Faulkner University

Nov. 9, 2007

by Ryan Bartels - Sports Information

Montgomery, Ala. - If you happened to be sleeping, watching television or, dare I say, studying last night at approximately 11 p.m., let me be the first to inform you that you missed out on one very exciting basketball season kickoff. I'm talking, of course, about Thursday's Midnight Madness.

     Here’s an equation for all of you math majors…

FREE Pizza + three-point shootout + student half-court shot for a 32” flat screen TV + dunk contest + Jim Sanderson and Faires Austin doing the “Soulja Boy” = X

     Ok, now, solve for “X”. If you got “Hilarious and Action Packed Entertainment in Support of the Basketball Program” then you solved it correctly. If you got a different answer double check your math on the “Jim Sanderson and Faires Austin doing the ‘Soulja Boy’” part. Trust me, that’s stumped a lot of people. Oh, and if you have no idea how to solve it because you didn’t come, you fail!

     Let’s recap Midngiht Madness shall we? The event began at approximately 11:10 p.m. with the introduction of the 2007-2008 basketball team under spotlight and in the midst of cheers from dedicated fans.  A few of the seniors as well as head coach Jim Sanderson thanked the fans for coming out and for all of the support they showed the program last season.

Students, members of the community and the press cheer during the dunk contest

Senior point guard Bryant Murray thanks the Eagle fans during the opening address

Eagles basketball fans are notorious for creating thunderous noise at both home and away games. Last season Faulkner’s fan section at Auburn Montgomery put the home crowd to shame as the Eagles went on to defeat the Senators for the second time that season.

      Next was the three-point shootout. Junior Reggie Dupree and seniors Jeremy Lunn, Jon Uriarte and defending champion Brandon Vaughn took to the court to prove once and for all who was the greatest three-point shooter. And it was Reggie Dupree who sank 17 in the contest.

Senior Jon Uriarte putting it up from the outside during the three-point shootout

Last year's shootout champion Brandon Vaughn tries to defend his title

     On to student action. After 20 minutes of drawing phantom numbers from a box, five students earned the opportunity to win a brand new 32 inch flat screen television…all they needed to do was sink a half-court shot in a single attempt. The fist two contestants couldn’t find the net… or the rim, backboard or wall, but hey, it was dark – I’m with you guys. Then Kyle Hayes stepped on the face of the Eagle emblem at mid-court and launched the ball skyward.

Kyle Hayes tossing for a television

Players and fans storming the court after Hayes nails the winning shot

PAY THE MAN! Hayes found the bottom of the net and as Jon Gordon’s pocketbook got a little lighter fans and the basketball team stormed the court to celebrate what many (ok, me) have called the greatest event in sports history. Ok, that’s a stretch, but the shot was good and Kyle now has a study-avoiding device provided to him by the university. Congratulations Mr. Hayes. Gordon, you better make good.

     Could the evening possibly get any better? Ah, yeah. Two words, “Dunk-Contest.” Josh Gholston, Reggie Dupree, Jonathan Walker, Brent “BJ” Jennings and Aaron Greenwood went rim slappin’. After a series of fearsome jams, it was “BJ” who took home the dunk award.

Junior Aaron Greenwood dunking "blind" style in the dunkoff

Sophomore "BJ" in a reverse power jam

Junior Jonathan Walker sending the ball home

Sophomore Josh Gholston brings a hard hammer from the baseline

Junior Reggie Dupree airborne with authority

"BJ" leaps and bounds over seated Jonathan Walker

Gholston finds a thermal and soars above De Hereford

Dunk champ "BJ" Jennings swoops around J. Walk in the final round

     At this point everyone is winded from all of the excitement. Surely the evening could come to a quiet close without the need for any more theatrics. No. Two more words, “Soulja (note: for all of you English students and professors, this is spelled correctly) –Boy.” And four more words that may not necessarily belong in conjunction with the previous two, “Jim-Sanderson” and “Faires-Austin.”  Say what?! Yes, head basketball coach Jim Sanderson and Dean of Students, Faires Austin “Cranked That” like nobody’s business. The video should appear on YouTube shortly and Sanderson & Austin should be signing with a major label by weeks end.

"Watch me crank it, watch me roll.." - Jim Sanderson

"Now...youuuuuu!"  Sanderson and Austin under the blue spot

No, seriously, it's Dean Austin!

"Watch me crank that Soulja Boy, that Superman that Ohhhh!"

    So, what have we, or more importantly you, learned form all of this?  We You have learned that the next time you hear the words Midnight Madness spreading through campus like a California wildfire you come and witness what may very well be the greatest event in sports history… well, you get the idea.