Taking the court at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Conn. is like walking straight into the crossfire. With the arena teeming with over 10,000 fans decked in UConn gear and met with a chorus of cheers for the home team and passionate boos for the opposing team, being a guest at UConn is about as comfortable as stepping outside in the Omaha winter weather: it’s cold, unrelenting, and nearly impossible to avoid.
More than that, UConn fans are not used to losing in the security of their home court, evidenced by the 28-game win streak the Huskies had built at home since Jan.