Gonzaga supporters were furious during a weekend defeat to Saint Mary’s.
The Bulldogs were upset 64-62 at their home stadium on Saturday in Spokane, and it was undeniably a difficult loss for the team to accept as they fight for a favorable position in the tournament.
Well, frustrations undeniably overflowed with the fans present when it came to the officiating. In a scene reminiscent of a European basketball game, Gonzaga supporters commenced hurling debris onto the court.
Their dissatisfaction with the officiating was made abundantly clear to the referees. You can witness the incident unfold below and share your thoughts with me at David.Hookstead@College sports fans possess a unique fervor and vitality. Their passion cannot be matched, and this certainly applies to Gonzaga supporters.
When it comes to garnering attention, the Bulldogs are essentially the sole focus of the university. Washington fans are absolutely enamored with Mark Few’s team, and with a 16-5 record leading up to the Saturday game, the season has not unfolded as expected. Consequently, fans finally reached a breaking point.
Gonzaga currently finds itself teetering on the edge, and the loss to Saint Mary’s could have SIGNIFICANT implications moving forward.
Gonzaga supporters hurl debris onto the court during defeat to Saint Mary’s. (Credit: USA Today Sports Network/James Snook)
Did fans respond rationally and calmly, as I did when the referees cheated Wisconsin against Purdue? No, not at all. They opted to throw debris onto the court.
I am certainly not condoning this behavior, but let’s not pretend that this isn’t the type of passion that fans across the nation love to witness.
There is no need to attempt to silence anyone. It is moments like these that serve as a reminder of just how crucial college teams are. Now, Gonzaga must accumulate victories as their margin for error has completely vanished. Share your thoughts with me at David.Hookstead@