An account of the events surrounding and during Arizona hoops' 93-74 drubbing of Arizona State Saturday, Jan. 3 in Tempe...
1:35 p.m.: My sports editor, Justin, and I check in at the Wells Fargo Arena media entrance right at the opening tip. As we're fitted with special press wristbands, the crowd erupts. ASU must have scored the first hoop.
Turning to the scoreboard: Arizona 2, ASU 0.
Turns out it was UA's Channing Frye who struck first.
Immediately, ASU fans were paying the price for being unable to sell out their own arena against their archrivals. The Sun Devil men's basketball team typically gets a turnout of 8,000 for its home games. Problem is, seating capacity at Wells Fargo is nearly 15,000. And the trek from Tucson to Tempe isn't all that lengthy.
1:45 p.m.: While we're scurrying to find our seats, the crowd roars several times - and I have to look at the scoreboard each time to discover which team had scored.
Upon scanning the upper section of the arena, I find nothing but a delightful sea of red. Arizona fans had snatched up nearly every seat that normally goes unoccupied at an ASU home game.
As the Wildcats quickly pull away, chants of "U-of-A" make cries of "A-S-U" sound like nothing more than background noise. And whenever the "A-S-U" chant occasionally prevails, UA fans are proud to add a hearty "sucks" at the end.
Welcome to McKale Center North.
"They were saying some funny stuff, man. Leave it to our fans," said Frye, with a smile after the game. "Our fans are awesome."
2:15 p.m.: ASU's Ike Diogu hits a 3-pointer with 16 seconds left in the first half, making the halftime score UA 46, ASU 30. Other than the exceptionally well-trained Sun Devil student section, which acts as if everything is going splendidly, the rest of the maroon and gold-clad in attendance reveal looks of discontent and bitterness, wondering how their own arena would dare turn against them in such an important game. It just wasn't right.
Unless, of course, you're one of the 6,000 UA fans who infiltrated the arena. Needless to say, a basketball lottery system doesn't appear to be an immediate necessity in Tempe.
2:30 p.m.: The Sun Devil faithful are
re-energized, making as much noise as they have all day as the second half begins.
2:40 p.m.: The arena becomes that much noisier - after Wildcat fans get more vindication from their team's 16-6 run to open the half. After the first TV timeout with 15:10 to play, this one was in the bag. Arizona was embarrassing Arizona State. And it was fun.
2:50 p.m.: As Arizona opens up a 30-point lead, ASU fans begin to trickle out. Their bitter, defeated faces glare at the celebrating red-clad faithful above them as they disappear.
3 p.m.: The ASU student section, which is either unwilling or unable to leave, becomes rabid.
Since a "U-of-A sucks" chant seems a bit out of place, the section instead declares "Tucson sucks." Good one.
3:15 p.m.: With Arizona leading by 26 and UA head coach Lute Olson emptying his bench, Arizona's lead begins to dwindle just a bit. The Hall of Fame coach gets a little upset with an official and receives a technical foul.
Forgoing whatever pride it has left, the ASU student section, positioned immediately to the left of the Arizona bench, begins spewing profanity-laced tirades in Olson's direction.
Olson apparently feels these kids need a little lesson in humility. He points to the section, then to the scoreboard, sending a harsher message than any series of four-letter words could.
"I've put up with learning all kinds of new words from that student section down there for years," Olson said after the game. "I thought, 'Probably you should learn to keep your mouth closed when you're down 30-something.'"
Proving ASU fans are scoreboard illiterate, the section proceeds with a classy "Lute's an asshole" chant.
Touchˇ.
"I've been called every name that you can be called," Olson said. "I think the language, frankly, is disgusting. So they deserved that and more."
3:30 p.m.: Minus the cheerleaders, the band, the student section and Sparky, only UA fans remain as the clock winds down. In the waning moments, chants of "this is our house" emanate from the red-clad rafters. The Wildcat crowd also chimes in with an "N-I-T" rib, suggesting ASU won't be NCAA Tournament-bound this year.
"They came out here and supported us, and even though they were up in the nose-bleeds, they were screaming their lungs off," a proud Frye said.
3:35 p.m.: Final score: UA 93, ASU 74. In a futile effort, Sparky and the ASU cheerleaders attempt to convince the remaining Sun Devil partisan that all is well. But there would be no joy from the Mill Avenue dwellers on this day.
Jan. 3 was a good day to be an Arizona Wildcat.