South Carolina State (78) vs. University of South Carolina Upstate (70) 11/05/2026

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Game #153 of 364 42% complete

A huge thank you goes out to USC Upstate Athletic Director Matt Martin and his entire staff for the incredible hospitality they showed me during my visit!

Before heading out on my basketball adventures, I always send an introductory email to each school, explaining my mission and letting them know when I’ll be visiting their campus. Most of the time, I don’t hear anything back, and that’s perfectly fine. But every now and then, I come across an athletic director who embraces my story and shares my passion for college basketball.

Matt Martin was certainly one of those people!

Not only did he arrange courtside seats for the game, but he also invited me into the hospitality suite and presented me with a USC Upstate golf shirt. Talk about rolling out the red carpet!

It’s gestures like these that make my Operation 351 journey so much more special. The games are wonderful, but it’s the people I meet along the way who make the memories truly unforgettable.

So, Matt, how can I possibly thank you enough? Well, I can promise you one thing: You’ve made me a Spartan fan for life!

Of course, there’s one small exception to that promise… when the Spartans play UConn, all bets are off!

Here is USC Upstate head coach Marty Richter giving a pregame pep talk to the folks gathered in the hospitality suite. The suite is a popular gathering spot for the school’s major donors and supporters, who enjoy complimentary food and drinks at halftime and after the game.

During the game, I also had the pleasure of chatting with Aaron Lucier, the school’s Director of Housing. Aaron shared some interesting insights into the current Spartan roster, giving me a little more background on the players I was watching on the court. It’s always enjoyable to get that kind of inside perspective, especially when visiting a school for the first time!

Here is the new logo for the University of South Carolina Upstate Spartans. At first glance, you might think it looks remarkably similar to the Spartan helmet used by Michigan State. But oh, how wrong you would be! There’s a lot more to this logo than meets the eye!

USC Upstate unveiled its new Spartan logo in May 2025, and the amount of thought and creativity that went into its design is fascinating. The outline of the helmet actually represents the shape of the state of South Carolina, while the eye incorporates the crescent moon found on the South Carolina state flag.

Who knew a simple athletic logo could tell such a story?

Here is an article from USC Upstate explaining the entire design process. It’s an interesting read and gives you a real appreciation for the research, creativity, and attention to detail that go into developing a school’s athletic identity.

Just another little piece of college basketball trivia I’ve picked up along my Operation 351 journey!

USC Upstate has the smallest arena in Division 1 basketball. Here is a list of the five smallest:

RankSchoolArenaCapacity
1USC UpstateG.B. Hodge Center878
2Charleston SouthernBuccaneer Field House881
3Seattle UniversityRedhawk Center999
4 (tie)Houston ChristianSharp Gymnasium1,000
4 (tie)University of New HavenJeffery P. Hazell Athletics Center1,000

Here’s another interesting bit of Spartan trivia! USC Upstate and Michigan State share the same athletic nickname, the Spartans, but they adopted it nearly eight decades apart. Michigan State has been known as the Spartans since 1926, while USC Upstate adopted the nickname in 2004, replacing its former nickname, the Rifles. So, despite sharing the same name today, Michigan State’s Spartan tradition dates back 78 years earlier!

And what exactly does the “Upstate” in USC Upstate mean? I was curious about that myself!

It turns out that South Carolina is commonly divided into three geographic regions:

Upstate: The northwestern part of the state, near the North Carolina and Georgia borders, including Spartanburg, Greenville, and Anderson.

Midlands: Central South Carolina, including the state capital of Columbia.

Lowcountry: The coastal region, including Charleston and Beaufort.

Since the university is located in Spartanburg, right in the heart of the Upstate region, the name makes perfect sense. Just another example of how my Operation 351 travels teach me a little geography and history along with all that basketball!

I was particularly impressed with USC Upstate’s Alessandro Perotti, who scored 18 points in the losing effort. A native of Italy and a transfer from crosstown rival Wofford, Perotti displayed an impressive skill set, undoubtedly sharpened by his experience playing in the European leagues.

The key to the game was South Carolina State’s defense. The Bulldogs forced 15 turnovers and converted them into 19 points, while also recording 10 steals and four blocked shots. That kind of defensive pressure made all the difference, and unfortunately for the home crowd, the Spartans came up short.

