UConn students wait hours to get best seats at Gampel for next NCAA game
STORRS, Conn. (WTNH) — It was a big weekend for University of Connecticut basketball fans, and it's not over.
While the men's team lost a nail-biter to Florida and is now out of the NCAA tournament, the women's team plays South Dakota State Monday night for a chance to return to the 'Sweet 16.'
UConn women to face No. 10 seed South Dakota State
When it comes to top UConn fans, it's hard to get more devoted than three undergrads who spent the whole night outside Gampel Pavilion to make sure they got good seats for tonight.
Freshmen Jennifer Neville and Mikayla Robinson, along with senior Hannah Couillard, have been waiting in line for Monday night's game since 2 p.m. Sunday.
'Dedication at its finest,' is how Neville described it.
They came prepared with drinks, snacks, and games.
'We've been filming TikTok dance videos, so that's been pretty fun,' Couillard said. 'You know, just cracking jokes, playing Uno. Having a great time, honestly. Doing whatever we can.'
Florida ends UConn's bid for third straight national title with 77-75 March Madness win
Robinson was also at Saturday's game, a 69-point blowout of Arkansas State.
'Getting to watch an NCAA game for the first time was so much fun for me, especially,' the freshman said. 'I love women's basketball and the energy in Gampel was amazing.'
Ari Estrella joined the line around 6 a.m. to make sure she and her friend Kate get noticed at the game.
'We like to wear our Husky onesies and we want really good seats to show our school spirit,' Estrella said.
It's easy to have spirit when your team has 11 women's NCAA titles going back to 1995. Hours in the cold is the way these fans are honoring the latest greats ending their time in Storrs.
'With it being Paige, Aubrey, Kaitlyn, and Azzi's, I really want it to pull through all the way and we're going to make it far, so we have to support them all the way through,' Neville said.
'It feels like a really special program, so much generational talent,' Couillard said. 'It feels like an honor to come to this school, honestly, just for the basketball team alone.'
They say know that feeling will not end tonight.
'I think we still got it in the bag, for sure,' Robinson said. 'Actually, I don't think, I know. We will be making it far in the tournament, for sure. Full confidence.'
There is still a lot more work before they can add another national title to the sign outside Gampel Pavilion, but with a win tonight, the women would go to their 31st consecutive Sweet 16.
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