UC San Diego Students Create Buzz Before NCAA Game

LA JOLLA, Calif. (KGTV) – UC San Diego students are expressing their enthusiasm for the Tritons‘ upcoming NCAA Basketball tournament game by crossing off one specific letter seen across campus. These actions are in anticipation of the Tritons’ first-round matchup against the Michigan Wolverines on Thursday night.

Students have taken to taping large ‘X’s over any appearances of the letter ‘M’ around the campus. This playful tradition is inspired by a longstanding rival culture; it mirrors the behavior of Ohio State fans who typically avoid mentioning the ‘M’ word during their dual face-offs with the University of Michigan football team.

‘I support it,’ said Jake Leland, a second-year student. ‘It’s just a crazy fun way to show our pride for the team.’ Leland has even crossed out the letter around his own residence. His excitement mirrors that of many fellow students eager to participate in this unique celebration.

Braylon Booker, another student, expressed, ‘[I get] a lot of pride to experience these things. And it’s fun to be here.’ The student-led initiative called ‘Triton Tide,’ UC San Diego’s official fan club, began this letter-crossing campaign on Sunday, days ahead of the anticipated matchup.

This year marks a significant milestone for Triton Athletics as they make their first appearance in college basketball’s prestigious tournament. ‘We’re super excited,’ Leland added. ‘This is the first year we’re eligible… It’s a big deal we did it, and we’re seen as an upset in the bracket right now.’

The Tritons are set to face the Wolverines at approximately 7 p.m. Thursday. As the anticipation grows, it’s clear that student engagement and camaraderie are helping to fuel the excitement around this historic game, while willfully omitting that particular letter adds to the fun—all leading up to tip-off.