I have seen many courthouses in my travels but Spartanburg you win the prize for the most impressive!

My walk today was at the Cottonwood Trail in Spartanburg. You can’t beat the weather I had for my three day trip.

Off to Winthrop College tommorrow!

Georgia State (67) vs. University of North Carolina at Charlotte (77) 11/05/2026

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Game #152 of 364 42% complete

I begin my 12th year of Operation 351 with a three-game trip through the Carolinas. My plans to visit this region last year were derailed by an unusual and poorly timed snowstorm, cutting short what was supposed to be a four-game trip. Unfortunately, Mother Nature wasn’t very cooperative throughout the season, limiting me to just seven games for the entire year.

So why am I starting off with a picture of the Topgolf facility in Charlotte? Well, if you’re a Verizon customer, you might want to check out their app. Verizon offers a daily selection of freebies, including, in my case, a free hour at Topgolf! The offers can be found in the Verizon Shine section of the app and change daily. Not all of them are particularly exciting, but I’ve managed to accumulate gift cards to Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts, and HomeGoods (that last one was for my wife!).

Granted, the golf clubs at Topgolf, especially the left-handed ones, leave much to be desired, and the golf balls aren’t much better. But an hour of golf followed by a not-so-healthy lunch of a hamburger and fries seemed like a pretty good way to spend some time before the basketball game.

I was particularly looking forward to this game after UNC Charlotte gave its big brother, UNC Chapel Hill, quite a scare in an exhibition game before eventually falling 89–82 in overtime.

The free parking garage right next to the arena was an added bonus, making getting in and out of the game a breeze.

I was particularly impressed with the student sections located behind both baskets. They were loud, enthusiastic, and relentless in their support of the 49ers throughout the game. Even head coach Wes Miller took notice, commenting afterward, “I was overwhelmed with the support tonight from the home crowd.”

Which begs the question: Why the 49ers?

The nickname dates back to 1949, the year the university was saved from closing its doors. There’s also a connection to Charlotte’s rich gold-mining history, which explains why the school’s mascot, Norm the Niner, is a gold prospector. A little history lesson to go along with the basketball!

Coach Wes Miller is beginning his first season at the helm of the 49ers, and apparently he had a very special guest cheering him on. I learned afterward that legendary former UNC coach Roy Williams was in attendance to support his former player.

Miller played for Williams at North Carolina and was a member of the Tar Heels’ 2004–05 national championship team. It’s nice to see that the bond between coach and player remains strong more than 20 years later!

Wes Miller’s arrival at Charlotte came under less-than-ideal circumstances. He was fired by Cincinnati on March 13, 2026, after five seasons without a single NCAA Tournament appearance. Miller defended his tenure, pointing to the challenges of competing in the powerful Big 12 Conference, the ever-changing world of NIL and the transfer portal, and problems inherited from the previous coaching administration.

Now Miller gets a fresh start at Charlotte, where he’ll try to bring the 49ers back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2005.

Let’s hope his fortunes improve in Charlotte!

UNC Charlotte trailed for most of the game, falling behind by as many as 10 points. But the 49ers refused to go away. Led by the star of the game, sophomore guard Keyshuan Tillery, Charlotte slowly chipped away at the deficit. Tillery and freshman guard Frank Oguche knocked down some clutch three-pointers, helping spark an 11–0 run to close out the game and secure the victory. Tillery led all scorers with 24 points as the 49ers improved to 2–0 on the young season.

Tillery is certainly a player to keep an eye on this year. He poured in 29 points in Charlotte’s season-opening victory over Indiana State and followed Coach Wes Miller to Charlotte after playing for him at Cincinnati. Judging by his first two games, Miller may have brought a pretty special player along with him!

I’ve decided to make walking a regular part of my travels this year in an effort to combat an ever-expanding waistline! I’ll be on the lookout for local walking trails whenever I have some free time between games.

Today’s adventure took me to the Freedom Park loop in Charlotte. Getting some exercise is certainly a lot more enjoyable when Mother Nature cooperates, and the beautiful weather on this trip made it that much easier. If only burning off the calories were as easy as consuming them!

My golf buddy Eddie is quite the food connoisseur and has graciously agreed to help me find some great places to eat during my travels. I have one simple rule when traveling: no chain restaurants! I’d much rather sample the local cuisine and discover what makes each area’s food scene special.

