The Breakdown: The Big House

By Jenni Carlson

Published: March 1, 2008

The Class A and B state basketball tournaments wrap today at State Fair Arena. There will be no better place to be in the entire state than at The Big House today. Let us count the reasons:

5. The scramble for seats: Fans wanting to sit courtside must wait until the previous game finishes. They gather behind police barricades, and once the stands have cleared, they are released. And they run. Kids. Parents. Grandparents. Everyone runs.

4. The flood lights: Between sessions, the flood lights above the floor are turned off. Then as game time approaches, they are thrown on and greeted with oohs and aahs. The big stage has a bright spotlight.

3. The first strains of "Oklahoma!”: The state song is played before tip-off of every game, and everyone in the place stands and claps along. Everyone. Outsiders might call it cheesy, but we know the truth. Totally cool.

2. "It's championship Saturday, and you're in The Big House”: The arena announcer will welcome fans this way before every game today. And the fans will go nuts every time.

1. The dog piles: Starters, reserves, managers, even coaches occasionally join in the championship celebration. The emotions are raw, and the excitement is real. It doesn't get any better.

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