Overflow the O’ is an event and seven year tradition that encourages members of the Drury community to come together and support the basketball teams.

Kappa Delta sophomores Shelby Ortner and Taylor Perkins and junior Angel Wade at the 2017 Overflow the O. Photo provided by Taylor Perkins.

Both the Lady Panthers and Panthers will play William Jewell College on Jan 27. The women’s game begins at 1 p.m. and the men’s at 3 p.m. The game is at O’Reilly Family Event Center.

Drury Fanthers are hosting a tailgate to jumpstart the Panther pride. Students who are interested in the tailgate can go to the Weiser/Mabee gym from 11:30 a.m. -12:40 p.m. At the tailgate there will be food from Hy-Vee, chances for students to get painted up and opportunities for them to make posters, according to athletics graduate assistant Laynie Timmons.

Timmons said that everyone at the tailgate will gather together and parade down Drury Lane through the loading dock behind William Jewell’s bench before the women’s game.

“We want to create a crazy atmosphere headed into the girls’ game and we think that this parade into O’Reilly will really get the entire arena going,” Timmons said.

One way that they are drawing students to the games is by creating a friendly competition amongst Greek life.

“This year Greek life gets to play a more active role in the event because the sororities and fraternities on campus are raising money for their local philanthropies,” Kappa Delta Panhellenic delegate Shelby Ortner said.

Ortner said that members from all chapters will be handing out tickets to their families, friends, professors and alumni. Each ticket that is used at the game equals five dollars that will be donated to the chapters’ philanthropies.

Timmons has helped plan the event this year. She said that most of the budget for the event is going towards the incentives of raising money for the philanthropies.

The women’s basketball team offered even more of an incentive to come to the games, according to Timmons. They will be donating a dollar for every ticket scanned before their halftime.

“On the actual day of the event, members of Greek life just have to show up to the game and be super excited and show their support,” Ortner said.

Ortner said that the sororities and fraternities will be paired together like they were during Greek Week. These pairings will compete to see who can show the most spirit and have the highest attendance.

Timmons said that there are many opportunities to win prizes over the course of the games. There will be the traditional games that fans normally see at games in addition to prizes and raffles.

“[Prizes] include Drury gear, swag bags, gift cards donated by restaurants around town and pizzas. We will be giving away Bose wireless headphones in both the women’s and men’s games. Just make sure you get your raffle ticket in the buckets,” Timmons said.

Timmons encourages everyone to come out and cheer for both teams.

“Having that loud, crazy group of kids flood down through the loading dock will be really cool to see,” Timmons said. “We want to see Greeks, freshmen, athletes, theater students, everyone, decked out in Drury gear, making noise and making people look as we walk through the loading dock and into the student section and the stands.”

Students involved in the competition are also encouraged to follow the Overflow the O’ Facebook page and Twitter account. These pages will provide more information about the day’s events.

Pi Beta Phi sophomores Madison Hadler, Morgan Schilly, Paige Wynacht, and Brooke Kempf at Overflow the O in 2017.