Basketball season is finally back and we here at Pipe Dream couldn’t be happier. After hearing the squeaks on the Events Center floor, I figured I’d hand out some cheers to some of the events that made last night great:

Cheers to:

Rich Conover for getting Erica Carter into the starting lineup: The sophomore shooting guard from Naperville, Ill., is an assassin with the basketball. The play from her and fellow sophomore Muffy Sadler will decide how well the team does this season. The seniors can only do so much.

To the one-woman wrecking crew that is Laine Kurpniece: The America East’s version of Shaq was back with a vengeance last night. Here’s hoping she keeps it up all season.

The Le Moyne Dolphins for bringing their A-game (as always): Sometimes a Division II team can make a Division I team work. When Le Moyne comes down for an exhibition game, that is always the case.

Student tickets at the Events Center: It’s refreshing to be able to walk up to the door, flash your student ID and be let into the arena. It’s a welcome relief from the Bearcats Sports Complex where you had to go get a ticket from the Events Center, walk through an obstacle course and finally answer three riddles before being allowed admittance.

Kevin Broadus and the men’s basketball team for taking seats front and center in the student section: Looking into the sparsely populated student section, Broadus and his boys were the most visible fans at last night’s games. Al Walker attended games, but rarely sat with his team; big thumbs up to that.

Kevin Broadus for wearing a green Yankees hat: Welcome to New York, coach Broadus. Something tells me the move will go over better with the local fans than Lebron James wearing a Yankees hat in Cleveland did.

To the new male cheerleader: Those were some of the most acrobatic moves ever seen on the Events Center floor. Kudos, my friend, kudos.

To the BU women’s soccer team: The cheers in the Events Center when it was announced that the Bearcats had Hartford 1-0 was the loudest of the night. Cheers to this senior class; they deserve their season to be continued.

To Baxter for having the guts to steal Press and Sun-Bulletin beat reporter Brian Moritz’s water: I respect the heck out of you, Baxter. That was one daring of a move.