IS the University of the Philippines cursed when playing at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion?
Though two seasons, that seems to be the case, as the Fighting Maroons have yet to win in the venue in the three games they have played there.
And it's not just a 0-3 record, but the fashion they have lost which makes the dry spell for the Iskos in Espana more agonizing.
State U's first game there was last season, when it was dealt a shocking 67-47 blowout courtesy of National U where Patrick Yu went bonkers and drained five treys for a career-high 17 points back in Nov. 3, 2024.
The next was, of course, last Sunday when host UST shut out the defending champions with an 87-67 stunner, as UP just had no answer for rampaging Nigerian rookie Collins Akowe.
And of course, former UP Integrated School standout Ray Allen Torres was the latest to add to the Diliman side's nightmares on the Growling Tigers' homecourt, draining the game-winner, as Adamson pulled off the 62-59 escape last Wednesday which sent the Fighting Maroons to an uncharacteristic 0-2 slate to start the UAAP Season 88 men's basketball tournament.
READ: Adamson hero Ray Allen Torres was supposed to go to UP - until he didn't
UP actually does not own the worst mark at QPav - rather, it's University of the East which has a 0-4 record since the league utilized the venue as an alternate court for the men's division back in Season 86.
The Red Warriors' hot start last year was extinguished for good at this venue, as they took painful losses to Far Eastern University, 59-51, and Ateneo, 71-67, that all but dashed their hopes of ending their Final Four drought.
'QPav magic' for Ateneo and NU
On the flipside, Ateneo and NU are still undefeated at QPav, each going 4-0 in their games there.
The Blue Eagles' 2-0 start this season (against FEU and UE) were all in Espana, which mimicked their pair of wins last year against the Red Warriors and the Growling Tigers.
The Bulldogs, meantime, have that 72-57 win over UE last Sunday to go with last season's surprise 63-54 win over La Salle back in Nov. 13, 2024 and the aforementioned 20-point drubbing of the Fighting Maroons. Their first W was a 69-66 nail-biter over the Soaring Falcons on Oct. 21, 2023.
Curiously, UST's first win at home came only last Sunday against UP, improving to an even 1-1 card in defending its own court.
As for the other teams, the Tamaraws are also 1-1, while the Soaring Falcons earned their first win in four tries at QPav against the Fighting Maroons.
The good news for the UP is that games are finally returning to bigger venues, with its next game assignment against UE at Smart Araneta Coliseum this Sunday - though of course, the Fighting Maroons also have quite a bit of unlucky history when it comes to the Big Dome and Game 3s of the Finals.
They also still have a few chances to exorcise the ghosts of QPav, as the Iskos are set to return to the venue on Oct. 4 against National U then on Oct. 12 vs. FEU, at least for the first round of this tourney.
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