TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — When the Wildcats last played in Indianapolis for the NCAA Finals, celebrations slowly turned to chaos as the Cats fell behind Duke in 2001.
The loss drew fans towards Fourth Ave. and University Blvd. where City of Tucson workers had greased poles and removed parked cars in anticipation.
Still, reports from ESPN and The Daily Wildcat say windows were broken around campus, and Tucson Police deployed rubber bullets while YouTube videos show cars flipped and on fire.
Now, over two decades later, the Wildcats are back in Indianapolis in the Final Four. Back at home, the team behind the University of Arizona campus is putting together their best lineup for post-game cleanup: the Marshall Foundation's keepers of Main Gate Square.
The trio starts their morning at 5:00 a.m., sweeping the streets for any debris or necessary repairs before beginning their daily tasks.
The three are referred to as "porters," which they define as a mix between a repairman, groundskeeper and custodian.
A few times each week, Mike Bigglestone waters the potted plants around Main Gate. Along the way, he stops to wave to the university groundskeepers and shop owners along the boulevard.
"It's the best job I've ever had," Bigglestone said. To him, the square is more than just a street. His parents grew up in the West University neighborhood, and he's worked in different parts of campus for decades.
Porter Antonio Culquitt echoes the sentiment. Though he's been on campus for just a few years, he says the owners and managers he's met feel like a community.
"We're all there for one another," he said. "We all communicate."
That communication is especially needed when students are on campus.
"When football season comes around, it’s pedal to the metal," Culquitt said. "[Wildcats] are like die-hard fans."
They're expecting something similar with Wildcats coming out to watch the University of Arizona take on the University of Michigan: a lot of work and a lot of trash.
"Not only in the garbage cans themselves but in sidewalks, streets, parking spaces, there’s going to be lots and lots of trash everywhere,” Biggleton said.
The three porters dedicate their days to keeping the square in shape, and with Final Four celebrations upcoming, they're hoping Wildcat fans will too.
While they want everyone to have fun, Culquitt says, "think about your city, think about your community."
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Alex Dowd is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9, where her work combines her two favorite hobbies: talking to new people and learning about the community around her. Her goal is to eventually meet every single person in Tucson. Share your story ideas with Alex via email, alex.dowd@kgun9.com, or connecting on Instagram or X.
