With UNC's last home game of the season on Saturday here's a little montage of all the thoughts that I've had, and I'm sure almost every other UNC student has had, during their time in the risers. Some of them maybe we all haven't had, but we've at least heard them come out of someone's mouth a time or two...peep number seven. So here's to another March rolling in and the end of basketball season coming sooner than we all want it to.
1. LUUUUKKKEEEEE!
Elite Eight 3.26.17
First and foremost, play the clip you won't regret it...well unless you're a Kentucky fan. While this moment may not have taken place in the Dean Dome and many of us weren't even in attendance to see this occur, this was the moment when Luke Maye became a household name. After this moment a plethora of 'LUUKKKEEE' roars filled the Dean E. Smith center game after game as Luke became a force to be reckoned with on the court. This moment was the night he won the heart of every Carolina fan, but he didn't stop there. So not only in the risers is this a resounding phrase, but this stands true during every UNC game.
2. Oh so Roy is ​F​INALLY going to call a time out
GiphyIf you've been watching Carolina basketball for any given amount of time (whether that be one game or for decades) you are well aware that Roy Williams is not big into taking time outs. He's the coach that stands by his players' choices and figures that if they got themselves into a jam, they can work their way out of it too. That's all good and dandy in theory, and more times than not it works in Carolina's favor, but far too often stressed out UNC students sit patiently waiting for a time out that they will never end up getting.
3. That foul was SOFT
Image: Refs take control and foul UNC's showI can't tell you the number of times that I've heard this EXACT phrase come out of someone's mouth while sitting in the student section. While we don't always say it, more times than not when we watch the replay of a foul call on the big screen we all realize that Tyler in the third row has a point, that foul was more of a basketball move than anything but who am I to say anything. No one likes to see the integrity of the game diminished by bad officiating. More times than not we find ourselves mirroring Kennedy's expression in this picture in our total befuddlement of why a foul was called.
4. Can we please hit a 3!
Image: Justin Jackson heats back up for UNC at the right momentSome nights we can't miss from deep, other nights it seems as if the basket is one of those oval ones they have for the fair games. On the rockier of nights, we all sit back biting our nails in hopes that Cam Johnson or Kenny Williams will pull back and drain a couple in. No matter if it's a good or bad night in the realm of threes, every Carolina fan always wants to see another three go in!
5. Or can we at least defend against the 3?
Image: Three-point defense is the UNC men's basketball team's Achilles ...It's no secret that in the past few years UNC hasn't been the greatest at three-point coverage. All too often we all bombard the middle making it nearly impossible for the opposing team to drive to the basket, but far too often that leaves a wide open man on the perimeter. If we are playing against a team that doesn't have as many perimeter shooters then it isn't as big of a problem, but more times than not that isn't the case. In the risers, especially, you can feel the frustration when we leave a man wide open to once again have a wide open look at a basket for three.
6. I waited in line for three hours for a cheerleader's head to be in my way
Image: UNC cheerleaders during the NCAA College Basketball game between ...I've sat in the riser line at Entrance C for two or more hours before, and I know people who have done much longer. Never do I regret waiting in line that long, but it's always frustrating when you finally get a front row seat only to have a cheerleader right in your line of sight. It's almost as annoying as the six foot seven guy who stands on the second row blocking everyone behind him.
7. *Coby misses an easy layup* Take Him out Roy he's having a rough game
Image: UNC's Coby White continues development into key player in win over ...Personally, this isn't the first thought I have, but I have heard this one said a couple of times. So maybe we have some pretty high expectations of our freshman, but we all know the potential Coby has and the success he's shown multiple times this season. I know that leads us to have unrealistic expectations, but deep down we all love him and our frustration comes from team spirit not hate of a single player. That being said, I don't understand how missing one basket constitutes a bad night but I guess some people view it that way.
8. What the actual heck is this halftime show?
GiphyI've seen everything from babies crawling across a floor to get cash to blow up mascots bumping into each other for a good laugh. It doesn't really matter what it is, but it never fails to get me questioning the things UNC decides to spend its money on.
9. We want biscuits
If we get anywhere near 90 points during a game this chant will happen! Honestly, it's one of the things we can all agree on no matter what happens, when we get over a hundred points it's always a good day. Mostly because that means there is a strong chance that we've won, and you get Bojangles biscuits...if you're willing to go out of your way to get them. I think it's more of the idea of we can get biscuits as opposed to actually going to get said biscuits.
10. Jump around, jump around!
Image: This is why you never win the UNC basketball ticket lotteries ...You hear those opening notes and you already know what's up. Jump Around is more than just a song at this point, it is a lifestyle and honestly one of the most hype songs I've ever heard in my life. Whenever I hear it my mind immediately goes to sitting in the risers at a UNC basketball game, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
11. Put in Walker Miller
Image: Roy Williams Sees Potential in UNC Walk-On Walker MillerIt's a good day when the bench players get to play for multiple reasons. First, it means we are easily handling the opposing team. Secondly, it means a Carolina victory is in the near foreseeable future. Lastly, but certainly not least, it means the players who work just as hard as the starters during practice get to see some minutes on the floor! It doesn't get any better than that my friends.
12. You play college basketball, yet you can't make a free throw?
Image: North Carolina missed 4 free-throws in the final 5 seconds and is ...I mean, I get it there's a lot of pressure on college basketball players, but free throws are the only time you have a completely, uncontested shot. In the clip above, missing free throws ended up helping us out on our redemption run, but typically missing free throws can end up leading to why we put ourselves in nail biters at the end of the day.
13. Rah rah Carolina-lina, go to hell Duke
Image: Day in Photos | I Love College | Pinterest | Chapel hill, Unc ...At the end of the day, win or lose, we can all agree that our blue will ALWAYS be better.
So as we head into March, the month of all things basketball, remember that March is meant for dancing in the tournament and surviving and advancing. Also, for those of us without Phase 1 Duke tickets, here's until next year celebrating together in the risers over another Carolina victory.
