'The world will go crazy if we win:' Blue Hose fans ready for matchup against Gamecocks

March Madness is in full swing on the Presbyterian College campus in Clinton.

Fans cheered and emptied bookstore shelves of T-shirts and sweaters after the women's Blue Hose basketball team defeated Sacred Heart University Wednesday night to earn a first-ever tournament win and first-ever appearance in the NCAA Women's Basketball tourney. The No. 16-seeded team faces the top-seed and top-ranked South Carolina Gamecocks at 2 p.m. Friday, at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia.

"It's super exciting, especially since nobody thought the basketball team would make it to this point," said Habana Rubio, a PC sophomore. "I'm going to Columbia tomorrow with my friends and boyfriend, and we know our girls are really competitive. They're gonna fight until the end and everyone is just so proud."

The notoriety of the small college about 40 minutes south of Spartanburg and with an enrollment of about 900 students, has fans gushing over the team's historic accomplishment. Blue shirts flooded the campus and the team was the talk of Clinton on Thursday.

"The community means a lot, coming out and supporting us during this time," said Bryanna Brady, the team's center who scored a dozen points Wednesday night. "They don't understand how much they affect the game in such a positive way. I'm so glad that I am a part of this reinventing of the Blue Hose nation."

Excitement for the Blue Hose

Andrew Peterson, dean of students and student affairs, said the school has big plans for a campus watch party at the Springs Student & Fitness Center.

"There was a ton of excitement (Wednesday). We put up an announcement that we were taking a bus (to the PC Stadium) and it filled up within 45 minutes," Peterson said. "The ride home was so much better, talking about 'six more wins until the national championship' and 'bring down the Gamecocks'. The world will go crazy if we win... tomorrow. For tomorrow, we will have a 20-foot, inflatable screen, and professors even canceled classes... so students can make it to the game."

Staff at the student bookstore said students flooded in Wednesday night and Thursday morning, purchasing every T-shirt and sweater available for Friday's big game. No women's basketball apparel was left unpurchased, and the store sold out almost immediately.

Aurelia Santoyo, a PC junior, attended the watch party Wednesday night. Santoyo said excitement filled the air as students chanted and flew their Blue Hose banners high.

"We were chanting the whole time and doing trivia about PC women's basketball. The energy was absolutely crazy," Santoyo said. "It's good to see women's basketball take off in that way, especially as the first appearance for March Madness. We waited until the last minute (of the game), but by the end, we were all jumping up and down."

Senior Kiersten Phillips watched the Wednesday night game at home and expects the same excitement and energy for the match-up against the Gamecocks.

"I tuned in at home and I was getting really animated. By the end of it, I was pleased that they came guns a blazing," Phillips said. "I'm expecting that same energy and excited to see that energy for tomorrow night's game. I would expect nothing less than a whole parade if we win tomorrow."

The Lumberyard at 115 Gary St., is Clinton's newest craft beer and wine bar. The bar has been open for almost a year and a large crowd of Blue Hose and Gamecock fans is expected for Friday's excitement.

Charlie Michaels, co-owner of Lumberyard, said Wednesday night was packed and they're anticipating a larger crowd for Friday. Live music, food, and specials will be available.

"We're going to debate whether to open earlier at 2 p.m.," Michaels said. "Friday nights are packed here and not only is it PC, we have a lot of South Carolina fans here too. It's going to be two big, happy groups. We have a blue seltzer, Blue Quencher, and we just might have to do a special for the Blue Hose."

Joanna Johnson covers community news for the Herald-Journal. Reach her via email at jjohnson@shj.com.

This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: Fans, community cheer Blue Hose team facing Gamecocks in NCAA tourney