Mid November, I laid out my plan to attend 50 basketball games this season. A modest feat, and half the standard set by those in the know, I felt it was a pretty ambitious goal considering I don’t do this for a living, bankroll this myself, and have to keep up appearances at work, at home, and in life in general.

Here is my original schedule. Somewhere in December, I fell off the wagon.

* UNLV Home Games: Season tickets, plus one game at the Orleans Arena vs Kansas State, which Sam will be in town for = 16
* Las Vegas Invitational – 11/27 and 11/28: Four games 1st round and four games 2nd round = 8
* Holiday Hoops Classic – 12/19 and 12/20: Two games 1st round and two games 2nd round = 4
* Las Vegas Classic – 12/22 and 12/23: Four games 1st round and four games 2nd round = 8
* MWC Tournament – 3/10-3/13: One game on Wednesday, Four on Thursday, Two on Friday, one on Saturday = 8
* WCC Tournament – 3/5-3/8: Two games on the 5th, 6th and 7th, title game on the 8th = 7
* NCAA Tournament 1st and 2nd Rounds, Buffalo NY – 3/19 and 3/21: Four games on Friday, 2 on sunday = 6
* NCAA Final Four, Indianapolis, IN – 4/3 and 4/5: Two games on Saturday, one on Sunday = 3

At this point in the game, I should be at 28 games. Instead, I am at 19. That is NINE off the pace. I missed the Holiday Hoops Classic due to family being in town, I wussed out on a few of the Las Vegas Classic due to an odd experience with a lanyard and Western Michigan being on TV a few times (thus, having me bail to watch them). I haven’t missed any UNLV games though. Here’s how I plan on finishing strong, getting to the half century mark, and keeping my word to whoever reads this. 16, +

8 – total remaining UNLV home games
8 – Mountain West Tournament. This is easy
7 – West Coast Conference Tournament. Probably my favorite thing, besides the NCAA’s of course.
6 – 1st and 2nd Rounds NCAA Tournament, Buffalo – THE TRIP!!!
3 – Rounds of 16 and 8 NCAA Tournament, Salt Lake City – This is now BOOKED.
3 – Final Four, Indianapolis, IN – You know it.

This equals 35. Plus the 16 I’ve already logged, I’ll be at 51. I have a much slimmer margin of error, and I’ll need even that, as UNLV has a home game on a Tuesday when I have class I may not be able to skip (vs Air Force). We’ll see. I have thought about adding in a road trip to LA for a weekend to nab two games in February to throw in a few buffer games.

That is a mountain of games, especially in March / April (27). Could be tough sledding with classes, work and such, but I’ll find a way to make it work.

I have to.

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