LARGE AND IN CHARGE; VCU CROWD WOWS IN RAMS’ UPSET
Chris Kowalczyk
11-21-09

Eat your heart out Cameron Crazies. Back off Boomer Sooner. Keep your Rock Chalk, Jayhawks. We’re doing just fine here at the corner of Harrison and Broad, thanks.

In what is fast becoming one of college basketball’s worst kept secrets, the Verizon Wireless Arena at the Stuart C. Siegel Center is just plain misery for VCU opponents. Saturday night wasn’t just proof, it was the smoking gun. It was Matlock-good.

A rabid throng of 7,547 shoehorned its way into the Siegel Center and celebrated all the way through the Rams’ stunning, 82-69, upset of No. 17 Oklahoma.

Hours prior to tip-off, students lined the street outside the arena gates. The line stretched around the block. The student sections, serving as gold-painted bookends, were louder and more raucous than any group in my five years at VCU. Louder than four Old Dominion games. Crazier than two tilts with Richmond. More bonkers than two BracketBusters.

“I think our fans really have a great relationship with our players. You can feel that out there, and our guys obviously feed off it,” VCU Head Coach Shaka Smart said. “I wish I could schedule every game here.”

When the final horn sounded on the Rams’ wire-to-wire victory, the students rushed the Siegel Center court for the first time since VCU’s stunning win over Louisville on opening night, Nov. 19, 1999, nearly 11 years to the day.

There are similarities in the two victories. Louisville was very much a national powerhouse at the time, much like Oklahoma is today, while VCU was the school with an axe to grind. The team with something to prove.

Saturday’s win had the added incentive of beating Jeff Capel, who left VCU and its mid-major status four years ago for the glitter of Big 12 life. If anybody knew what to expect of Saturday’s atmosphere, it was Capel.

“It’s different when it’s a big game here. It’s louder,” Capel said. “Since I’ve left, so many incredible things have happened here. The commitment from the students, from the city of Richmond has just grown. I knew it was a very difficult place to play. Our guys certainly know that now.”

As much as it worked against him Saturday, Capel is as responsible as anyone for the Rams’ growing support.  When he took over as VCU’s head coach in 2002, the program was mired in mediocrity. Average attendance his first season was 4,108, the lowest in Siegel Center history. Three coaches and three NCAA berths later, the building is packed with regularity. In 2007-08, VCU set a Siegel Center attendance record of 6,169 per game. Thirteen of the 18 sellouts in the building have come the last four seasons.

It’s hard to argue with the results. In 145 games since the Siegel Center opened its doors, VCU is 123-22, a winning percentage of .848.

“It’s unbelievable,” said Rams’ guard Jay Gavin, who scored 20 points against Oklahoma. “This is why I came here. When I was at Marist, I think our sold out gym was maybe 4,000. It was loud, but these fans right here were unbelievable.

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