As the seasons change, excitement is shifting from Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium to the Moody Center.
On Oct. 30, the official student-run basketball student sections, The Corral and The Charge, hosted their community Tip-Off event, bringing together the men’s and women’s basketball teams at Victory Lap in West Campus.
It was the second year of the event, bringing along the cheer team and Hook ‘Em to interact with students and get them excited for the season. Free t-shirts, food, autographs and photo opportunities helped set the tone for a highly anticipated year of Texas basketball.
The energy at the event made one thing clear: fans are ready. With expectations of nail-biting matchups and defining rivalry games, the enthusiasm surrounding Texas basketball was evident among students — especially Kamiya Bell, a sustainability and natural resource management sophomore, who will be seeing her first game this season after transferring from UT-Arlington.
“Since it’s my first year, I’m just really excited to see how basketball influences the campus environment, and just like the school sphere in general,” Bell said. “Seeing the community’s excitement today makes me even more eager to experience what’s next.”
During the event, both teams came out to show appreciation for the fan base. The players encouraged students to keep showing up throughout the season, stressing the importance of student support for the team’s performance.
Students at the event also expressed a shared understanding that a strong fan base can have a vital impact on team performance.
“I grew up playing sports, and I think when a team has the advantage of a supportive home crowd, I think it motivates them not only to perform for themselves, but also their teammates,” Bell said. “It’s a way to give back the same energy and effort that their fans showed them.”
It’s not just Bell who will be experiencing their first Texas game as a UT student. Geosystems engineering freshman Sofia Magarinos Vargas is also ready to see what the teams are all about.
“Games and sports at UT are just super energetic, and students really care about supporting athletes and want to come out to those games, so that’s super important just within the season starting,” Magarinos Vargas said.
This event highlighted the relationship between the athletes and their supporters. Players from both teams stuck around to sign autographs, chat with students and pose for photos. It was a personal touch that left many feeling more connected to the teams they cheer for.
“It’s really cool,” women’s head coach Vic Schaefer said in a Daily Texan exclusive in 2024, the first year the event occurred. “Great experience for our student-athletes. (I) appreciate the students coming out.”
Whether it’s a first game or their 40th, students agree that attending a Texas basketball game brings a special kind of pride — one rooted in tradition, community and the shared excitement of wearing burnt orange.
Texas women’s basketball started its season Monday at 7 p.m. against Incarnate Word, while men’s basketball will have its first regular-season game on Tuesday against Duke at 7:45 p.m.
