Illustration by Michael Tearney

For years, Arizona basketball fans have dreamed of a single student section with every seat full of jumping, shouting fans cheering so loudly that the opposing team can't get the noise out of their heads while on the bus riding home.

This year the establishment of the student section for men's basketball games has been an outstanding change that has created an opportunity for exactly this sort of scenario in McKale Center.

In contrast to previous seasons, all students attending the game now sit in a single, unified student section, which has helped to create the loud, exciting atmosphere that is vital to a home win.

To have the sort of impact on games that Coach Olson would like to see, the students need to be on their feet and shouting every time an opposing player touches the ball.

Head Coach Lute Olson praised the creation of the student section earlier this year, saying it was "exactly what I envisioned since I arrived at Arizona."

The ticketing policy rewards the most dedicated fans by offering students seeking the best seats the chance to line up as many as four hours early for the games, ensuring that the most deserving fans fill the lower-level sections.

In fact, the floor-to-ceiling section on the north end of McKale Center has had only two problems this season: first, it isn't full, and second, it isn't loud enough.

Arizona Athletics and Zona Zoo have recently announced a change in the ticketing policy meant to address the near-emptiness of the upper-level student sections at almost every game, a change that will be music to the ears of dedicated fans who were not fortunate enough to win tickets in the lottery.

According to the new system, students not holding tickets may line up for the game as many as four hours early. Ten minutes before the game begins, those students will be sold tickets at the usual student price and will be allowed to fill seats that have remained empty until that point, most likely in the upper level.

Michael Huston/columnist

Arizona Athletics and the Zona Zoo deserve high praise for their decision to change the policy midseason in response to what hasn't been working. The change shows that the groups really are interested in creating a policy that is as beneficial as possible to students.

Given this new policy, there is absolutely no reason that the entire student section should not be packed tomorrow when the Wildcats host Stanford.

But students who are fortunate enough to have tickets to the game have a bigger responsibility than just showing up. Students contribute heavily to the energy level of the fans throughout the game, and the team relies on the student section to act as the catalyst that gets the rest of the crowd going.

Scott Karpen, a sophomore who lines up four hours early for every home game, said, "Students can definitely change the outcome of a game if they are wild and crazy enough. The noise rattles the other team and it shows the entire country how strong (our) basketball program is."

Olson expressed his views about the importance of the student section by saying, "they have an effect on the turnout of the game, so that will be a great advantage to us this season."

But to really have the sort of impact on games that Coach O would like to see, the students need to be on their feet and shouting every time an opposing player touches the ball. Rowdy student crowds are known to have an impact on the momentum of college basketball games, from the Pit at Oregon to Cameron Indoor Stadium at Duke, and McKale Center should be no exception.

Yelling, stomping, and bouncing up and down in the stands for 40 straight minutes will send a clear message to Arizona's Pacific 10 Conference foes: This is our house, and you are not welcome.

When the Cardinal visits McKale Center tomorrow and the Cats come out looking for a victory, it's up to the students to pack the house and bring the noise.

Michael Huston is a political science junior who will line up for tomorrow's game four hours early. He can be reached at letters@wildcat.arizona.edu.