National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I

Shreveport-Bossier Holiday Classic

Saturday 17th December 2016

Tip Off 16.30

Northwestern State University Demons 68 University Louisiana Monroe Warhawks 64,  attendance 737

@ CenturyLink Center

2000, CenturyLink Center Drive

Bossier City, LA 71112

Admission $15 (including $3 fee) covering all 3 games.

Programme free, 4 pages.

This was a real improvement on the first game, as it should have been, being two divisions higher. It was very one sided in the first half, ending 40-22, but an 11 point run saw Monroe gain belief and the defecit was further cut to 45-41 and then 47-44. They were unable to get any nearer than this, but did get it back down to three points again at 67-64, before a point from the free throw line finished it off as they were having to rely on fouling to try and level it.

There was an improvement in the atmosphere as the Demons band and cheerleaders arrived,and they also played the national anthem before the game.

Not sure how they worked out the attendance though, as this was given as 200 more than the first game, so can’t have been done on number of tickets sold for the day. I had estimated 450-500.

Following on from this game at 7pm would be the final game of the day, between Louisiana Tech University Bulldogs and Grambling State University Tigers. Had the second game finished later, or gone into overtime, I would have stayed for this as well, but in the end decided to head back into Texas and do a new venue on the way home.