University of Massachusets Athletics
Postcards From New York
December 26, 2005 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 26, 2005
NEW YORK - The UMass basketball takes part in the Panasonic Holiday Festival for the first time in school history, at Madison Square Garden. The Minutemen will take on St. Peter's the first game of the tournament tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. The team arrived in the Big Apple on Sunday night after a Christmas Day practice at the Mullins Center. After a good night sleep at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in the heart of Times Square, the Minutemen headed the Garden for a morning practice. It was the first time many Minutemen have ever been to "The World's Most Famous Arena," including senior Jeff Viggiano and sophomore Lawrence Carrier. For others such as native New Yorkers freshman Chris Lowe and sophomore Dante Milligan, it was a return to MSG where they will each make their collegiate debuts on the court made famous by the likes of Willis Reed, Walt Frazier and Patrick Ewing. After a hard practice the team was given some free time in NYC to take in a New York lunch in addition to the sights and sounds of the biggest city in America. The team continues its activities in the evening with a visit back to the Garden to watch the Knicks-Nets game.
Here are some "postcards" from the Minutemen on their stay in New York.
Senior Jeff Viggiano
"It's very exciting to be here. I have never been here personally. Everyone has seen it on TV. So many great players have played for the Knicks and great players like Michael Jordan have played here. It's exciting to be here. This is a part of history and this is one of the great things about playing college basketball.
"As far as where Madison Square Garden ranks on my all-time list, other than the tacky color of the seats, it is one of the best and I am really looking forward to the games the next few days."
Freshman Chris Lowe
"My memories of the Garden .... Whooooo ... It was a beautiful experience when I think back of my first time playing in the Garden (two years ago with Mount Vernon High School). Being on the floor that so many great players and being in the same arena that so many great players, it is just an honor to be here. It was just so happy as well as being shocked the first time I played in the Garden. This time it will be a lot easier for me to play in the Garden. I will just relax and let my game flow.
"I have been to the Garden many times. I came to watch Michael Jordan. I came to watch Ben Gordon and the Chicago Bulls play here last year, because Gordon went to my high school. I come to a lot of Knicks games. I have lots of nice memories about playing in the Garden and they are memories that I will have for the rest of my life.
"I have played here twice, and have different memories. The first game, when we played here my junior year (2003), I have great memories because we won. Last year, the memories are not as good because we lost a tough game to Rice (High School)."
Sophomore Dante Milligan
"As everyone knows, Madison Square Garden is "The World's Most Famous Arena." There is so much history here and so many great players have played here well before our time. It is just a great opportunity to finally be able to play here and get out on the court and be able to perform before all the fans we are going to have at the game. It is a monumental event for us, it is a good tournament with good teams. When I was Pitt, I was at the Garden many times but never got a chance to get in a game, because I redshirted and then the coach chose not to play me in the game last year. That's what makes this extra special to me personally.
"Growing up here I always watched Knicks games, so it is very special to be here. When I was younger the Knicks were a pretty good team. There was a lot of attention and it was special to watch them. My favorite memory is of "The Dunk" when John Starks jumped over Michael Jordan and Horace Grant and dunked on them in the early 90s."
Sophomore Lawrence Carrier
"It's my first time here so I am very excited. It's my first time playing on this court, I just can't wait to get to get to game-time to play. When I think back of special games at Madison Square Garden, I think of Michael Jordan dunking on Patrick Ewing, that was one of the most exciting games I have ever seen. Hopefully, god-willing I can do something like that No. 23."