Eddie’s recommendation for this trip was Midwood Smokehouse, a popular Charlotte barbecue restaurant. As you can see from the plate pictured here, he certainly didn’t steer me wrong!

Good choice, Ed! Keep those recommendations coming!

Long Beach State (84) vs. University of Hawaii (75) 03/07/2026

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Game #151 of 364 41% complete

Yes, I traveled thousands of miles from Connecticut to Hawaii, with a stop in Las Vegas to catch a basketball game. With my wife by my side, we spent a beautiful five days in Maui at the Grand Astoria Resort. At first, the amount of money we spent seemed a little crazy, but after a while the feeling of “who cares?” took over.

I had already had two trips canceled this season—six games in total—because of the weather, so I was more than ready to enjoy basketball again.

We stayed at the Excalibur Hotel in Las Vegas and spent the evening watching a group from Australia performing a Bee Gees tribute show. I even won $27 at the casino that night, but we turned in early since we had an early flight to Maui the next morning.

We booked the trip through a Costco package that included a rental car, waived resort fees, a $300 food credit (which didn’t go very far), and a $280 Costco gift card.

You might ask: “Isn’t the University of Hawaii at Manoa on the island of Oahu?” Yes, it is. I had visited Oahu before and wasn’t impressed with the traffic and crowds, so I chose to stay on beautiful Maui and work out the logistics of getting to the game on Oahu.

That meant flying from Maui to Oahu, but there was one problem: the last flight leaving Oahu was at 9:40 PM. With the game starting at 7 PM, it was impossible to stay until the end. So, for the first time in the history of Operation 351, I didn’t stay for the entire game. I left at halftime—just in time to catch my flight back to Maui.

Long Beach State came into the game with a record of 9–22, while Hawaii stood at 22–7. With the long flight from California, I didn’t expect the Beach (I love that nickname) to put up much of a challenge against the Rainbow Warriors of Hawaii.

Much to my surprise, Long Beach played Hawaii very tough in the first half as we exited the arena. I wasn’t surprised, however, when I later learned the final score after we returned to the hotel.

As I write this, Hawaii is preparing to face UC Irvine in the Big West Championship. There is only one native Hawaiian on the team. It must be a dream for many of these players to compete among the palm trees, especially when four of them come from places like Utah.

I loved it when the band played the theme from Hawaii Five-O. I had that tune stuck in my head for the next couple of days.

It was also Senior Night for Hawaii. I held my breath, hoping the ceremony would take place after the game given my tight schedule. Fortunately, it did—no disrespect intended to the Hawaii seniors, of course.

On the way to the game, we saw a rainbow in the rainy sky. It felt especially fitting since Hawaii’s nickname is the Rainbow Warriors.

Before the game began, and after the national anthem was sung, a woman performed a song in Hawaiian called “Hawai‘i Pono‘ī.” The song was once the national anthem of the Hawaiian Kingdom and later became the official state anthem of Hawaii.

Pictures from Maui.

Aloha to March Madness!

Mahalo to all my followers.

Mercyhurst (61) vs. University of New Haven (57) 01/23/2026

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Game #150 of 364 41% complete

I’m usually disappointed when a new Division I school gets added to the mix, as was the case with the University of New Haven. It simply means one more school to add to the list. However, since this is my alma mater, I’ll make an exception. I spent eight years earning a B.S. in Computer Science by attending night classes, with my employers covering the cost through their tuition benefit programs. Prior to that, I had already completed an A.S. in Data Processing, so it ultimately amounted to only two additional years of coursework.

This was supposed to be the first of four games scheduled over a three-day stretch, but storms in North and South Carolina forced me to cancel the remaining three games over the weekend.

My friend Andy and I arrived around noon, about an hour before the 1:00 p.m. tip-off. The ticket site on the UNH page listed only general admission tickets at $11. I didn’t buy tickets in advance like I normally do, figuring that a strange 1:00 p.m. start on a Friday wouldn’t draw much of a crowd.

When we walked into the lobby, there wasn’t a soul in sight. We were confused, but we knew a game was happening because we could see the players practicing on the court. Eventually, a passerby appeared, and we asked, “Where do you buy the tickets?”

He replied, “Well, don’t quote me, but I think they might be free.”

