Raiders and their fans have dancing on their minds

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By Marc Katz, Staff Writer 12:50 AM Friday, October 30, 2009

FAIRBORN — Well before 6 p.m., when the gates of the Nutter Center opened, ghouls and goblins were already lined up to get inside on Thursday, Oct. 29.

And regular people as well.

In the third-floor Berry Room, the place was packed with basketball season ticket-holders, and from the size of the crowd, there are more ticket-holders than ever. At least 2,000 showed up for Halloween Hoops.

“People are starting to buy into what we’re doing here,” WSU athletics director Bob Grant said.

For the first time in years, there was a real preseason buzz, and it wasn’t just candy-coated.

From the looks of things, the Raiders can play — and dance.

“Well, we practiced three times,” said junior Vaughn Duggins of the night-ending dance number performed by the men’s and women’s teams to “Thriller.” “It was fun.”

The actual season should be more fun, even for the women, who have a depleted roster of only nine (two players were at classes Thursday). Even though the women are coming off a 15-16 season, they had winning records in each of the last two Horizon League seasons and have not been below .500 in league play in five years.

The men have posted three straight 20-win seasons and are looking for an unprecedented fourth.

Thursday was about more than records, though. Brownell and women’s coach Bridgett Williams worked the crowd with handshakes and autographs, as did the players.

“We had a lot of different types here tonight,” Brownell said. “We had kids and students and season ticket-holders. We’re still small enough you can come by and see the players and talk to the coach. Our place isn’t roped off to everyone.”

Even John David Gardner showed — and was showered with applause — a day after hip surgery that will cause him to miss the beginning of the season.

It was a night worked on hard by the athletics department, and if the teams win as expected, the buzz should continue.

After all, the teams want to continue dancing into March — and not to “Thriller.”

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2157  or mkatz@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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It's such fun to see the size of the crowd and the excitement for both teams. Congrats to all who had a hand in the event! This should be an interesting season for both teams. Raider fans need to get active and sustained, even if there are bumps in the road because that's how "programs" are built. We all need to be in the game for the long haul and support the kids and coaches despite any ups and downs.

Raider Fan
6:59 AM, 10/31/2009

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