Long before the players and coaches from UC San Diego graced the court at Ball Arena on Thursday, a god walked among men.
That, at least, was the vibe that 30-year-old Indiana resident Nick Strafford was going for when he dressed up as King Triton — the team’s mascot — on Thursday. The Tritons moved up to Division I during the 2020-21 season and qualified for the NCAA Tournament in their first year of eligibility with a 75-61 victory over UC Irvine in the Big West championship.
UC San Diego faces No. 5 Michigan as the No. 12 seed Friday afternoon. Strafford hopes the glass slipper — or rather, the gold crown — fits just right. It was his first time supporting the Tritons in person, and he bought the costume just for this occasion.
“I am King Triton, Poseidon, Neptune — if you’re more into Roman mythology. This is our first tournament appearance, so I’m hoping this gets us over the edge. We’re two-point dogs, so hopefully we beat Michigan,” he said during the first game of the day at Ball Arena, Montana vs. Wisconsin. “I actually had a trident and they took it from me before I could get in, which was unfortunate.
“I’m going to have to live in this costume until 8 p.m. tonight, but it’s method acting. You’ve got to get into character early and then just keep going all day.”
An Indiana alumnus and fan by trade, Strafford said that he and his friends, who all donned “Big West champions” T-shirts, had “a lot of pent-up cheering” after the Hoosiers’ lackluster season. He’s all-in on his new bandwagon team.
“The pandemic year was our first year in Division I, and then, boom, within five years, we’ve made the tournament,” he said of his adopted team. “It’s Cinderella season. Why not us? Why not shock the world? And why not today?”
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