Angelica Garcia (VU 2022) Pittsburgh March Madness Recap
I woke up around 6am so I could get in the car with my friends shortly afterwards for our 5 hour drive to Pittsburgh. Saw some UDel fans at a rest area who tried to boo us but we didn’t let that get to us.
We arrive in Pittsburgh with enough time to watch the Loyola Chicago vs Ohio State game. We even got interviewed by the media to represent Villanova! Brought in some representation to the Pittsburgh Tribune: https://triblive.com/sports/ncaa-fans-march-madness-in-pittsburgh-except-a-few-from-cleveland/ triblive.com/sports/ncaa-fans-march-madness-in-pittsburgh-except-a-few-from-cleveland/
The atmosphere is amazing & Eric Dixon made the first basket! The plethora of Nova fans I met who cheered when they saw me was so cool!
I met up with some of my friends to take pictures, hyping each other up for the game
We were down but gradually made our way back to be up by 10 & the halftime score was 35-25 us!! The band played the “go cats go!” song so my friend & I proudly sang along. At fouling, I would look at the band to continue the “you suck” chant we do at on campus games.
We are dominatingggggg in this second half. Making most of our field goals🤩 UDel tried to boo us but we ain’t giving them a chance. The band, cheerleading & dance teams are all killing it too with getting everyone excited!
I loved getting to see Kevin Voigt on the court along with Trey & Nnanna for the end!!
Cats win by a million💙
After the game, my friends & I checked into our hotel. We went to the Alumni Association Party which had really good food & cider! Tried to meet people on my scavenger hunt, I missed them but I met nice people in the community who knew them & told me that they might be at the women’s game watch at the team hotel tomorrow. We also met a fellow student which was fun!
Went back to our hotel to change & get ready to experience Pittsburgh nightlife!
Saturday
Slept in with enough time to eat breakfast at the hotel. Then we went downtown to the Fairmont Hotel where the team was staying. My friend & I bought merch, I now have a jersey that I can wear at tomorrow’s game! It’s the black and blue one with jermaine’s number!! We went up to the game watch for the Women’s game & I got to meet a lot of alumni!! I loved the energy in the room. We were so close with BYU the whole time & cheering on the women’s team even tho we weren’t there in person. The ‘cats win was amazing💙
Afterwards, my friends & I walked to Point State Park & got to see a beautiful part of the city of Pittsburgh :) We went back to the Fairmont for Mass which was both simple & beautiful in a non-chapel setting and we even got a picture with Fr. Rob!
After Mass, we walked to Primanti Bros. to try some Pittsburgh classics! The original pastrami & cheese sandwich was soooooo good🤩 There were some Ohio State fans near us & an Ohio State player who walked by us. They tried to tell us that they have a chance to win but my friends & I know they ain’t ready for us tomorrow.
Chilled at the hotel after dinner then went bar hopping with a friend who goes to Pitt! We repped our Nova gear but no one gave us any trouble.
Sunday
Woke up to get breakfast & made it in time for the Pre-Game Meetup! It’s so fun getting to be with Nova fans & the band & getting to meet other students & alumni who also love this school! The cheer & dance teams are also amazing at getting us into spirit! I even got a picture with Will D. Cat!
Caught the second half of the Houston vs Illinois game! Was close but Houston won! Hope we can get to the Sweet 16 too!
Tryna accept the fact that this is the last Nova game I’m attending as a student. It feels surreal but 4 years have led to this moment for me: to be at a second round March Madness game where a win means advancing to the Sweet 16. I’m soaking in everything I can. Cheering at the top of my lungs even if it means losing my voice, yelling with pride as I see the starting 5 come onto the court for the last time in a while, not forgetting why I love being a Villanovan and how it will always be home for me.
We’re able keep about a 10 point lead in this first half! The Jumbotron shows our history with Ohio State & that we lost to them the last time we played which was in 2019. I had flashbacks to watching on the tv screens in Conn my sophomore year & being disappointed that night. Looking at the score, I was confident that we had a better chance beating them today then we did 2.5 years ago, despite seeing how much more Ohio State fans there were compared to us.
During halftime, my friend & I went down to the court & were able to take a picture!
We met some more alumni & got to take pictures with our friends who were at the game too! I also bought a March Madness shirt!
Second half starts & we’re still looking good! Whenever Collin is at the free throw line, I’m not even worried. OSU can boo all they want but they wishhhhh they had Colin on their team. Things are starting to look good but Ohio State is starting to catch up! We’re only up by 2, quite a nail biter. But we get back on our feet, we keep leading & hold them down in these last 5 minutes. I get more & more excited as the time goes by & when there’s less than 30 seconds left with the ball in our possession, I get up on my feet. WE’RE IN THE SWEET SIXTEEN BABY🤩 I couldn’t be happier about this. I scream our fight song with pride & put my V’s up in the air✌🏽 ‘Cats by a million!!!
After the game, I see some UMich fans & tell them we’ll see ‘em next week. They reply that they’re not going to root for Villanova again & I know that they’re nervous bc we’re gonna put up a fight next weekend💪🏽
I’m so grateful to have been able to attend the First & Second Rounds of the March Madness tournament. This will forever be a highlight not only of my senior year, but from my Villanova experience! Choosing to be part of Nova Nation was one of the best decisions I ever made💙
P.S. I made a lil recap video of my weekend. https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdPKPJsp/?k=1
I woke up around 6am so I could get in the car with my friends shortly afterwards for our 5 hour drive to Pittsburgh. Saw some UDel fans at a rest area who tried to boo us but we didn’t let that get to us.
