Still One Of The Coolest Traditions In College Sports - The 2024 Version Of Taylor University's Silent Night
This is one of those things I'm just going to blog every year because we've blogged it every year. It's been a decade or so of us blogging Taylor's Silent Night, because it's still one of the coolest traditions in college sports. It deserves the shine every time. For those who somehow haven't heard of it, it's a simple concept.
- 10th-point celebration started in 1997, with students attending game in pajamas dating back to the late 1980's
- Taylor is 25-1 all-time in Silent Night games
- The 2020 Silent Night game was cancelled due to Covid-19
- Taylor fans remain silent until Taylor's 10th point is scored
- No technical foul is given for the 10th-point celebration, as a media timeout is issued immediately after Taylor scores its 10th point
- Sold out crowds with limited advanced ticket sales
- Students sing Silent Night in unison to end the game
- Always played the Friday before finals week
- After the game students attend a university-sponsored Christmas party
It's one of those events that is special to Taylor. Other schools can try, but this belongs to Taylor. This year delivered too:
There's something perfect about this happening at an NAIA school, that looks like a high school gym. Sure, I'd love to see this happen at a massive place like Rupp or the Carrier Dome or Phog Allen or something like that. But, it's perfect for this. It needs to happen in Upland, Indiana and not at a ranked team. Elusive speed by the Taylor players there to get out of the storm after a dunk. Sneaky athletic even. Probably a lunch pail guy if I had to guess.
PS: Taylor is 26-1 all-time in Silent Night games. They gotta come up with something for every home game and we're looking at a dynasty.