The best fans in college basketball: Oregon's Pit Crew

By Joey McMurry

Talk about an exciting basketball game.

The Oregon Ducks defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes 108-97 in the highest scoring Division-I regulation basketball game this season. Needless to say, defense wasn't a factor. But that doesn't matter. Offense is what excites fans anyway. Just ask the Pit Crew.

The Oregon Ducks' student section, the "Pit Crew" didn't quiet down throughout the entirety of this game or the first-round NIT game against LSU.

Actually, I lied. The Pit Crew did quiet down once: when Olu Ashalou smacked his head on a court side railing after hustling for a ball going out of bounds. Matthew Knight Arena fell silent. At most venues, the shock of silence is not as apparent. Yes, when a star player goes down, the crowd reacts. But at Matthew Knight Arena, the difference is astounding. It's strange to hear the broadcasters speaking at normal levels at a home Oregon basketball game, and it's equally as strange to not hear some sort of loud, sometimes obnoxious (but lovable) banter in the background.

That's how loud this section is. That's how intense they are about their team.

The whole university was infuriated disappointed by the Ducks' PAC-12 tournament loss to Colorado that resulted in the bubble team Oregon missing the big dance. Instead, they're playing in the NIT. To a lot of fans, that seemed very much like a consolation prize for a painful end to a promising season.

To be honest, that's exactly what it was. Students were not near as excited about the team following Selection Sunday once they learned their Ducks would not be dancing this March. But once Tuesday rolled around and the Ducks were hosting another men's basketball game at Matthew Knight Arena, no one cared anymore.

The Pit Crew came out in full force and were as loud as ever. The Ducks responded by putting up 96 points against LSU in a 20-point victory. The arena was rocking that night, and the momentum carried over to Sunday's game against Iowa as well.

Fortunately for the Ducks, the Hawkeyes pulled off a 84-75 upset of the No. 2 seed Dayton. Since the Ducks were the higher seed (3), they won the right to host the second-round game. As usual, the Pit Crew responded accordingly.

At one point in the first half, the Ducks were down by 15 to Iowa and things looked to be getting out of hand. Maybe it was finally time for the Ducks to lose at home in a convincing fashion.

Nope.

As soon as the Ducks started to claw their way back into the game, the Pit Crew roared. By the end of the game, color broadcaster Miles Simon was screaming into his microphone to be heard.

Oregon shot a staggering 59.3% from the floor and 43.5% from behind the arc. Each shot made the Pit Crew louder and louder, and it was apparent that the Hawkeyes were struggling because of it. Their offense lost all cohesion that it had to start the game and the Pit Crew was not going to let them get any sort of momentum back.

That "6th man" at Matthew Knight Arena may be the best fan section in all of college basketball. Yes, there are loud stadiums throughout the country, but the Oregon fan base was supposed to be disappointed at the season's outcome. Normally, the turnout and loudness would be sub-par at a game following a disappointing end to the regular season (just ask the Washington Huskies and how their fan section was completely dead during their first round NIT game where they played a very close game with an inferior opponent in Texas-Arlington). That wasn't the case, though. Matthew Knight Arena rocked just like it was an NCAA Tournament game.

In Oregon's last two home games of the season, the Ducks scored 204 points behind their outstanding fans. That's certainly a positive outlook for next season's home games, and definitely shows that Ducks fans don't give up on their team even if they are disappointed by the season's ultimate outcome.

It means the Ducks don't give up either. 204 points is a lot against any pair of D-I basketball teams. Plus, it's a lot easier to get excited about games in the NIT when your own fans are getting excited about them. Obviously the team was disappointed by not making the tournament. Sure, they could roll over and give up since the NIT isn't really March Madness. But their own fans aren't, so neither are they.

Unfortunately, the Ducks won't be playing in front of their amazing home crowd again this season as they will head to Seattle to play Washington in the NIT quarter-finals. If they win that game, they'll be heading to New York for the last two games in Madison Square Garden.

It's going to be tough on the Ducks playing without their 6th man to end the season. They are 17-3 at home on the season and 7-6 away from Matthew Knight Arena. For the Ducks' sake, hopefully some of the Pit Crew will turn out for the pivotal game against Washington on Tuesday.