Not even crashing his car could ruin Syracuse University’s win in the East Regional Finals for Salman Cheema.

Cheema, a sophomore political science major, was on his way to watch the Orangemen play Oklahoma in Albany when he was involved in a two car crash in Utica. Cheema called a friend, who picked him up and drove him back to campus just in time for the start of the game.

“With us winning, it was worth it,” he said.

The faithful of the SU basketball team may not have gone to the lengths Cheema did to insure he would be able to see the game, but many celebrated in various ways.

Some, like Cheema, celebrated on Marshall Street after the game, while others waited in the cold at Manley Field House for the team bus. The win itself even brought some fans to tears.

In Shaw Residence Hall, as the final moments ticked down and students watching the game on the first floor began to cheer and rise to their feet, several students had an unexpected reaction.

Mollie Craven, a freshman marketing major, and her friends began to cry as they realized SU would be going to the Final Four.

“We are crying because it is the Final Four, and this is our team. They are our boys,” she said.

Craven will have the same seat on the first floor of Shaw on Friday, as she does not plan on making the trip to New Orleans. Among the other students on the first floor of Shaw was Chris Daughtrey, who may not be rejoining the group next week.

Daughtrey, a junior television, radio and film major, has a friend whose parents will have a chance to buy Final Four tickets, and he and his friend are going to try to get them. Daughtrey doesn’t mind that his potential trip to New Orleans cost him his NCAA Tournament pool.

“I had Oklahoma in the championship, but I’m really excited we won instead of them,” he said.

Although police and the Office of Public Safety increased safety patrols to make sure that excitement did not lead to rioting or misbehavior by students, the situation immediately following the game was not a dangerous one.

There were about 12 to 15 police officers on Marshall Street after the game, said Syracuse Deputy Police Chief Mike Heenan. Mainly, students were driving through Marshall Street honking their horns and screaming, he said.

“Nobody came,” Heenan said. “It seems that nobody seems to care.”

One of those students who cared and went to Marshall Street was sophomore English and textual studies major Jason Loeb. He and his friends were planning on celebrating the win in Marshall Street bars but not planning on causing any trouble.

“The goal is just good old fashion fun,” Loeb said.

Fans not only celebrated on their own, but like hundreds of others, went to Manley Field House to welcome the players back to Syracuse. Fans cheered “Lets Go Orange” and “Final Four” before the team arrived, and once Carmelo Anthony stepped off the bus, the chant turned to “One more year.”

Cheema said he and his friends went to Manley to show their support.

“We just want to show that we love them, and we are going to be with them until the Final Four when we win this,” he said.

Those at Manley were not only fans who had watched the game from their homes in Syracuse, but also some who went to the game in Albany. Fred Schwarz, a sophomore finance major, made the trip back, hoarse voice and all.

“It was amazing. The place was rocking,” he said. “It gave you chills to be there.”

The fans who waited out in the cold for their team were not forgotten or unappreciated by members of the team. Billy Edelin didn’t even think that people would be waiting outside until he received a call from a friend asking him when they were getting back because of the crowd.

“It is quite a feeling,” he said. “It makes us want to go out and play.”

Managing Editor Ashleigh Graf

contributed to this report.

Published on March 30, 2003 at 12:00 pm