Put up or shut up.

First off, Thursday's game: One run will do you in on the road, especially when it comes late. But you're starting to see the makings of the deeper team I've been so excited about now that Marcus is a bigger factor. This would have been a nice one to get, but there were good things in the loss.

Now, here's my challenge to you. I get asked all the time when CCSU will try harder to get a new arena. I often respond that in order for that to happen, CCSU hoops needs to be deemed as a big deal by the public.

Here's your chance. You won't get an arena built off of one big day, but you as Blue Devil Nation can start to change the culture surrounding the basketball programs the way Red Sox Nation changed the culture around Boston even before the Sox won it all.

On Saturday, the men and women have a doubleheader against their biggest rivals (at least in the fans' minds) in Quinny.

For the men, it's a big game in the race for a home game in March. For the women, you could argue this is the biggest home game CCSU has played in the DI era.

Your challenge is this: Show up. Show up in numbers that require the event staff to turn people away or keep at least keep them out of the isles. Show up and make noise. Reward the men's team for surviving a brutal road stretch. Stay for the women's game and reward them for one of the biggest turnarounds this area, forget the school, has seen in years.

The women are 6-1 in the NEC. Imagine what this team can do with a home court advantage?

You want a new building? Show the state and the boosters and the potential investors that, when everything comes together just right, CCSU basketball can be an event. Saturday has the potential to be one of the biggest regular season days of basketball New Britain has seen in a long time. The atmosphere should reflect that.

You want the media to give Central some pub? Have them follow the crowd. Anything less than 2500 is a disappointment to me. I'm thinking big.

Show me I'm right and show me that you guys care about CCSU hoops as much as you tell me you do. Show everyone Detrick Gym can't hold such an event anymore.

The men have a chance to push back into the top 4. The women have the chance to become true contenders in the NEC.

It's time to show some Blue Devil pride. If not now, then when?