Shoes squeaked and balls bounced at the PMAC. Shots were shot and passes were passed.
The crowd groaned and cheered.
“All right, Brandon,” finance freshman Deanna Mattos yelled.
Brandon?
The Lady Tigers played Thursday night, so who is Brandon?
Brandon Robinson is a business administration sophomore. Robinson, kinesiology sophomore Schifra Fields and consumer science sophomore Frenita Allen made up the First Round Draft Picks basketball team, which made it to the fourth round of the Mardi Gras Mania co-ed three-on-three basketball tournament before the Lady Tigers’ game.
The First Round Draft Picks lost in the final seconds of their three minute game against Duke.
Duke scored as time was called to advance to the halftime game against Elsie.
The six students on the Duke and Elsie teams entertained Lady Tigers’ fans during halftime with a three minute game.
Duke beat Elsie, 10 – 7.
“It was like a high school game, just a little more people,” said Duke player Stephen Berry, a mechanical engineering freshman, about his PMAC debut.
Biological sciences freshman Megan Boos replaced another female team member and didn’t know she would be playing during halftime until she arrived Thursday afternoon at the assembly center.
Pre-law junior Bryan Lanoix scored two 3-pointers during the three minute game.
“It was normal,” said Lanoix, who played basketball in high school.
The Pink Ladies, the Scrubs, the Cheese & Ketchup, the Geese and No Skills are some of the teams that fell short of the prize — a Winn-Dixie gift certificate.
The LSU Athletic Department, Student Government and Student Media sponsored Mardi Gras Mania, which took place during the three hours before the basketball game.
“It’s a neat way to support the Lady Tigers going on to the Final Four with the track they are on right now,” said Michael Schwartzenburg, an LSU athletics promotions intern.
The sun was setting behind Jake Saunders, a St. Amant High School senior, and Sheridan Fay, an international studies freshman, as they tried to beat each other down the path of the bungee competition.
Competitors are attached to each end of one bungee cord and hold velcro markers. When “start” is called, they take off, running against each other to place their marker at the farthest spot on the center.
Fay screamed with joy when she beat Saunders on the second attempt, then screamed with frustration on the third when the bungee cord snapped taut and she was pulled back without marking her length.
“Dude, I’m exhausted,” Fay said. “I can’t believe I let a boy beat me, then I come to find out he’s a high school student.”
The jambalaya and drinks ran out in the first hour, but marketing senior Jennifer Guttirrez didn’t mind. She tailgated in front of the PMAC, arriving at 3 p.m.
“I have a test to study for,” she said as she packed up her cooler and beach chair at 5:30 p.m.She planned to come back for the game.
Business senior Mary Ellen Vincent and English senior Kimberly Broussard received class credit for tailgating before the game.
As part of a marketing class, the women promoted Lady Tigers basketball all semester and Mardi Gras Mania was the culmination.
They relaxed in front of the assembly center, listening to the KLSU live remote and watching students enjoy their hard work.