Auburn, ALA. (EETV) - The Auburn Jungle has become one of the superior student section in the college basketball. They have fully embraced their moto claiming they are 'the loudest roar in the SEC.'
The Auburn student section has provided one of the best atmospheres in college basketball, something head coach Bruce Pearl has dreamed about.
"I’m not sure if there was a better environment in college basketball tonight," Pearl said following Auburn's win over Alabama February 21. "Our fans had to show up and not see Anfernee McLemore or Mustapha Heron out there, and they stayed."
The Jungle has fully embraced their new-found fame and Jungle leaders believe basketball games are even crazier than football.
"If you're just a student in the Jungle, then you're a huge Auburn basketball fan and you just want to be here cheering on the team," Auburn Jungle social media assistant Grace Vrom says. "It's kind of like the football student section but a little bit louder and a little bit crazier."
But to be this loud, Jungle preparations begin days in advance with Jungle President Chandler Fullman composing The Jungle Times.
"Really it's just to heckle the other team players," said Fullman. "Just the little things like if somebody has a bad haircut or just fun stuff that we can have fun with."
Auburn Superfans get things started on basketball game days setting the tone of the student section bright and early.
"We get here four hours before the doors open," Auburn Superfan Tanner Cox said. "We get painted up and get ready for the game."
It's not just the Superfans, regular Auburn students have been dying to be apart of the action inside Auburn Arena. Students have been seen lining up hours before doors open this season.
Junior Katy Shoemake was one of those students lining up early before the rematch game against Alabama.
"From 3 o'clock until the games open at 7 p.m.," Shoemake said about how early she arrived to the arena. "So four hours sitting in line."
Fullman, despite being the Jungle president, has also waited his fair share of time.
"I got here five, five-and-a-half hours before the game," Fullman said about waiting to get inside the student section before the Kentucky game (Feb. 14).
If getting painted up and waiting what may feel like an eternity isn't enough, Jungle members also make custom signs each week to poke fun at their opponents.
"They're just kind of shots at the Bama team," Vrom said of the signs made for the Iron Bowl on the court.
Once you get inside the arena and grab your Jungle Times and custom game sign, the only thing left to do is to get loud.
"We just want to be as excited as possible," said Cox about what the Auburn Superfan's do once the game tips off.
But to be apart of the student section, fans can't just sit down, fans are expected to stand the entire time.
"You have to stand up," Fullman said. "You got to be loud. You got to be crazy. You got to be rowdy."
Yelling, screaming and jumping are all expected of Jungle members. Some Auburn students, such as Shoemake, adds to their role in the Jungle. Shoemake makes sure she grabs one of several giant heads to do what she can to help her Tigers.
"If we do something good we wave it or if we just get really excited we just hold it up and go crazy," Shoemake said while holding her Mustapha Heron head. "When the opposing team is shooting free throws we always got to hold it up."
As the game goes on, Jungle members fully expect the atmosphere inside Auburn Arena will only get crazier.
"You're going to be in here and it's going to be really loud," Vrom said. "It's going to be rowdier than most football games."
But all the hard work done by the Auburn Jungle doesn't go unnoticed. Shoemake says her favorite part of the game comes at the end of the game when all her hard work is paid off.
"When Bruce (Pearl) comes and thanks us at the end because we go crazy the entire game," Shoemake says about the best part of the game. "Being able to get that recognition that we played a part in throwing off the opposing team is really cool."
To be apart of the Jungle experience, Auburn students' last chance will be Saturday when No. 14 Auburn welcomes South Carolina.
To stay up to date on all other madness from the Jungle, you can follow them on Twitter and Instagram: @AUJungle.
