On the Road to Indianapolis: The Final Four
After making it to the final four last year, students of University of Wisconsin-Madison were excitedly anticipating the final four game this year in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Badgers competed against last year’s winners, the Wildcats of University of Kentucky.
Kaitlyn Tarala, a UW-Madison junior, says she is proud to be a Badger. She says when in the process of applying to college, UW-Madison, University of Indiana, and University of Missouri were on her radar.
“It came down to either Madison or Mizzou, but I always knew I would end up becoming a Badger. I have been a fan since I was nine, and I have always loved watching all of the Badger sports,” Tarala says.
A week prior to the Final Four game, Tarala made a prediction of what was to come and, of course, bet on the Badgers.
“I think we have a fighting chance to beat Kentucky. They’re #1 in the country, but if anyone’s going to beat them it will be us,” she says
Tarala says this is Wisconsin’s second year in a row going to the final four, so she is looking forward to watching the games to come.
“Basketball is a big part of campus life because they’re doing so well this season,” she says.
Tarala says she is the marketing intern at the UW-Madison bookstore, so she is very involved in running contests for March Madness and making spiritwear to help cheer on the Badgers for every sporting event.
She says her latest task was to make “Beat Kentucky” buttons to support the team in their duel in Indianapolis.
Tarala says she has gone to one basketball game this year, but she didn’t get to sit in the student section because they didn’t have priority seating. This meant that the student section quickly filled up with alumni, parents, and local Badger fanatics.
“I went with my friends Conor and Steven, and we got a free pretzel. The game itself wasn’t very exciting because it was against Illinois, so we won pretty easily, but it was still full of excitement from the student section,” Tarala says.
She says the student section is always very big and loud with chants to show their spirit and Badger pride.
“I’m glad I chose Madison because I love the campus, the people I met here, and the school spirit,” she says.
Tarala says she has never attended a Badger sporting event where Badger pride wasn’t evident.
She says even those who aren’t big fans of sports find the sporting events to be fun just because of the excitement and abundance of school pride.
“I’ve had some of the best years of my life [at Madison]. I couldn’t be more proud to be a Badger. On Wisconsin!” Tarala says.
