Wait 'til next year -- April 8th -- Day 27, Part 2
We arrived at the stadium early (5:30 for a 9:20 tip off) in part to avoid traffic but mostly to take advantage of a pregame party that had been included in the tickets we purchased online. The party gave us a chance to relax a bit, have a beer and/or drink (no alcohol is sold or allowed at NCAA events) and meet some additional Michigan folks. It also gave me a chance to meet the cheerleaders from Georgia Tech (technically the Georgia Institute of Technology), which is the host school for the tournament, and to scope out some of the more unusual garb at the game. Unfortunately I was not able to get a picture of the middle-aged Michigan fan who was dressed as a Jedi Warrior, complete with a 3' x 6' Michigan flag as a cape. We had arranged to meet our friends Jon & Annette before the game, but had only a few minutes to visit before it was time to head in. The atmosphere inside the stadium was electric, with a large contingent of Michigan fans and a much larger of Louisville fans, which was not surprising given that Louisville is much closer to Atlanta than any place in Michigan. The Wolverines played well, and built a significant lead sparked by Michael "Spike" Albrecht, a 5'11" freshman guard who came off the bench to score 16 points in the first half. Unfortunately, as they had Saturday evening against Wichita State, Louisville came back, and in the second half took control of the game. Michigan didn't give up, but the superior experience of the Cardinals plus some poor foul shooting by Michigan combined for a Louisville 82-76 win. We took solace in the fact that they had come further in the tournament than anyone had expected, and that no seniors played for Michigan. All five starters plus the strong bench should be back next year, and even if Trey Burke decides to opt for the NBA, Albrecht will be a solid replacement at point guard. After the game our decision to park at the stadium paid off, as we made it back to the condo an hour earlier than we had Saturday night/Sunday morning.
We arrived at the stadium early (5:30 for a 9:20 tip off) in part to avoid traffic but mostly to take advantage of a pregame party that had been included in the tickets we purchased online. The party gave us a chance to relax a bit, have a beer and/or drink (no alcohol is sold or allowed at NCAA events) and meet some additional Michigan folks. It also gave me a chance to meet the cheerleaders from Georgia Tech (technically the Georgia Institute of Technology), which is the host school for the tournament, and to scope out some of the more unusual garb at the game. Unfortunately I was not able to get a picture of the middle-aged Michigan fan who was dressed as a Jedi Warrior, complete with a 3' x 6' Michigan flag as a cape. We had arranged to meet our friends Jon & Annette before the game, but had only a few minutes to visit before it was time to head in. The atmosphere inside the stadium was electric, with a large contingent of Michigan fans and a much larger of Louisville fans, which was not surprising given that Louisville is much closer to Atlanta than any place in Michigan. The Wolverines played well, and built a significant lead sparked by Michael "Spike" Albrecht, a 5'11" freshman guard who came off the bench to score 16 points in the first half. Unfortunately, as they had Saturday evening against Wichita State, Louisville came back, and in the second half took control of the game. Michigan didn't give up, but the superior experience of the Cardinals plus some poor foul shooting by Michigan combined for a Louisville 82-76 win. We took solace in the fact that they had come further in the tournament than anyone had expected, and that no seniors played for Michigan. All five starters plus the strong bench should be back next year, and even if Trey Burke decides to opt for the NBA, Albrecht will be a solid replacement at point guard. After the game our decision to park at the stadium paid off, as we made it back to the condo an hour earlier than we had Saturday night/Sunday morning. 
No comments:
Post a Comment