Kicking off basketball season with Eagle pride

Students packed Chase Gym on Oct. 30th for a night of fun with lights, games, and school pride to kick off basketball season during Midnight Madness.

Ava Saputo, Staff Writer • November 4, 2025

Photo courtesy of Samantha Rainey

Students gathered to support their favorite Biola’s athletics teams during Midnight Madness on Oct. 30.

As the doors to Midnight Madness opened, students outside Chase Gym buzzed with excitement. The gym was filled with smoke machines, strobe lights and music setting the scene as everyone poured in. Red and white lights flashed, music pounded throughout the speakers and students filled the seats dressed in school colors.

A SPIRITED TRADITION

This annual event marks the start of Biola’s basketball season, bringing fans, athletes and performers for a night of excitement and celebration. Sports teams such as waterpolo, swim and dive and basketball made their grand entrance, which filled the gym with cheers and applause from the crowd.

During the 3-point contest, everyone got on their feet in excitement as the women’s basketball team took the win which led to the dunk contest. Dorms competed in relay races which added some friendly competition between students.

Several performances were featured, including the Biola cheer team performing throughout the event, and The Usual Suspects dance team took center stage with a Fresh Prince of Bel-Air themed number. Alongside these performers, everyone’s favorite mascot, Eddie the Eagle, made an entrance that sent the crowd into an uproar.

MORE THAN CELEBRATION

Midnight Madness is more than a night to get loud and have fun. It brings everyone on campus together. This annual event gives students a chance to meet the athletes they see around campus and in their classes, who represent Biola at games and meets. For many people on campus, it’s one of the few nights that everyone can pack into one space with the same goal: showing school pride and being together as one.

As the confetti cannon went off to end the event, it became clear that Biola’s spirit was alive and thriving, flowing through the student body and faculty. Midnight Madness is not just about basketball but a way to see that our community can come together and celebrate what it means to be an eagle.

UPCOMING SEASON

Midnight Madness was just a celebration but a look into what’s coming for the team, this event marks the beginning of the season and hyped up not only the students but the teams too. During the 2024-25 season, the men’s basketball team dominated with an overall total of 22 wins and 8 losses. With a new assistant coach, Matt Okada, and 10 new players on the team, will they stay at the same level or rise and do better than last season? Junior business administration major Scott McDowell explained it as a learning process.

“This year’s team is very new. We have 10 new guys so we are figuring each other out and what that looks like to play together,” he said,”We have started out 2-0 preseason against Cal State San Bernardino and Pomona Pitzer.”