So we walked into the gym and took seats right at midcourt.

I thought New Haven put up a strong showing against UConn in their season opener. Although the final score favored the Huskies, 79–55, the Chargers showed flashes of impressive individual play. Andre Pasha led the way with 17 points and showcased a smooth turnaround jumper.

With the Mercyhurst Lakers and New Haven tied in the NEC standings at 4–2, I expected today’s matchup to be close and highly competitive.

New Haven needs to do a better job with the fan experience at a Division I basketball game. Maybe the setup was affected by the unusual Friday 1 p.m. tip-off, but the only concession available was a small table with snacks. I did manage to catch a T-shirt tossed into the crowd by the cheerleaders, which was a highlight.
At times, it felt like the number of Chargers cheerleaders and dance team members outnumbered the fans in the stands. I don’t keep official attendance records, but this had to be the smallest crowd I’ve seen during my Operation 351 travels.

Mercyhurst was also a late addition to the Division I level in April 2024. The school near Erie is on my list for a future trip, ideally one where I can combine Lakers games with contests in nearby Cleveland. This matchup was highly competitive, featuring numerous lead changes as the teams were very evenly matched. The Chargers were led by sophomore Najimi George of Bridgeport’s Kolbe High, who scored 17 points. While the addition of another Division I program means one more trip for me, it also creates new Division I opportunities for local players like George.

I am uncertain about the future of college basketball when I see smaller schools like New Haven and Mercyhurst trying to compete with programs that have significant NIL resources at their disposal. The recent trend of players returning to college after time in the NBA G League only widens the gap between the haves and the have-nots. What makes visiting small gyms so appealing is that this is how college basketball is meant to be played—by players who love the game and value an education as part of their future, not just the next contract.

Here is the mascot for New Haven, I am assuming the the bull represents “Charging”.

Mercyhurst was led by three players in double figures – Qadir Martin (16 points), Bernie Blunt (15 points) and Jake Lemelman (15 points). Lemelman had some clutch baskets at the end to seal the win for the Lakers. Both teams played hard which I was impressed with because there was little fan support to cheer them on.

Ball State (64) vs. Campbell University (69) 12/14/2025

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Game #149 of 364 41% complete

The nickname of Campbell’s sports programs is the “Fighting Camels.” While camels are often thought of as peace-loving animals, the school’s founder, Dr. J. A. Campbell, admired them for their endurance and toughness in thriving under harsh desert conditions. In the 1920s, he felt these traits symbolized the resilience of the school’s athletes, which led to the adoption of the name.

I missed the opening tap while watching a couple of recruits being led to their seats. Although this may be common at Bible Belt schools, it was the first time I had heard a prayer offered before the national anthem. As a note of trivia, the famous baseball stars and brothers, Gaylord and Jim Perry, both graduated from Campbell.

Dovydas Butka led the way for the Fighting Camels with 22 points and 10 rebounds. The 6’9″ forward from Lithuania continued the trend of overseas players making significant contributions to their team’s success. It raises the question of how recent, more restrictive immigration policies may affect these athletes in the future.

I now present you with more camel pictures.

I read that the university is quite proud of its unique mascot—and rightfully so.

I was very impressed with Campbell’s point guard, DJ Smith. With the score tied at halftime, Smith poured in 17 points in the second half to break the game open. The 5’1″, 155-pound guard played for three teams—Little Rock, Robert Morris, and Bowling Green—while searching for a home before finally settling at Campbell.

Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus also stopped by for a visit. I was tempted to sit on their lap and wish for a warm North Carolina day.

Campbell remained unbeaten at home, pulling away from the Ball State Cardinals in the final minutes of the game.

I committed heresy for a UConn fan by eating lunch at the Duke University Golf Club and enjoying a fine steak. I wanted to take a picture of Cameron Indoor Stadium, but parking was a long walk away, and it was simply too cold to make the effort worthwhile.

That evening, I visited Durham Bulls Athletic Park for a Christmas light show. While I was disappointed with the food options, the entire stadium was beautifully adorned with lights. Had it not been for the 15-degree weather and gusty winds, I would have stayed longer than my brief 20-minute visit.

Back to snowbound Connecticut. Happy holidays to all my college basketball junkies—see you in January!

