I think by now, that almost everyone on campus knows that the men's basketball team secured their first post season bid since 1980. This was the basketball team's goal from the outset of the year, so in realizing it, the season has been a success.

Its been a long road the last four months, from struggling at the end of December to the frenzy of the Atlantic 10 Tournament.

There have been ups and downs, but by winning 15 of their last 21 games, they have earned the right to participate in the first round of the NIT against Murray State. I am very proud of what the Nittany Lions have accomplished this season.

Anyone who watched the A-10 championship final must have been disappointed. The officiating was extremely poor, but even with this setback, we still had a legitimate shot at winning the title. It just wasn't meant to be.

Whether you were at the game or watching it on television, it was obvious that the raucous and fanatical Rutgers supporters played a major role in sending the Scarlet Knights to the NCAA Tournament.

Their constant cheering and yelling created a deafening din that echoed through the Louis Brown Athletic Center. Coach Bruce Parkhill himself said that the home court advantage was a definite factor in determining the outcome of the game.

We as Penn State students and the rest of the State College community have an obligation to go to the game tonight at 7:30 p.m. and raise an atmosphere similar to the one Rogers produced last Thursday night.

By being as loud as we can, we can make this atmosphere work to our advantage and make life very difficult for the Racers of Murray State .

Rec Hall, because of its confined seating, is conducive to generating a vast amount of noise. It can get REALLY LOUD!!

Rec Hall is ready, Penn State is ready, Murray State will be ready -- but will WE be ready? It's up to us!

Penn State has had a breakthrough year. We've gotten over the hump and have earned the right to be in the NIT. We, as Penn Staters, should be proud of what the team has done.

The only way we can repay them is to turn out in full force tonight, making Murray State know that "WE ARE PENN STATE!"