Garden Party to Precede Friday’s NCAA Sweet 16 Game

Husky fans are invited to a pre-game event in NYC, when the Men’s Basketball team takes on Iowa State at Madison Square Garden. Pre-registration required.

UConn basketball game fans. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)

UConn basketball game fans. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)

UConn basketball game fans. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)
UConn basketball game fans. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)

Students, alumni, and other Husky fans will have a Garden Party of events in New York City on Friday, when the Men’s Basketball team takes on Iowa State in the Sweet 16 round of the 2014 NCAA Championships at Madison Square Garden.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced that MTA Metro-North Railroad will run a special, extra New Haven Line train on Friday to accommodate Husky fans expected to travel to New York City.

The train will depart New Haven at 4:15 p.m., make a stop in Bridgeport at 4:36 p.m., and arrive at Grand Central Terminal at 6 p.m. In addition, extra cars will be assigned, as available, to several trains departing New Haven between 2 and 5 p.m., especially the 3:50 p.m. train from New Haven. Ridership on Fridays is normally heavy, so UConn fans are urged to avoid taking the 4:21 p.m. departure from New Haven, as it has no spare seating capacity and there is no way to add cars to that train.

After the game, Metro-North will add cars to New Haven-bound trains, where possible, on trains departing Grand Central between 9:30 and 11:22 p.m.

The Undergraduate Student Government (USG) is providing $10,000 to the Department of Athletics to reduce the price of the 200 available student tickets by $50, cutting the cost from $200 to $150 each for the students who have won the ticket lottery and will be purchasing their tickets Wednesday morning.

The UConn Alumni Association will host a pre-game event starting at 5:30 p.m. at The Affinia Manhattan Ballroom, 371 Seventh Ave, located at 31st Street and 7th Avenue, across from the Garden. Husky alumni are invited to rally for the team with President Susan Herbst, Director of Athletics Warde Manuel, Jonathan, the pep band, cheerleaders, and more, this Friday across from Madison Square Garden! Enjoy appetizers, season highlights, and a cash bar at the largest Husky pre-game event in NYC.

Game tickets are not required for attendance, but the dress code is BLUE and WHITE. Tickets are $25 per person and pre-registration is required, as this event will sell out!

Questions? Please call the Alumni Association toll-free at 888-822-5861 or email Marinda Reynolds.