I know.

I realize that the men’s basketball team hasn’t inspired much excitement from the student body this season. I’m not a rah-rah support-the-team-no-matter-what guy. I understand that students have a million options around here and they don’t feel like heading all the way down to the Mullins Center to watch the team lose another game.

It all started with the Boston College game on Dec. 7. It was on ESPN and you hate the Eagles, so you showed up. 6,392 total. It was by far the highest total of the year and the Minutemen’s one chance to win you over.

And you felt gypped.

UMass didn’t play hard and lost 80-62 to a struggling Eagles team. You booed. You took your frustrations out on Troy Bell. You showed your disgust by not coming the next week, when only 3,273 showed up for the 67-62 win over Florida International. The Minutemen continued to struggle, both on the court and in the stands – where drawing even 4,000 fans was barely achievable.

No students have been seated behind the baskets. Old folks have been sitting there without fear of chaotic student behavior – no additional lyrics to the “Hey” song, no chants aimed at referees or opposing players. Just white-haired people sitting on their hands.

I feel for you, I really do. I don’t blame you for missing the Columbia game or the Fordham game. I’m not sure I would have shown up, either.

But let me ask you something. Do you want this program to turn around? Do you want the Mullins Center return to its former, impossible-for-a-road-team-to-win homecourt? Do you want more strong recruits like this year’s freshmen Jeff Viggiano, Mike Lasme and Gabe Lee and next year’s Rashaun Freeman, Art Bowers and Stephen Briggs?

If so, go to tonight’s playoff game.

Good high school players look at attendance numbers. They look at fan support. They look at postseason success.

Tonight, some spotlight will be shining on the UMass basketball team. Even more will shine if it manages a win and moves on to play No. 11 Xavier on Thursday.

Will the Minutemen win the A-10 Tournament and move on to the NCAA Tournament? No. Almost definitely not.

But if you show up, and you bring a few friends, and they bring a few friends, UMass will win tonight’s game. George Washington had a major homecourt advantage in these teams’ first matchup and the Minutemen still pulled out the win behind a tremendous Mike Lasme 24-point performance.

A win and a trip to Dayton, Ohio to play Xavier can do nothing but help the Minutemen improve for the future.

How much does the UMass Athletic Department want you to go to the game?

The Atlantic 10 has a policy that students pay to get into tournament games. This includes on-site games. But the Athletic Department believes that since students were able to get into all home games for free all season, that agreement should continue. So the department is picking up the tab, having to pay the conference $3 for every student who shows up to tonight’s game. Therefore, if 2000 students come to tonight’s game, UMass will have to shell out $6000 to the Atlantic 10.

Obviously, they think it is important for you to show up tonight.

If you have any interest in the program. If you want it to return to glory. You must go tonight.

The Athletic Department will pick up the tab.

Jim Pignatiello is a Collegian Columnist.

Photo Bendee: Jim Pignatiello