Melvin Council- Leading Wagner to March and Chasing More at St. Bonaventure

March 6, 2025·1 hr 35 min·5 clips

Melvin Council recalls the Utica crowd drowning out boos with louder cheers at a historic rivalry game.

This episode features an interview with college basketball player Melvin Council, conducted by hosts KJ Allison and Neruda Perdomo on the "Not Even D2" show. Council is a key player for Utica University, a two-time Empire 8 conference champion. The conversation centers on his recent championship victory and his basketball journey. Council describes the historic Empire 8 conference championship game against SUNY Poly as a major cross-town rivalry. He recounts the intense atmosphere during warm-ups, with the Poly crowd booing before the Utica supporters drowned them out. He mentions seeing many people from the city of Utica attending their first college basketball game for this matchup. Council expresses respect for Poly, calling them a well-coached team and specifically shouting out their player, number zero Marcus. He reflects on the game living up to its considerable hype within the community. A surprising moment comes when Council reveals he initially thought a teammate, Hagen, had joined the team because of him. He gets visibly emotional, stating he gets goosebumps just thinking back to the championship environment. The discussion provides a player's-eye view of a high-stakes local rivalry game that captivated an entire city. The tone is celebratory, conversational, and deeply personal, focusing on raw emotion and community impact. Listeners who enjoy firsthand athlete interviews and stories about college sports rivalries will appreciate this episode. Those seeking tactical game analysis or broader sports commentary might find it less engaging.

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