Watch: “Silent Night” College Basketball Tradition Goes Viral…Again

After quietly waiting for their team's 10th point, Taylor University fans suddenly storm the court.

Screenshot of Taylor University fans storming the court during the school's annual "Silent Night" game. (Photo: ESPN)
Screenshot of Taylor University fans storming the court during the school's annual "Silent Night" game. (Photo: ESPN)

This college’s wacky Christmastime basketball ritual keeps on getting better…and bigger.

Since 1997, fans at Taylor University in Indiana have created a tradition where they remain totally silent to start the Friday home game before finals week.  Dressing up in wacky costumes, Trojan fans patiently wait until their team’s scores its 10th point, after which pandemonium sets in and they storm the court as if the team has just won the national championship. And, after the game, they all join together and sing the Christmas carol that inspired the tradition: “Silent Night”

This year, the Taylor crowd cut loose after Trojans senior Jake Heggeland made a free throw not quite five minutes in the game. And once again, the mayhem went viral on social media. Watch the wildness happen.

Though Taylor eventually lost this year’s game against Grace Christian, 73–71, the team has enjoyed a lot of good luck on the court during this annual ritual. The first 19 seasons of the tradition, Taylor went undefeated in its “Silent Night” game.

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