As the clock struck midnight Sunday, three UF students dove into their sleeping bags.
The location? Under the fluorescent lights outside the O’Connell Center in Gainesville. The temperature? Under freezing with a single-digit wind chill.
Why? For an experience of a lifetime.
Braden and Cason Phillips, along with Nick Marotta, braved record-low temperatures to camp outside the O’Connell Center on Saturday night in advance of Florida basketball’s showdown with Alabama on Sunday.
They didn’t even have to be there.
“We do it for the love of the game, and this is the game,” Braden said.
Camping outside the “O’Dome” is a time-honored UF student tradition. Florida basketball student tickets are free but are first-come, first-serve. This means the most devoted of fans — the “Rowdy Reptiles” — camp out to gain the best seats.
The ritual has seen a renewal in the wake of the Gators’ success over the past two seasons. That’s how Braden and Nick met each other. The two sophomores met while camping out for 48 hours before the Gators win over South Carolina last season.
“My friends showed up super early, and Braden was already there, so we just hung out,” Marotta said.
That experience led to the two of them gaining admission into the Rowdy Reptile community. UF’s home-court advantage is well-known, and it’s thanks to the Rowdy Reptiles. Both Braden and Nick said they’ll see the same people camping out before each game. They come from different places and share different interests, but the group bounds people together behind a love of Gator basketball.
“There’s not much risk for a lot of benefit,” Marotta said. “If you camp out, you’re guaranteed a first row seat, and that’s an awesome experience.”
The camping out itself provides a unique experience. When temperatures aren’t in the single digits, students play music, card games and enjoy each others’ presence.
That’s what drove Cason to pack his sleeping bag. The older brother of Braden, Cason had never camped out for a Gator basketball game.
“I’ve always heard stories of camping and how much they enjoy it, so I figured ‘Why not try something stupid?’” Cason said.
A few hours earlier, the three didn’t have all of Gate 3 to themselves. About 15-20 people prepared to brave the cold to secure a spot for the highly touted showdown. UF administration sent out an email to all students reminding them that tents and outdoor heaters were forbidden, and students could only go inside to use the bathroom.
That decision drew strong criticism from students and many prepared for a night of frigidness. Marotta is from Long Island, so it didn’t bother him as much.
“I didn’t mind that tents weren’t allowed,” he said. “Only the strongest survive.”
Around 8 p.m., the university changed course and allowed wristbands indicating place in line to be distributed to those in attendance.
The Rowdy Reptiles and UF encouraged those with wristbands to go home and return at 7 a.m. The Phillips and Marotta didn’t have any of that.
“Braden said we’re still set with the plan, and I said that sounds a lot more fun than sleeping in my bed,” Marotta said. “I can do that any night.”
As the rest sneaked away to warm beds, the three listened to music and discussed movies. It was a throwback. No technology. Just friends just hanging out.
“School is crazy busy, but we can just come here, turn all that off overnight, and then watch a cool game,” Marotta said.
Even if the Gators fall to the Crimson Tide on Sunday, the experience remains worth it for Braden and the rest of the trio as they get the opportunity to mock Alabama’s Charles Bediako.
“I’m pretty excited to say whatever to him because I know he can hear me,” Braden said. “They’ll look up and ask who said that. That’s the fun part.”
The Gators tussle with the Tide at 1 p.m. Sunday on ABC.
Noah Ram covers Florida Gators athletics and Gainesville-area high school sports for The Gainesville Sun, GatorSports.com and the USA TODAY Network. Contact him at nram@gannett.com. Follow him on X @Noah_ram1. Read his coverage of the Gators’ national championship basketball season in “CHOMP-IONS!” — a hardcover coffee-table collector’s book from The Sun. Details at Florida.ChampsBook.com
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: UF students camp in single digits for Florida basketball vs. Alabama
Reporting by Noah Ram, Gainesville Sun / The Gainesville Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
