Red and black flyers posted throughout campus read “Records are made to be broken,” and the Texas Tech University Twittersphere has blown up with posts featuring the hashtag #WeAreNext.
“Let’s break attendance record at the Lady Raiders v. Iowa State bball game on 11 February! #wearenext,” @TTUGradSchool tweeted on Monday.
Other posts on social media promised prizes to be given to students later this week.
“Blow your friends away at the next party with this SWEET wireless speaker from Best Buy! #WeAreNext,” @TexasTechAthletics posted on Twitter earlier this week.
#WeAreNext logo courtesy of Texas Tech Athletics.
The buzz is centered around the university’s push to break the record for the largest student crowd in the history of women’s basketball during the Lady Raider home game versus the Iowa State University Cyclones. The game will be held Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the United Supermarkets Arena.
Minta Spears, Lady Raider basketball player and graduate student in the College of Media & Communication expresses the women’s basketball team’s collective excitement for the game.
“It’s so much more fun to play in front of people than empty bleachers,” Spears said, “so if students are there, it really helps a lot.”
The 21-year-old shooting guard is currently spending her third season on the team.
“We really appreciate it when people do come to our games,” Spears said. “…We’re really excited for Wednesday and the chance to get a Big 12 win.”
Lady Raider basketball coach, Candi Whitaker, echoes Spears’ anticipation for the game.
“It would just be enormous for our program,” Whitaker said of the possibility to break the record. “Student attendance is something that we try to grow, get people excited about their peers that are representing them, and we want students to come support the women and represent the university well.”
According to Whitaker, there is no question student support aids the team in Texas Tech victories.
Coach Candi Whitaker poses for a photo in the Masked Rider Room of the AT&T Jones Stadium on campus on Friday.
“I feel good about it,” Whitaker said. “I feel like we have a chance anytime we can compete with anyone in our league. We just have to play well and sit with them what we’re trying to do and play together.”
Aside from the potential of breaking a record and the possibility of witnessing a Lady Raider win, students in attendance will also have the chance to win a variety of prizes.
Prizes students are eligible to win at the Wednesday game include one full year of Krispy Kreme donuts, 60-minute massage sessions from Rec Sports at Texas Tech, a $1,000 prize package from Bed Bath & Beyond, a Marshall Bluetooth speaker, and free t-shirts.
The university invites students to tailgate at 5 p.m. on the rugby fields until the United Supermarkets Arena doors open at 6 p.m.
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