Local watch parties held for UConn’s game against Miami

(WFSB) – Watch parties are being held across the state Saturday night for UConn’s Final Four game against Miami.

UConn said watch parties are being held at:

• Bear’s BBQ in Hartford, Windsor and New Haven
• Kinsmen Brewing in Milldale
• Two Roads Brewing Company in Stratford

The university said food and drink specials will be available.

A watch party will also be held at Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, but tickets sold out.

“I’ve been a fan all my life and always show up when it gets to this time of the year,” said Michael Velasquez, a UConn fan.

Hundreds of fans and alumni sported their blue and white at Kinsmen Brewing in Southington.

“Final Four is the best here. I’ve been coming here forever. I love it. Let’s go UConn baby,” said Jay Sullivan, a UConn fan.

“When the Huskies do well, everyone gets really into it. Even people that are casual, casual fans,” said Ryan Tunnacliffe, General Manager at Kinsmen. “We want to welcome all the fans here for all the watch parties, for all the games.”

“You see someone wearing a UConn jersey or a piece of UConn kind of memorabilia, you just kind of know there’s like a family that extends beyond Connecticut, and everyone bleeds blue,” Velasquez said.

Velasquez has been bleeding blue pretty much his whole life. That’s why he got to Kinsmen hours early to grab a table for him and his friends.

“I knew that for this Final Four game I wanted to be surrounded with a lot more UConn fans,” Velasquez said.

These fans are passionate about the Huskies. Game after game, they’ve been tuning into the tournament to root them on, not wanting to miss a minute of the action. They were even more excited Saturday night to be doing it with other fans.

“I think it’s just the fact that it’s a Connecticut community, you know, we all come together and just enjoy the game,” said Phillip Mangiaracina, UConn fan.

“Family, having fun meeting new people and having some fun you know,” said Sullivan.

Four-seed UConn takes on five-seed Miami at 8:49 p.m. on Channel 3/CBS.

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