Purdue Men’s Basketball had plenty of fans – on the PNW Men’s Basketball team.

As the West Lafayette team worked its way through March Madness, ending up second to Connecticut, plenty of eyes watched from Northwest Indiana.

“As a fan and PNW alumni it’s an amazing feeling,” said Isiah Cole, student assistant of the Men’s Basketball team and a former Computer Science Major. 

“I am saddened that [PNW’s basketball] season didn’t go as planned, but I couldn’t be more happy for the main campus. This is something I’ve been waiting for for a while.”

He had hoped Purdue would win it all.

“We’ve gone through many years of disappointment,” he said.

Still, he believes West Lafayette’s playoff success contributes to a winning culture at PNW.

“We’ve had our men’s soccer and hockey teams win the conference and do great things and softball players are breaking school records,” said Cole. “Both basketball teams are having their most winning seasons since becoming DII, and I just think it’s great seeing Purdue on a national stage do the same.”

Like Cole, former softball player Madi Schultz, a graduate student in Biology, says she is excited for Purdue.  

“It has been a minute for a team that does so well during the season to actually make it further,” she said. “When was the last time Purdue was in the Final Four?”

This year was Purdue West Lafayette’s third time in the Final Four, including 1969 and 1980. While West Lafayette has played in two NCAA championship games, it has never won the championship.

Schultz felt that this season might be different.  

“This may be their year to come back and fight their old records and maybe win it all,” said Schultz before the final game. “I didn’t think they’d make it this far. Not because they aren’t talented. Just because of Purdue’s history in the tournament.”

Schultz believes the accomplishments of the Purdue University main campus need to be celebrated by PNW more.  

 “I think PNW has spent so long trying to rebrand and make us a separate campus [but]… we should be claiming Purdue as our school too,” she said. “We don’t do that, though.”