By Matthew Johnson, Sports Editor

Published in print Jan. 28, 2015

My older brother is the sports editor for his Southern Connecticut University newspaper. We both were promoted around similar times, and have constantly shared stories, videos, and tips about our positions at our respective campuses. Around this time last year, he sent me a riveting video that featured his school’s basketball team.

The Owls, the team name of Southern Connecticut, won their conference, the Northeast-10 a season ago in men’s basketball.

Defeating their opponent in thrilling fashion, my brother showed me a video reminiscent of a SportsCenter top 10 play of the day. Dribbling at the top of the key with time dwindling, one of the Owls, Greg Langston drained a three pointer to win the game and conference.

As the Owl’s opponents desperately failed to get off a clean layup to even the score as the final seconds sped down to zero, the game clock blared and the heavily crowded Southern Connecticut attendance stormed onto the court to celebrate the victory with the school’s basketball players.

Watching the highlight of a moment that seemed destined out of a basketball movie, I found myself envious of the moment.

Not only was I jealous that my brother attended a school where the basketball program had an opportunity to compete for a conference title, I was green-eyed primarily due to the student atmosphere seen in the shaky-cam video he sent me. 

In the video, I see bleachers decked with students hyped to watch their basketball team play, proudly donning their school colors.

Pondering upon my student experience, I belie-, I know I have failed to partake in a similar occurrence at my time here at UNCG.

I take little issue that the basketball team has not been able to compete for a conference title. Teams, especially in college, swing in obscurity and victory based heavily on recruiting classes, which schools shift back and forth from the bottom and top. While I wish UNCG had a good enough class along with a veteran enough team to earn some more wins, I am not upset at this fact. I was bothered by the lack of student energy I see at basketball games here at UNCG.

Yes, the student body at UNCG is not as passionate about the basketball team as I wish they were, but I believe this dilemma can be overcome by one simple solution, playing their home games at Fleming Gym.

Since 2009, the Men’s Basketball team has called the Greensboro Coliseum home. Yet, whenever I visit the arena to watch a basketball game or stream the game online, I am saddened by the amount of empty seats I see. I am saddened to see the amount of rival shirts I see throughout the stands. And it is not like the Coliseum has strengthened the Spartan basketball program, because since the move, team has not had a winning overall record for the season.

In Wes Miller’s first season as UNCG coach when he replaced Mike Dement midway through the 2011-2012 season, the team finished 13-17 with a 10-8 conference record. The best record the team has had since 2007-2008.

While the Greensboro Coliseum is a five-minute walk from the campus on West Lee Street, students prefer not leaving the friendly confines of their campus. By having the men’s team play at Fleming Gym, students would more likely attend the games and actually provide a homecourt advantage for Wes Miller’s squad. Instead of playing in front of a half-empty arena, the men’s team would reap the benefits of a supportive group of fans whose cheers would ring throughout the Fleming Gymnasium, instead of making a slight, low din in only the Blue Crew led section of the Greensboro Coliseum.

Taking the money needed to allow the Greensboro Coliseum to let the team play in a stadium, that at times reaches the sound level reminiscent of a classroom, would allow the funds to be channeled into other departments, such as recruiting which would improve the current 6-15 team we have now.

As of now, the Greensboro Coliseum is not a home field advantage, but the Fleming Gym, with its location, would provide UNCG ample backing for a basketball team in desperate need for help.