Oct. 18, 2008
PHOTO GALLERY
Washington, D.C. - In front of a raucous crowd of nearly 3,000 students and fans, Georgetown University tipped off the college basketball season with its annual Midnight Madness celebration at McDonough Arena on Friday night.
Behind a live national television audience on ESPNU - with nationally-recognized college basketball analyst Bill Raftery and Lou Canellis - calling the action, fans were introduced to the Hoya men's and women's basketball teams in a fun-filled evening.
Students began lining up to gain entry to McDonough Arena early in the afternoon. By 5 p.m., the line to enter the Arena stretched from McDonough Arena all the way up to Yates Field House.
Outdoor activities included a cookout for students from the Georgetown University Grilling Society, Rock Band/Dance Dance Revolution and a viewing of the 2007-08 men's basketball highlight video. ESPN also conducted a "You Make the Call" promotion, with a Georgetown student earning the chance to sit in with the broadcast team for a men's basketball game during the 2008-09 season.
Doors to the arena opened around 8:30 p.m. and fans were treated to tremendous performances from the Georgetown University Step Team and Groove Theory. A live singing performance by Georgetown student Jaqui Rice, the daughter of National Football League legend Jerry Rice, brought the crowd to a frenzy.
That was followed by a shooting contest between the upperclassmen and underclassmen on the men's and women's teams and various students. The contest was won by the upperclassmen and saw the underclassmen perform 10 push-ups at midcourt.
The women's basketball team was introduced one-by-one, capped off by the introduction of Head Coach Terri Williams-Flournoy, who led the crowd in a chant of Hoya Saxa.
Before the introduction of the men's team, the NBA jersey for former Georgetown All-American center Roy Hibbert was unveiled on the famed Jersey Wall at McDonough.
The men's team was then introduced, with the last two to visit the floor being senior guard Jessie Sapp (New York, N.Y./National Christian Academy [Md.]) and Head Coach John Thompson III.
After leading the teams in a dance routine at midcourt, Thompson recognized former Georgetown All-American Jeff Green's mom and then former Georgetown All-American center Dikembe Mutombo, who addressed the crowd and urged the crowd to cheer on the Hoyas.
The evening closed with a dunking exhibition and run of the floor by the men's basketball team and the rallying cry of "We Are...Georgetown."
