Basketball magic at UC Irvine

There’s nothing like the allure of college basketball’s March Madness

-- with the brackets, the office pools and the constant hoops action.

But it’s October. What’s a fan to do?

Across the country, basketball nuts have traditionally packed

collegiate arenas for late-night events that celebrate the start of

practice.

Blake Sasaki, assistant athletic director for marketing and

promotions at UC Irvine, watched the spirited events as a young

basketball fan. Now he is trying to replicate the excitement on his

campus.

“We’re trying to bring a sense of pride and tradition,” Sasaki

said. “The goal is to promote the teams.”

At most schools, the hoopla events are called “Midnight Madness.”

But there’s a patent on that title, so Sasaki is calling the event

“2005 Midnight Magic in the O.C.”

For the eighth straight year, the UCI men’s and women’s basketball

teams will show off their skills at the free event, which starts at 9

p.m. Saturday at the Bren Events Center. The event will include a

live Internet feed available at o7www.ant eaters.tvf7.

Video games and other activities will be available on the Bren

Center concourse. At 10:30 p.m., fans will be taken into the Bren

Center arena where they will be taught the “Rip ‘em Eaters” hand sign

and the fight song, and see performances by the UCI cheer squad and

dance team.

The men’s and women’s basketball teams will be introduced and

participate in short scrimmages; a co-ed, three-point shooting

contest; and a slam-dunk contest -- often the most popular event,

Sasaki said.

“The excitement of seeing these athletes glide through the air and

make powerful dunks brings people there,” he said.

About 1,500 people attended last year’s event, Sasaki said. This

year, the athletic department is looking to attract more community

members by holding the event on Saturday and starting it earlier in

the evening.