Basketball Fans Show Holiday Spirit

Charity began at home for University of Toledo women’s basketball fans this week, even if the object of the charity was the visitors.

The 1,029 fans at Toledo’s game passed hats and donated more than $500 after learning that a van being used by visiting Illinois-Chicago had been broken into the night before.

“I was totally shocked,” said Illinois-Chicago coach Eileen McMahon, who had lost cash, credit cards, keys and several personal items in the robbery.

Players lost several items, including purses containing hundreds of dollars in travel money and sneakers they planned to wear in the game the next day.

“The gesture was greatly appreciated by our staff and our kids,” McMahon said.

Fortunately, she said the team had plenty of money to get home and the losses will probably be covered by insurance. She didn’t accept the money and suggested that it be donated to a charity.

Toledo officials said they hadn’t decided what to do with the money.

The school’s charity did have limits, though. The Rockets defeated Illinois-Chicago 97-49.

Idaho State basketball coach Herb Williams underwent an angioplasty Wednesday to clear blockage in an artery.

Williams was hospitalized after Tuesday night’s Idaho State-Idaho game at The Idaho Center in Nampa after complaining of chest pains. He was taken by ambulance to Mercy Medical Center and held overnight for tests and observation.

The school said doctors told Marilyn Williams, the coach’s wife, that one of the arteries had small blockages, and spasms probably caused by stress made him experience the same type of pain that he would feel if he had had a heart attack.