Eugene and Rosalia Hunt have followed Virginia Commonwealth University’s basketball team for more than 30 years, traveling all over the country and even overseas to cheer on the Rams.
During the 2006-07 season, the Henrico County couple didn't miss one basketball game – home or away.
But the Hunts only really needed to take one trip – to Buffalo, N.Y. – and attend one game – VCU vs. Duke – to witness the most exciting game in their career as VCU basketball fans.
“Never in our lifetime did we believe we would beat Duke, especially the way we did,” said Gene of VCU’s 79-77 defeat of the college hoops powerhouse in the opening round of the 2007 NCAA Tournament.
Raised in Indiana, Gene is no stranger to basketball mania. “You’re teethed on basketball out there,” he said.
So when he came to Virginia to attend Richmond Professional Institute, where he received bachelor’s (1959) and master’s (1961) degrees in business, it only made sense for him to take an interest in collegiate sports, particularly basketball.
And he brought his wife of almost 52 years – known as “Honey” to all – along for the ride. Like any die-hard fans, Gene and Honey can recall their favorite RPI, and later VCU, basketball games with an ease and excitement as if the game had taken place that very day.
One game from more than 20 years ago still brings a smile to Gene’s face. VCU faced the University of Minnesota basketball team, who mistakenly thought they were playing the University of Virginia and were upset to find they were taking on the Rams instead.
“The neat part is, we beat ‘em,” Gene laughed.
Other favorites include a last-second win over James Madison University in the 1980s and VCU’s trip to the 2004 Big Dance and the team’s near-upset of Wake Forest.
“It doesn't take too many of those games to make you excited about VCU basketball,” Gene said.
Then, of course, there was the 2007 NCAA Tournament. VCU followed up its Duke win with an overtime loss to Pittsburgh. Those two games, along with VCU’s Colonial Athletic Association championship victory over George Mason, sparked something that the Hunts said they'd never seen before.
“This is probably the first time in the history of VCU basketball that the community’s really behind us,” said Gene, adding that the unity chain connecting the team’s players and coaches extends to the fans and community, too.
It even inspired the Hunts to change their license plate to “1 Rams TM” – or one Rams team.
It’s a team that they're thankful to be a part of, especially during a season when the Rams set a school and CAA record with 16 conference victories.
“It was a beautiful year,” Honey said. “It kept us young.”
