Go Beavers!

February 24, 2011 12:01 AM

The Caltech men's basketball team beat Occidental College today 46-45, winning its first conference game in 26 years and snapping a 310-game losing streak. The court was subsequently stormed. More photos and videos from the Caltech athletics department.

The 2006 team was featured in a documentary about the streak.

posted by Upton O'Good (27 comments total)

Based on this news I'm betting all my life savings on the Washington Generals in their next game to win!
posted by mathowie at 12:04 AM on February 24, 2011 [2 favorites]

Afterward, like their fans, the well-reasoned players turned giddy, one of them even getting his sports confused and bathing Oliver Eslinger in a football tradition. Yes, Eslinger became perhaps the first basketball coach in history to have a cooler of cold water dumped over his head.

Said Murphy: "I wondered why I was the only one doing it,"

Said Elmquist: "I thought, man, who is going to clean up that mess?"

posted by asymptotic at 12:07 AM on February 24, 2011 [1 favorite]

Caltech, the only school where the students who couldn't make the Science Club had to settle for the Basketball Team.
posted by oneswellfoop at 12:10 AM on February 24, 2011 [4 favorites]

This looks like a high school game.
posted by ReeMonster at 12:28 AM on February 24, 2011

Cal Tech sports have really fallen off since they made it to the Rose Bowl.
posted by clearly at 12:40 AM on February 24, 2011 [1 favorite]

Not to be nitpicky, but it was a 315-game losing streak in their conference. They have won some games against non-conference opponents.

I only mention it because I think they'd want us to be accurate.

At any rate, congratulations are in order.
posted by pmurray63 at 1:09 AM on February 24, 2011

Based on this news I'm betting all my life savings on the Washington Generals in their next game to win!

I know someone who can place that bet...pretty good odds for you too...
posted by hal_c_on at 1:15 AM on February 24, 2011

The probability of one the starters getting to third base is astronomical.
posted by dagosto at 1:54 AM on February 24, 2011

You think that's a celebration? Just wait till the Leafs win a game.
posted by bicyclefish at 2:00 AM on February 24, 2011 [4 favorites]

How do you become a College accidentally?
posted by Splunge at 2:05 AM on February 24, 2011 [1 favorite]

This looks like a high school game.

In Indiana, it's not uncommon for high school gyms to seat 3,000 - 5,000 people. This wouldn't even pass muster for a grade school gym. If anything, it reminds me of the Saved By the Bell gym. Anywho, kudos to the Caltech team.
posted by (Arsenio) Hall and (Warren) Oates at 3:34 AM on February 24, 2011 [1 favorite]

Go, Nerds! Is that their nickname? It should be.

I applied to Caltech but didn't want to move so far from home.

I should have gone. :(
posted by sonic meat machine at 4:11 AM on February 24, 2011

That's nothing, this is how you run on after a game.
(3' long, but worth every second of it)
posted by ciderwoman at 4:20 AM on February 24, 2011 [3 favorites]

IT WAS AN OCCIDENT!
sorry
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 4:38 AM on February 24, 2011 [3 favorites]

The end of an era.
posted by Thorzdad at 4:40 AM on February 24, 2011

My college, Pomona, is in the same conference - I'm just glad it was Oxy and not us who ended the streak. But congratulations to the CalTech basketball team - they'll probably all go on to ridiculously lucrative and successful careers, but this will be a highlight of their lives.
posted by thewittyname at 5:58 AM on February 24, 2011

Wow. A crowd of tens! Nearly.
posted by Shike at 6:44 AM on February 24, 2011

First, you win the basketball game, then you get the power then you get the women.
posted by jadepearl at 6:45 AM on February 24, 2011 [2 favorites]

I think that it was the Northwestern student section - Northwestern had a similarly futile record - which chanted:

That's alright!
That's OK!
You're gonna work for us one day!

Seems like Cal Tech could have used that also.
posted by Danf at 6:47 AM on February 24, 2011

I am sure that this accomplishment will be totally ignored by Dr. Sheldon Cooper.
posted by Ber at 8:29 AM on February 24, 2011

> My college, Pomona, is in the same conference - I'm just glad it was Oxy and not us who ended the streak.

My college was Oxy, and I'm not at all surprised it was them who ended the streak. When I was there ('68-72), the football team only won one game (yes, against Caltech). Didn't follow basketball, but I imagine the outlook was similar.

And how can you not root for a school that has a cheer like this (there are a number of versions around; this is the one used at Caltech in the mid-'40s):

e to the x the x the x
e to the x the x the x
e to the x the x the x
e to the x dx [delta x]
Sliiii . . . de rule! Tech tech tech tech tech tech tech!!!

Cotan, tangent, cosine, sine
3.14159!
Sliiii . . . de rule! Tech tech tech tech tech tech tech!!!
posted by languagehat at 8:50 AM on February 24, 2011 [7 favorites]

Woot!

Never thought I'd see a sports story about my alma mater on Metafilter. I wasn't even sure we had a basketball team.

And I'm positive I never once heard someone say "Go Beavers" in 4 years.
posted by wildcrdj at 9:27 AM on February 24, 2011

mathowie: "Based on this news I'm betting all my life savings on the Washington Generals in their next game to win!"

As the Reds, the Washington Generals beat the Globetrotters on January 5, 1971.
posted by l33tpolicywonk at 9:55 AM on February 24, 2011

That's nothing, this is how you run on after a game yt .
(3' long, but worth every second of it)

how about a soccer warning. and an apology.
posted by rainperimeter at 10:19 AM on February 24, 2011

And I'm positive I never once heard someone say "Go Beavers" in 4 years.
posted by wildcrdj at 9:27 AM on February 24

Visit Corvallis, Oregon and you will hear that ad nauseum from the Beaver Believers.
posted by Cranberry at 11:11 AM on February 24, 2011

Speaking as an alum of the school that won the SCIAC basketball championships in question, go Caltech. Glad it wasn't us that lost to you!
posted by librarylis at 11:25 AM on February 24, 2011

Cranberry writes "Visit Corvallis, Oregon and you will hear that ad nauseum from the Beaver Believers."

Beavers are real. I've seen them.
posted by Mitheral at 5:47 AM on February 26, 2011