Monday night̢۪s game against Boise State might have been one of the most exciting moments in recent Fresno State men̢۪s basketball history.

With just three seconds left in the fourth quarter of play, senior Kevin Bell hit one free throw with three seconds on the game clock and had one more to shoot.

The first free throw brought the Bulldogs within one point of tying an emotional game against one of the most talented teams in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). The entire Save Mart Center crowd was on its feet in anticipation but there was no roar – just silence.

Bell hit the second shot and tied the game. The ‘Dogs then scrambled in order to keep the ball from being inbounded, but a Boise State player got the ball and sprinted down court.

When the player got within 27 feet of the rim he pulled up – the crowd gasped for air. The shot didn’t fall and the gasp of air turned into a roar that made a face-numbing amount of noise, driving chills my spine.

The arena then turned into a celebration, the crowd was full of people on their feet, some of them giving one another a high-five, and others hugging. This was the type of environment that facilitates a win in any sport.

The ‘Dogs eventually lost the game in overtime after a game-winning attempt by Bell rolled off of the side of the rim — but that’s not the point.

The point here is that a crowd can provide an intangible element that can facilitate a team’s success. It’s called support. The crowd was there to support the ‘Dogs through every lead gained and lost, and at the end of the day it meant more than you may think.

Bell said when a crowd creates an environment, it is the team̢۪s job to not only feed off of the energy, but exceed it.

“We have one of the best crowds in the country,â€Â he said.

Monday’s crowd gave the team plenty of energy to feed off of, and was a great example of why the ‘Dogs are currently No. 33 in the NCAA in average attendance, according to Fresno State Athletic Media Relations. Though all of that was in place, there was still one important missing element – a student section.

It is understandable that the student section may be a little dry because of a Monday night game. Students have school the next morning, and probably tons of homework to do. Academia is a priority.

On the other hand, the student section hasn̢۪t really packed out yet this season. Where are the students at the games this year?

I̢۪m sure you̢۪ve either heard of or seen perennial NCAA teams on TV. Teams like Florida, Duke, Georgetown and Kansas have fans come together to make a ruckus-filled wave of collegiate color.
Those teams have crowds that make enough noise to break the most poised of players. More importantly, they have packed student sections that get the crowd to support their team.

It̢۪s an element that makes good teams great, and is the way college programs break into the top 25.

This isn̢۪t a rag on student participation at men or women̢۪s basketball games; it̢۪s more of a public service announcement.

The message here is that tickets to the game are free, people. It’s always a good time, and much more enriching and entertaining than sitting on your couch and watching “Life of Ryan,â€Â or whatever semi-reality TV show you’re into right now.