Game Day

Cameron's big birthday gift this year was tickets to today's IU vs. Maryland game.  He hadn't seen a game in Assembly Hall in almost ten years and was excited for the chance.  I was a little hesitant about today's game.  Although IU had beaten a tough Michigan State on Thursday, Maryland had destroyed them earlier in the year.  I was afraid that today would be a repeat of that disappointing loss and that Cameron would be witness to it all.

Cameron was a lot more optimistic about IU's chances when I dropped them off at the stadium.  Assembly Hall had changed quite a bit since we had attended a game many years ago.  Not only did it have a new name, the Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, but it also had new interactive exhibits to try before the game.  Doug's favorites were the ones devoted to the IU players in the College Basketball Hall of Fame, especially since Calbert Cheaney was recently inducted.

While Cam and Doug were at the basketball game, Meg and I spent our time shopping.  She needed a few things from Kroger and I wanted to stop at Yankee Candle.  We also had time to grab her lunch at Chipotle and put away her supplies at her dorm room.  It was nice to spend some time with her and catch up on all that she had been doing since this semester started.  So far she likes her schedule this semester a lot better than last fall, even though she has one more class to attend.

I kept checking the score on my phone as Meg and I were together.  The game started slow for the Hoosiers and they were down by nine at the half.  Cameron was still positive that IU would make a comeback.  He was spot on and soon the fans in attendance were cheering on a seven point lead.    I was thrilled to see what I began to believe would be a Hoosier victory.  In the end, however, it wasn't meant to be and a five point lead with a minute to go quickly slipped away.  Doug said that they were  witness to some angry fans shouting at the refs at the end of the game and 17,000 long faces when Trace Jackson-Davis missed a last second shot.  No matter the outcome, the outspoken fans or the missed shot, nothing could take away the fun that he and Cameron had had today.