Jackson State looks to "Pack the House" for NCAA competition
January 23, 2008
(JACKSON, Miss.) - The Lady Tigers of Jackson State University are calling on area fans, businesses and non-profit organizations to help "Pack the House" Feb. 9 when they take on the Lady Braves of Alcorn University as part of a national competition to get more fans in the stands.
 The "Pack the House" event is part of a NCAA promotion where Division I schools compete against each other with the goal of setting an attendance record and most importantly, growing the sport of women's basketball.
In the first round of the competition, Jackson State is competing against Alabama State, which hosted its "Pack the House" event on Saturday, Jan. 19 and boasted more than 3,000 supporters.
The Lady Tigers are hoping to get at least 4,000 fans to join them at the 3 p.m. tip off against the Lady Braves. The event will include spirit competition and prizes for early-entry fans.
This is the first time Jackson State has participated in the competition which is held from January 1 to February 17.
In addition to other Division 1 schools, JSU also is competing against schools in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.
Local nonprofits also have a chance to become eligible for a $500 donation from the NCAA if Jackson State wins the "Pack the House" competition.
Lady Tigers Head Coach Denise Taylor said she hopes the high-spirited competition helps encourage more support for women athletes.
"We are competitive, so of course we want to win, but this competition is about more than filling the Athletics and Assembly Center," Taylor said. "It is about supporting women athletes." Avis Heath, a local mortgage banker and 1992 alumnus of Jackson State, was one of the first businesspersons to join as a sponsor Jackson State's "Pack the House" effort.
"We have to show the athletic teams that we love them and support them by coming out in droves," said Heath, also a member of Tiger Fund and Blue Bengal Association, both of which aid the athletic programs at Jackson State. "I'm encouraging everybody that I know to come out and "Pack the House." Richard Shaw, owner of Dynastics Screen Printing in Jackson, says that all area businesses should join in. "What we give now, helps the growth and development of this community," he said. "I would encourage any business to help. Not only does this benefit Jackson State, but in return, it benefits all small businesses and the entire city."
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