CAA Men's Basketball Tournament

Today’s entry is a brief departure from commenting on the environment. Since I just returned yesterday from playing in Northeastern’s pep band at the Colonial Athletic Association Men’s Basketball Tournament in Richmond, Va., I decided to share some of my experiences on the trip.

Northeastern advanced to the quarterfinals by beating James Madison before losing to George Mason, ending the Huskies season. Having never been to a tournament before, I was surprised to see how charged the atmosphere was, given there were many empty seats in the Richmond Coliseum. There was a certain buzz in the arena that is almost indescribable but easily felt, even from the band’s seats behind the hoop.

In the opening round, Northeastern jumped out to a large lead in the first half and was able to withstand a James Madison run in the second to advance. Though Northeastern – which had to travel among the farthest of any team – had few fans in attendance, there was still much positive energy and lots of Husky cheers. I left that game with a hoarse voice from yelling so much.

Sadly, the second game was less exciting. Though NU did grab a lead briefly, George Mason quickly developed a commanding lead at the half. Northeastern played better in the second frame, closing the gap to 5 points with only a few minutes to go, but was not able to overcome George Mason. Interestingly, during this game, NU had the backing of a group of vocal Virginia Commonwealth University fans who wanted to see George Mason knocked out.

Since both games were at night, I had free time to explore the city. Richmond is an interesting mix of modern skyscrapers and historic landmarks, statues, buildings and museums. A free Civil War museum located along the banks of the James River provided a great overview of Richmond’s role in the conflict and contained some interesting artifacts including a drum and various weapons and ammunition.

Although a little hilly, the city is very walkable since the downtown area is laid out in a grid pattern. And, because of the contrast between a modern city and the Civil War historical sites, the feel changes dramatically after only walking a few blocks. The only major downside is the wind, especially near the James River or when traversing it.

Overall, it was a great experience and I am looking forward to hopefully returning to Richmond for next year’s tournament.