Arizona Basketball fans contribute to the success of the team

Fans are important, but Arizona Basketball thrives on the energy from the fans, and they brought it on Saturday night at the OSU game.

If you talk to student-athletes as much as I do, you will learn that they are some of the toughest yet sensitive people you will meet. They bust their butts for fame, but without the fans adoration and cheers, why come to Arizona? Arizona Basketball fans especially make a difference in whatever arena they show up to, but sometimes I think they forget just how important they are to the success of the team.

In 2019, there is no clear one-and-done’s, although maybe a few could test the waters this year. That said, this team has come together and found ways to win games, more than most critics thought they could. One huge reason is the support Arizona Basketball fans have continued to give their team this season.

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Even with two team members leaving the team this season, the core seems to continue to thrive, each taking their turn at making heroic plays at the end of games, most won in the single digits. Wildcats fans have been loud and proud at away games. The Bay Cats always do a fantastic job of getting fans to games and frequently, you hear “UofA” chants through the radio or TV broadcasts. Bill Walton is always commenting on the atmosphere inside McKale, and for good reason.

The ZonaZoo brings it each night, with their balloons to sway to the right or left to get an opponent to miss a free throw (there is a science to making it work if the effort is coordinated). Singing Sweet Caroline brings joy to the arena, and now with the wi-fi working, thank you, Dave Heeke, so much more joy can be spread to fans at home.

Arizona Head Coach Sean Miller has said many times that the fans help the team, that he appreciates the fans continuing to show up. He repeated himself after the programs huge win over Oregon State University that started a new winning streak.

Miller knows how hard it is for fans when the team loses at home in McKale Center. So he said, from his heart, that it meant a lot for the fans to come back on Saturday to cheer on the team. Maybe he thought the fans would give up and stop coming to the games? Who knows, but he sure was appreciative and it’s a great thing when your support as a fan is acknowledged. It’s important to have “that magical feel” in the arena and attributed fans as a “big reason” the team won.

When we ask players why they chose Arizona, almost every one of them says that the fans and electricity of the cheering at McKale was something they wanted to experience. They feed off of it. If you go to a UCLA game and USC or Arizona is not the opponent or any other Pac-12 team, the arena is often half empty. Even when the Wildcats lose, the Arizona Basketball fans show up, that’s what makes you all different and helps the team win.

https://twitter.com/APlayersProgram/status/1087054874439634944

So keep showing up, keep cheering on your team. They can use it to win games, and it is so fun. Remember, fans who live in Tucson, the rest of us are envious of you. Instead of sitting at home and screaming in our living room, almost having heart attacks alone, you all are together and you can make a difference. We want to hear you through the TV and radio, please cheer more! Bear down!