University of Maryland Women’s Basketball and 2015 NCAA tournament

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:

Fan enjoying the pleasant spring weather outside of Xfinity Center prior to the opening round of the 2015 Women’s NCAA Basketball Tournament. Click on the image for a larger view.

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.

Security at the game was provided by the Transportation Security Administration and the Secret Service, with dozens of campus, state and local police outside. Click on the image for a larger view.

During the game, I sat directly across from the President of the United States, as clearly shown in this photo.

The President of the United States, his eldest daughter, his brother-in-law and his mother-in-law, plus other friends and relatives, attended the Princeton-Green Bay game. Craig Robinson, the President’s brother-in-law, is the father of Princeton forward Leslie Robinson. Click on the image for a larger view.

If that image isn’t clear enough, try this one. And yes, I know: mobile phone cameras are not designed for this:

I ask you: why can’t I put a two-foot long 600 mm zoom lens on a phone? What’s so hard about that? Click on the image for a larger view.

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.

As the Maryland team lines up for photographs after defeating New Mexico 75-57, coach Brenda Frese is interviewed by ESPN at the edge of the court, and the scoreboard overhead announces the forthcoming Maryland-Princeton game. Click on the image for a larger view.