Season's end

I've made my love for University of Dayton basketball known, so you can imagine that it was with great anticipation that I looked forward to tonight's National Invitational Tournament quarterfinal game in Columbus. UD hasn't played Ohio State in twenty years--a game I attended, by the way--and I was dying to see the Flyers knock off the Buckeyes for a trip to the NIT Final Four.

The match-up took place because both teams won Monday night. Tickets went on sale at 10 a.m. Tuesday morning, which was when I was on the road driving back to my hometown, among other places. I tried calling the ticket office, but the network was flooded with calls. Fearing that I might never get through on the phone, I called my mom and asked if she could buy a ticket online. Talking her through the process was complicated by the website also acting balky. I told her what I thought she'd need to do, gave her my payment information, and hoped for the best. An hour and a half later the system quit cycling and put her through to place my order.

She did pretty well. I landed a club level seat, which meant I got to be on the hoity-toity level with the private boxes and fewer challengers for concessions and bathrooms. I arrived early to beat the onrush of traffic for the sold out game, so I had time to wander. I ended up talking for awhile with some UD fans, many of whom infiltrated the competitor's arena, while keeping an eye on another NIT game on TV. I must tell you, I was ridiculously excited for the basketball that was to come.

The commonly held opinion is that the NIT is ultimately for losers, but the Schottenstein Center was rocking like this was a huge game. (For what it's worth, I heard that a greater percentage of college football teams earn bowl bids than basketball teams that get berths in the NCAA and NIT combined.) I was thrilled that the Flyers were up at the half. Disappointingly, a win wasn't in the cards for UD, but I enjoyed the experience a lot, save for the nonstop drunken yapping of the sore winners sitting behind me.

A few hours earlier I took some time to soak up the most spring-like temperatures we've had in the young season. It felt so good to see the outside and not be under fluorescent light. This scarf may not get to be used until several months after its completion, but at this point I'm willing to make that trade if it means warmer, sunnier weather.