Mackey Arena hosted one of the first games of the NCAA championship last night.
Both fans and protestors came out despite the cold and rain.
Mackey hosted the first of its six games on Thursday with the Drake Bulldogs facing off against the Witchita State Shockers.
Frank Urcini, 69, said he came with four of his friends, all fellow Drake fans.
“This is a dream come true because I don’t have many years left, I’m running out of opportunities,” he said. “Thank you, Drake, thank you Darian DeVries.”
Across the street from the arena, a small group of protestors gathered with signs calling on Purdue to go carbon neutral by 2030.
Iris O’Donnell is a Purdue student.
“So we’re asking them to declare a climate emergency, go carbon neutral by 2030, and have a meeting with us,” she said.
The group said their protest is part of a larger one expected at the statehouse on Friday calling on Governor Holcomb to declare a climate emergency for the state.
