The University of Maryland women’s basketball team are seeded #1 in their region, and began the 2015 NCAA tournament with a game against New Mexico State University at Xfinity Center in College Park, Maryland. It is unclear why Comcast decided to rename Comcast Center as Xfinity Center; we know who you are, we know you are opposed to Net Neutrality, bills that make sense, reasonable charges, etc., and renaming the building fools nobody.
On the first day, March 21, 2015, two games were played at Xfinity Center. The first featured Princeton University against the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. President Obama’s niece is a forward for Princeton, and he attended the game, along with Malia Obama, his eldest daughter, Marian Robinson, his mother-in-law, Craig Robertson, his brother-in-law (and father of Princeton forward Leslie Robinson) and various other friends and relatives.
Outside Xfinity Center we found this fan enjoying the pleasant spring weather:
Inside Xfinity Center, security was unusually tight. The men operating the security scanners were from TSA (Transportation Security Administration), but the scanners themselves came in boxes stenciled USSS (United States Secret Service). Note both the Maryland scarf and Maryland socks of the woman on the left. I bet she also has a Maryland jacket worn over a Maryland shirt, too.
During the game, I sat directly across from the President of the United States, as clearly shown in this photo.
If that image isn’t clear enough, try this one. And yes, I know: mobile phone cameras are not designed for this:
At one point, the Princeton fans chanted “Four more years! Four more years!” The President and his family (and most of the rest of the crowd) found this funny; the Green Bay fans, less so.
Princeton won the first game, overcoming a feisty Green Bay team 80-70. Princeton thus continues a perfect season with a 31-0 record.
During the second game, the University of Maryland took on New Mexico State University. As with most matches between #1 seeds and #16 seeds, the outcome was not in doubt, and Maryland won 75-57. Maryland will play Princeton on Monday, March 23.