Northern Illinois (79) vs. Elon University (85) 12/13/2025

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Game #148 of 364 41% complete

I needed to use my Breeze Airline credit before the end of the year, so I started searching for a destination they fly to from Hartford. My criteria were simple: I needed to find a place where at least two teams were playing on both Saturday and Sunday. After some searching, the only option that fit was a flight to Raleigh/Durham to watch the Elon and Campbell. I even tried hard to find a third game in North Carolina, but unfortunately, nothing else matched up.

Elon University and Queens University of Charlotte recently announced plans to merge, with a target completion date of August 2026. Naturally, my first question was whether this merger would impact their Division I basketball programs. The answer, for now, is no—unless the NCAA intervenes with a disqualifying rule.

My last visit to Elon was about 20 years ago, when I came with my daughter during a southern college tour. The weather was unusually cold, almost identical to the chill I experienced in Detroit last month. The highways of North Carolina never seem to change—always lined with towering pine trees. As I drove in, I asked the parking attendant where the free parking was. He chuckled and said, “Go straight, and you’ll find all the parking you need.”

In 1999, the Board of Trustees at Elon College voted unanimously to adopt a new identity for the school’s athletics program, retiring the “Fightin’ Christians” moniker and mascot in favor of one more fitting for Elon’s growing national profile and its transition to NCAA Division I. The “Fightin’ Christians”? Is that essentially the same as being called the Crusaders? Today, they’re known as the Phoenix.

Like many mid-major schools, Northern Illinois relies heavily on international players and transfers. Makhai Valentine, a transfer from Missouri State, and Gustav Winther from Denmark led the Huskies with 17 and 15 points, respectively. However, NIU couldn’t hold on to an 11-point lead in the second half and ultimately fell to the Phoenix. Elon scored the last 11 points of the game to seal the victory. Kacper Klaczek, from Poland, led Elon with a game-high 23 points and 8 rebounds.

I sat behind the NIU bench, and the energy from Husky Jao Ituka was hard to miss. Wearing number 10, he was the first to jump off the bench to greet his teammates as they came off the court, and he took on the role of lead cheerleader throughout the game.

Two kids held up a brick every time NIU took a free throw. It was a clever cheer I’d never seen before in all my travels.

If you’re in the mood for a great breakfast, make sure to check out the State Farmers Market in Raleigh. The food is delicious, and the atmosphere really makes you feel like you’re at an authentic farmers market.

Detroit Mercy (83) vs. University of Toledo (90) 11/15/2025

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Game #147 of 364 40% complete

Game #147 of 364 40% complete

My third and final game of my Michigan trip took me across the state line to Toledo, Ohio, about an hour from Detroit. The rocket in the photo above represents the team’s nickname, and seeing an actual rocket on campus was another first for Operation 351. Once again, I was blessed with free parking right across the street from the arena.

During a pre game ceremony, one of the seniors graduating from the Whitewash Blue Crew was unmasked to the delight of the crowd. From the university website, this is a description of the crew:

Blue Crew is a secret society of spirited individuals who represent the pride inside of every Rocket. This crazy 10-member organization consisting of UToledo students is fully dedicated to instituting, reviving, and maintaining The University of Toledo’s Traditions.

Each member is hidden under an assumed identity and name. The members are only revealed at the end of the season of their graduating year or after they have faithfully served in the position for four full semesters.

Blue Crew travels to all home and away football games as well as both men’s and women’s basketball games dressed in blue and yellow Afro wigs, gold masks, painters overalls (decorated individually by each member), and Converse All-Stars shoes.

I present to you the Whitewash Blue Crew.

Freshman point guard Leon Blyden Jr. led the Rockets with 20 points. Blyden, the Michigan Mr. Basketball runner-up, averaged 21.3 points per game as a high school senior — making it all the more surprising that he slipped past the in-state programs.

Also impressive for the Rockets was Austin Parks, who went a perfect 7-for-7 from the field and 3-for-4 at the line to finish with 17 points. The Ohio State transfer has clearly found a comfortable home in Toledo’s system.

Toledo has now beaten Detroit Mercy eight years in a row. With Detroit Mercy competing in the Horizon League and Toledo in the Mid-American Conference, it raises a good question: what’s the difference between a league and a conference when it comes to grouping teams? In short, there really isn’t one—both terms refer to collections of schools organized for athletics. Some organizations prefer the word league, others conference, but functionally they serve the same purpose.

