maroon wrote:Playing Wyo at the Metra is like playing a road game. Wyo has more fans and they are much louder. Billings BB fans a passive bunch. Not a good place to play for MSU.
For the Billings Wyo alum (and there are a TON), this is a great chance for them to root for the Cowboys. Usually they see one Wyo game ever two years, and that is the one. So they are usually all jacked up. Plus all the local transplants who grew up in Wyoming (and there are a TON) have that sense of loyalty towards the only 4 year university in the entire state.
So, basically, 5,000 hungry Wyo fans show up to the Metra compared to the 2,500 'Cat fans. It turns into more of an advantage for Wyoming. Then the next year we get to go down to Casper... and we know that there aren't many MSU alum/fans down in those parts. Basically we never have a crowd advantage in this horrid series. I hate it, and I always have.
P.S. The other drawbacks of playing at Metra include:
1. Old floor which has several 'dead' areas
2. Hockey rink under the floor, making for a cold climate and an even more unresponsive floor.
I've also heard many players complain about the vast open air beyond the backboard, and how the change in backdrop from a smaller gym/fieldhouse to a larger arena initially effects their depth perception. But the 'Brick is big and cavernous beyond the backboards just like the Metra, so I can't imagine this having much of an effect on the 'Cats.