BYU vs. Gonzaga

On a whim one night Tanner informed us that BYU's last home basketball game was coming up and would be against Gonzaga... because Tanner always knows things like that.

Zac and the older three had been to watch a BYU vs. Gonzaga several years back and said it was one of the most amazing experiences of their life, so Zac got on the computer and miraculously found 8 seats all together, which truly was amazing as the game ended up being completely sold out not long after.  So we decided to load up the day of the game and head down to Provo for a very memorable spur of the moment vacation.

They were offering face painting in the Marriott Center, so the girls and I definitely had to get our Sparkle Y's done.

We also had to head to the BYU Bookstore to grab a few BYU shirts for the kids who had outgrown them.  

We got there plenty early, which was good because it was so packed when the game started, that it would have almost been impossible to get in and out.

We were about as high as you could go, but it didn't matter.  The atmosphere in that arena was beyond anything I had ever experienced.  And between the jumbotron and our binoculars, it was pretty amazing.  I can't even begin to describe the theatrics that were presented as the team came out.  They also had blue light up sticks on EVERY seat of that 30,000 seat arena.  And when they turned the lights off and everyone was waving their light sticks, it was just breathtaking.

The best part was that BYU ended up soundly beating Gonzaga, who had been ranked at 2 or 3 (I would have to ask Tanner) and this win boosted BYU's overall ranking, which was awesome.

After the win, the students poured out onto the floor.

Sadly, just weeks after this game COVID-19 forced the NCAA to shut down March Madness this year.  BYU would have been in the tournaments and the NCAA even predicted that they would have gone to the championship game, which would have been a first (as far as I know... again ask Tanner).  We were so bummed that we didn't get to watch March Madness playout this year, but were just made all the more grateful for this unforgettable experience in the Marriott Center!