If you’re ever in the Detroit area, you must visit the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn. Whatever you think belongs in a museum is probably there—planes, trains, automobiles, and exhibits that touch nearly every chapter of American history. Henry Ford established the museum in 1928, and in the lobby you’ll find a stone bearing Ford’s signature and a shovel pressed into the concrete by Thomas Edison.

I could go on for pages about this incredible place, but two cars in particular captivated me. The first was the limousine President Reagan was riding in when he was shot; you can still see a small dent in the door. The second was the actual vehicle in which President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. I’ll admit, I stood there for a long moment, staring into the back seat and imagining the history that unfolded there.

Goodbye, Michigan! You weren’t nearly as cold as I imagined. The heavy winter coat, hat, and gloves turned out to be completely unnecessary.

Indiana University at Indianapolis (90) vs. Eastern Michigan (83) 11/14/2025

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Game #146 of 364 40% complete

When a single athlete from a modest university ascends to NBA greatness, the school’s arena transforms into a monument to that one extraordinary legacy. At Eastern Michigan, the “Iceman” is cast in bronze outside the arena, forever enshrined as the defining figure of Eagles basketball.

I was lucky enough to snag a courtside seat—something that would never happen at a Power Five school, where high-dollar donors lock down every spot within arm’s reach of the floor. But at a smaller school like Eastern Michigan, courtside seats occasionally make their way to the general public. For just $53, it was incredible to sit that close to the action.

My only complaint? The referee kept planting himself right in front of me—exactly where he’s supposed to be, of course—but still frustrating. You can’t exactly yell “Down in front!” at an official, so it got a little annoying at times.

The band wasn’t connected to either school, but they definitely knew how to make an entrance. They sounded good, but with that many horns, they were loud. Every time they kicked off a song, I swear I nearly fell out of my chair.

Here are the students pretending to read newspapers while the other team is introduced, acting as if they’re completely uninterested. When the intros are over, the papers get crumpled and tossed like nothing happened.

Eastern Michigan made headlines this year when three former players — Jalin Billingsley, Da’Sean Nelson, and Jalen Terry — refused to cooperate in an NCAA probe into potential sports-betting violations. Integrity monitoring services flagged suspicious first-half betting on three of their games last season. The NCAA even had their phones imaged, but the players declined interviews and reportedly ordered the data destroyed. While they have no college eligibility left — so they can’t lose games in the NCAA — their lack of cooperation is a Level I violation, the most serious kind. This kind of situation seems almost inevitable: as sports betting grows, the risk to the integrity of games only increases.

Eastern Michigan’s Addison Peterson carried the scoring load, but the offense around him faded late. The Eagles hit just one field goal in the last 6:39, and IU Indy stormed ahead by pouring in 16 of the final 25 points.

U Indy’s freshman standout, Maquire Mitchell, impressed me the most. He led the Jaguars with 19 points and played with confidence in every area of the game. As his coach said afterward, “He didn’t look like a freshman out there.”

Carlos Hart’s basketball journey is anything but ordinary. His path to Eastern Michigan included stops at Miami (Fla.), North Miami, Benedict College, South Georgia State, New Orleans, and Valdosta State. He’s not alone, either—ten players on the Eastern roster came from other programs before landing in Ypsilanti.

Here’s Coach Ben Howlett, fresh off the win, speaking with the local news station

After the game, I stopped by Ford’s Garage, a restaurant that’s basically a time machine to the 1920s. Old cars hang from the ceiling, the door handles are vintage-inspired, and classic cars in front of the building complete the old-school garage feel. It’s the perfect spot for car lovers and foodies alike.

On to Toledo tommorrow!

San Jose State (60) vs. Michigan State (79) 11/13/2025

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Game #145 of 364 40% complete

Welcome back to my 11th season traversing the U.S.A. in search of college basketball games. This is my first trip to Michigan to kick off a three-game series. Flying in the middle of a government shutdown had me worried that I might never see the shores of the Great Lakes. Actually, I was surprised to learn that Detroit does not overlook a Great Lake, but a smaller one called Lake St. Clair. However, it was very cool to look out over the lake and see the Canadian flag flying.

