because of past history, Assistant Athletics Director Tom Rand was confident Brandeis would indeed be selected to host first-round games for the first time since the 1977 to 1978 season.

"We had thought we were going to [host], based on our record and our regional ranking," he said. "We assumed we would because we deserved it."

Upon hearing the news on the NCAA's tournament simulcast March 3, Sousa began dividing up responsibility. Rand was put in charge of game management and hiring staff, while Associate Director of Athletics and Compliance Coordinator Lynne Dempsey '93 arranged travel plans with the three teams, among other things. Sports Information Director Adam Levin '94 covered all press concerns, while Assistant Athletic Director Robin Seidman '00 traveled to represent the Athletics Department at the women's basketball team's first- and second-round games at Kean University in Union, N.J.

The gym's layout did not change too much. Besides the media table that went in place of the WBRS' broadcasting booth on the near side of the court, the only major difference was that a ticket was required to attend, whereas fans could just show up for normal home games.

When it was all said and done, the gym was as loud as ever. Lasell fans who took the three-mile trip to Brandeis yelled "We have Christmas!" to 'The Jury' student section, in response to Brandeis fans taunting Lasell with chants of "Safety school!" When both games ended, Brandeis playing ran to the student section, embracing them as they marched off the court.

"We have the best crowd in all of New England," coach Brian Meehan said. "They come out and they support us, they're loud, and they're fun."

-Jeffrey?Pickette contributed

reporting

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