With one of the most anticipated college basketball games in recent history just a few days away, the Syracuse University Office of Alumni Relations is organizing “The Ultimate Tailgate Party.”

The tailgate was created to bring together fans for the Orange face off against Duke University on Feb. 1. Fans will begin the festivities at 4 p.m. in Goldstein Auditorium at the Schine Student Center. A buffet will be provided for those in attendance to go with drinks, games and prizes.

Sam Edelstein of the Office of Alumni Relations said in an email that the office expects more than 600 people to attend. The event has been promoted through email invitations, local media outlets and social media.

“People attending are alumni and community members coming to campus to take part in the excitement surrounding the game against Duke,” Edelstein said.

There will also be former Syracuse basketball players attending the event, according to the event’s website, such as Roosevelt Bouie, a 1980 alumnus, and Pearl Washington, a 1986 alumnus.

A few of Syracuse men’s basketball coach Jim Boeheim’s teammates from 1965-66 will be in attendance: Dick Ableman, Rich Cornwall, Vaughn Harper, George Hicker, Sam Penceal, Chuck Richards and Rex Trobridge, according to the website.

The Syracuse team of 1965–66 lost to Duke in the Elite Eight of the 1966 NCAA Tournament. Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim scored 15 points in the game, according to OrangeHoops.org.

“Boeheim’s teammates coming back to campus, along with many of his former players, just goes to show how much the SU community is coming together for this game,” Edelstein said.

Edelstein said the Office of Alumni Relations was able to get the players to come to the tailgate by working with the Athletic Department and alumni that have connections with several of the players.

He added that Boeheim’s sister Barbara will also be at the tailgate, as well as SU Chancellor Kent Syverud. 

Although “Beat Duke” shirts are already present around the Syracuse campus, the Office of Alumni Relations is endorsing apparel with the phrase “Original Orange.”

Original Orange highlights the pride of both the university and Central New York, Edelstein said. “We know our alumni are proud to be the Original Orange,” Edelstein added.

According to ESPN, Syracuse and Duke have met four times in their history, with Duke winning the last meeting in the 1998 NCAA Tournament.

Edelstein said the magnitude of the game has resulted in a larger tailgate.

“This is really the first time we’re doing a tailgate at this scale prior to a basketball game,” he said. “We’ve done pre-game basketball tailgates for certain groups of people, like young alumni, but we knew that this game had mass-interest.”

Published on January 29, 2014 at 2:30 am

Contact Justin: jmatting@syr.edu | @jmattingly306