I arrived in the morning in Detroit with time to kill before the night game in East Lansing. I love to walk along scenic areas, so the River Walk on the east shore of Detroit was a must. I was expecting very cold weather, but the temperature was a comfortable 50 degrees.

The trip east to East Lansing took about an hour. Anytime I visit a big campus, finding free parking is always a challenge. I try to do research ahead of time, but most of the time the information is out of date. I’ve learned to simply ask a parking attendant at a paid lot, ‘Where can a guy without a pass park?’ Sometimes there isn’t free parking, but this time I was directed to the free Kellogg parking garage. Did I ever tell you how much I hate parking in a garage for a game? It took me an hour to get out of the garage after the game.

I saw the Michigan State Spartans earlier this year in an exhibition game against UConn. They are very athletic but lack consistent scorers. I was especially impressed with forward Coen Carr, who flew through the air multiple times to throw down some impressive dunks. Coach Izzo may not win the Big Ten title this year, but he will, as always, be a tough out in March

San Jose State gave MSU a surprising battle and actually outscored the Spartans in the second half, 37–33. SJSU was led in scoring by Colby Garland’s 22 points. He was the best player on the floor that night. Although the game was never in doubt, I’m sure Coach Izzo was not happy with the second-half letdown. I love his quote in the postgame presser: ‘We got fat and sassy at halftime.’

Jeremy Fears, the MSU point guard, is on an assist roll and could challenge Purdue’s Braden Smith for the Big Ten lead this season. Fears has 28 assists in three games this year. He is the brother of Jeremiah, who now plays for the New Orleans Pelicans.

This was an arena similar to Cameron Indoor Stadium at Duke, where the students occupy much of the courtside-level seating. This setup must be a dilemma for athletic directors: Do you let the high-level donors sit near the court as a reward for their substantial contributions, or do you risk losing their goodwill by giving those seats to students, who provide far more spirit and noise but far less revenue?

Followers of my blog know that I like to point out first occurrences. This was the first game in my travels where both teams had the same nickname—Spartans. I tried to avoid using “Spartans” in the paragraphs above to prevent confusion. Perhaps someday I’ll see the UConn Huskies play the Washington Huskies.

Rice (56) vs. University of Texas at San Antonio (84) 03/02/2025

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Game #144 of 364 39% complete

This day was super relaxing compared to the fiasco yesterday. After a morning at the San Antonio zoo (pictures at the end), I headed over to the Convocation Center to watch the final game on my Texas trip. I was greeted by the UTSA band practicing outside. As parents watched them, I was reminded of the days my youngest daughter would participate in high school band competitions practicing for hours under the perfecting eyes of the band director.

The name Primo Spears on the UTSA roster caught my eye. He was a local Connecticut boy who has played for four different schools in his college career (Duquesne, Georgetown, Florida State and UTSA). He has a world of talent and clearly surpassed any other player today in terms of pure basketball skills. I remember him in the Big East on Georgetown playing against UConn. I tried to research the reasons why he transferred so much but came up empty.

Yes, you’re are looking at the UTSA Roadrunner mascot. I think the roadrunner has eaten one too many coyotes.

I saw a uniform on the wall arena honoring a player named “Gervin”. I immediately thought of George Gervin “The Iceman” although I would think a man of his honor would deserve more than a shirt hanging on the wall. Upon researching “Gervins’ who played for UTSA, the honoree is actually Derrick Gervin who was selected in the fourth round by the Philadelphia 76ers in 1985. He is however more famously known as the brother of George.

Promo Spears and Marcus Millender lead UTSA to the victory with 25 points each. Although UTSA only led by 8 points at the end of the first half, they blew Rice out of the gym with a 53 point second half. It was senior night for UTSA with Spears being one of the recipients. I will be curious to see if he gets a shot in the NBA.

I am always eager to point out “firsts” in my Operation 351 travels. This is the first time I have seen a baton twirler at a Division 1 basketball game. She was very talented.

Not much to say about this game other than it was between two teams with sub .500 records who need a win in the league tournament to make the big dance. Yet the crowd was enthusiastic and the players played hard.

Would an Operation 351 trip be complete without a trip to the local zoo?

I finished the night with a walk on the famous Riverwalk saluting the Texas trip with a margarita.

That’s a wrap for season 10 of Operation 351. Cheers to all my Operation 351 followers!