We arrive in Pittsburgh with enough time to watch the Loyola Chicago vs Ohio State game. We even got interviewed by the media to represent Villanova! Brought in some representation to the Pittsburgh Tribune: https://triblive.com/sports/ncaa-fans-march-madness-in-pittsburgh-except-a-few-from-cleveland/ triblive.com/sports/ncaa-fans-march-madness-in-pittsburgh-except-a-few-from-cleveland/
The atmosphere is amazing & Eric Dixon made the first basket! The plethora of Nova fans I met who cheered when they saw me was so cool!
I met up with some of my friends to take pictures, hyping each other up for the game
We were down but gradually made our way back to be up by 10 & the halftime score was 35-25 us!! The band played the “go cats go!” song so my friend & I proudly sang along. At fouling, I would look at the band to continue the “you suck” chant we do at on campus games.
We are dominatingggggg in this second half. Making most of our field goals🤩 UDel tried to boo us but we ain’t giving them a chance. The band, cheerleading & dance teams are all killing it too with getting everyone excited!
I loved getting to see Kevin Voigt on the court along with Trey & Nnanna for the end!!
Cats win by a million💙
After the game, my friends & I checked into our hotel. We went to the Alumni Association Party which had really good food & cider! Tried to meet people on my scavenger hunt, I missed them but I met nice people in the community who knew them & told me that they might be at the women’s game watch at the team hotel tomorrow. We also met a fellow student which was fun!
Went back to our hotel to change & get ready to experience Pittsburgh nightlife!
Saturday
Slept in with enough time to eat breakfast at the hotel. Then we went downtown to the Fairmont Hotel where the team was staying. My friend & I bought merch, I now have a jersey that I can wear at tomorrow’s game! It’s the black and blue one with jermaine’s number!! We went up to the game watch for the Women’s game & I got to meet a lot of alumni!! I loved the energy in the room. We were so close with BYU the whole time & cheering on the women’s team even tho we weren’t there in person. The ‘cats win was amazing💙
Afterwards, my friends & I walked to Point State Park & got to see a beautiful part of the city of Pittsburgh :) We went back to the Fairmont for Mass which was both simple & beautiful in a non-chapel setting and we even got a picture with Fr. Rob!
After Mass, we walked to Primanti Bros. to try some Pittsburgh classics! The original pastrami & cheese sandwich was soooooo good🤩 There were some Ohio State fans near us & an Ohio State player who walked by us. They tried to tell us that they have a chance to win but my friends & I know they ain’t ready for us tomorrow.
Chilled at the hotel after dinner then went bar hopping with a friend who goes to Pitt! We repped our Nova gear but no one gave us any trouble.
Sunday
Woke up to get breakfast & made it in time for the Pre-Game Meetup! It’s so fun getting to be with Nova fans & the band & getting to meet other students & alumni who also love this school! The cheer & dance teams are also amazing at getting us into spirit! I even got a picture with Will D. Cat!
Caught the second half of the Houston vs Illinois game! Was close but Houston won! Hope we can get to the Sweet 16 too!
Tryna accept the fact that this is the last Nova game I’m attending as a student. It feels surreal but 4 years have led to this moment for me: to be at a second round March Madness game where a win means advancing to the Sweet 16. I’m soaking in everything I can. Cheering at the top of my lungs even if it means losing my voice, yelling with pride as I see the starting 5 come onto the court for the last time in a while, not forgetting why I love being a Villanovan and how it will always be home for me.
We’re able keep about a 10 point lead in this first half! The Jumbotron shows our history with Ohio State & that we lost to them the last time we played which was in 2019. I had flashbacks to watching on the tv screens in Conn my sophomore year & being disappointed that night. Looking at the score, I was confident that we had a better chance beating them today then we did 2.5 years ago, despite seeing how much more Ohio State fans there were compared to us.
During halftime, my friend & I went down to the court & were able to take a picture!
We met some more alumni & got to take pictures with our friends who were at the game too! I also bought a March Madness shirt!
Second half starts & we’re still looking good! Whenever Collin is at the free throw line, I’m not even worried. OSU can boo all they want but they wishhhhh they had Colin on their team. Things are starting to look good but Ohio State is starting to catch up! We’re only up by 2, quite a nail biter. But we get back on our feet, we keep leading & hold them down in these last 5 minutes. I get more & more excited as the time goes by & when there’s less than 30 seconds left with the ball in our possession, I get up on my feet. WE’RE IN THE SWEET SIXTEEN BABY🤩 I couldn’t be happier about this. I scream our fight song with pride & put my V’s up in the air✌🏽 ‘Cats by a million!!!
After the game, I see some UMich fans & tell them we’ll see ‘em next week. They reply that they’re not going to root for Villanova again & I know that they’re nervous bc we’re gonna put up a fight next weekend💪🏽
I’m so grateful to have been able to attend the First & Second Rounds of the March Madness tournament. This will forever be a highlight not only of my senior year, but from my Villanova experience! Choosing to be part of Nova Nation was one of the best decisions I ever made💙
P.S. I made a lil recap video of my weekend. https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdPKPJsp/?k=1