Todd Billet shoots a three pointer at the buzzer to win the game for Virginia. There are a few claps and shouts among the sea of mostly empty bleachers. No students rush the court and the Good Ole song seems to be forgotten.
Virginia may have played a team with Dasani -- instead of Duke or Maryland -- printed on their jerseys, but the game was no less intense.
Many students, however, deem the pre-season exhibition games as less than exciting.
Fourth-year College student Michael Carey, however, said there are some perks to going to the pre-season games.
"It's perfect," Carey said. "We can sit in the front row, and you're still watching basketball."
He said the atmosphere is quieter, but students actually can watch the games while sitting down as opposed to standing up during regular season games.
Second-year College student Hampton Conly said going to the exhibition games gave him a chance to see the new freshman as well as the players who won't have a lot of playing time during the season.
Carey agreed.
"You can tell others how the team will do," Carey said. "I think they are underrated this year because of so many freshmen. They will do better than they are picked to do, but they won't win the championship."
Conly said he thinks the team will improve this year.
"It sound like Coach Gillen is building his system around his personnel and not his personnel around his system," Conly said.
While there are advantages for the fans, going to the exhibition games also shows support for the players.
"The team should know we are behind them all season, and we are not just going to show up for Duke or Maryland," Conly said. "Our effort as a fan shouldn't change because of the opponent -- just as the players' efforts shouldn't change based on who they are playing."
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