Basketball showed me what it means to be a Gator
On the day of the 2025 NCAA National Championship in April, all of the UF campus was humming with energy.
Walking to class, I saw tons of people decked out in orange and blue and basketball merch. The streets around campus were packed as students camped out for hours, trying to secure somewhere to watch the men’s basketball game. My friends and I were having busy days, so we decided to watch the game from home, but the location did not take away from the excitement.
We watched in tense anticipation as the Gators battled it out. As the game progressed, it felt like the entirety of Gainesville had gone still, watching as the Gators trailed behind the Houston Cougars. UF only held the lead for one minute and three seconds of the entire game, leaving fans stressed as we wondered if they could actually do it.
While we were worried going into the second half, there was one thing I learned watching Gators basketball that season: We were a second half team. This once again proved true, as the Gators inched out a victory in the final minutes. As the buzzer went off, I was in a state of total shock. After over a month of buildup, when the moment finally arrived, it hardly seemed real.
The shock quickly wore off, turning into pure joy. My friends and I ran from our house toward University Avenue. University is only a few minutes from the O’Dome and home to several restaurants where students had gathered to watch the game.
We ran down Stadium Road, eventually running into the crowd flooding out of the O’Dome. The atmosphere was electric, all of us whooping and chanting as we stormed the streets. The most amazing part was the sense of total unity on campus at that moment. While the people around us were total strangers, we were all connected in our excitement. It felt like everyone knew that this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that we were sharing.
We reached University to find the street in a state of exuberant chaos. Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down” played while people wove flags and climbed on one another’s shoulders. I could barely hear the people next to me, but I didn’t need to. The street thrummed with energy, pride practically beaming out of every single person.
We stayed on University for hours, eventually finding a bigger group of our friends to celebrate with. It was truly one of the best nights of my life.
Prior to coming to college, I didn’t pay much attention to sports. I was never an athlete myself, and I spent much of my time writing for my school’s newspaper or working backstage in theater. I carried these interests with me into college, but I also gained new hobbies, like following Gators basketball. Sports culture is so big at UF that it’s hard to not become a fan.
As an incoming freshman, I wouldn’t have believed you if you said I cared this much about a basketball game. In my first semester, I didn’t even buy football tickets. But after attending my first game, I realized that Gators sports are about much more than just games.
This game, and UF sports in general, remind me of the best parts of being a Gator. UF is a big school, and a student body of its size can feel overwhelming at times. Sports provide a sense of community, as thousands of people come together in support. It also shows the pride and dedication of UF students. Whether we’re winning or losing, fans remain committed to cheering on the Gators. It brings us together in a way that not many other things can.
Isabel Bequer is a third-year Media Production, Management, and Technology student in the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications. She is involved with Pi Beta Phi and Florida Players, and enjoys reading, running and yoga.