CORAL GABLES, Fla. — From Boca Raton to Miami, South Florida basketball fans are beaming with pride for their schools.
In addition to Florida Atlantic University's incredible run in the NCAA tournament, the Miami Hurricanes are also in the Final Four for the first time in school history.
WPTV visited Coral Gables on Monday to check out the excitement on campus.
RELATED: FAU, Miami fans celebrate teams in Final Four: Share your photos, videos
The school was energetic and the campus store was packed. Final Four merchandise was scheduled to arrive at the bookstore Tuesday.
Several students were busy Monday scrambling to buy gear and make travel arrangements to Houston for Saturday's matchup against the University of Connecticut.
Students were still beaming with excitement after knocking off No. 2 seed Texas on Sunday.
"At student housing, you could hear people going crazy outside," sophomore Jonah Sunshine said. "It was so much fun."
Junior Max Greenblatt was at a nearby off-campus sports bar when Miami defeated the Longhorns.
"I felt like the walls and the floors were shaking just from how people were pounding and going nuts," Greenblatt said.
RELATED: Final Four schedule set: Here's when FAU, Miami will tip off
Students like Greenblatt are eagerly waiting for Final Four shirts to arrive on campus. He's among those headed to Houston.
"I'm so glad that I've gotten to experience this," Greenblatt said. "I'm a junior, so when I came in [my] freshman year, it was like the COVID kind of college experience."
Juniors and seniors especially said the excitement that the campus is experiencing right now is more than just making it to the Final Four. Most of them started out their college years in COVID-19 lockdown with no events and no big sports experiences.
"Everyone is so happy," senior Allie Rosen said. "All of my professors already said something about it."
Hurricane students said they're confident about going up against a four-time NCAA championship-winning school like Connecticut. What they're worried about is making sure they can miss classes if the 'Canes go all the way.
"If anybody is listening from Miami, please cancel classes on Monday if we make the championship," Greenblatt said.
Rosen bought some new orange and green gear to show her support at Saturday's game.
"Nobody was projecting us to win, so I think we're the underdogs," Rosen said. "The whole team loves each other, and the coach is so nice, so it's amazing."
The basketball team leaves for Houston on Wednesday with their eyes on a national title.
