KALAMAZOO, Mich. - More than 300 students packed "The Zoo" student section at University Arena on Thursday night, making Western Michigan men's basketball's first annual "Rock The Zoo" event a rousing success.  The evening included free food, the first giveaway of "The Zoo" t-shirts for the 2013-14 season, contests and prizess, and a one-of-a-kind concert by former Bronco Pat Cleland, who performs on stage as Rick Chyme.

"If you have this team's back when they're on the court, they'll have your back," said Cleland, who performed freestyle raps based on lyric and topic suggestions from students sent via Twitter.  "A rabid crowd and student section can make a 10-point difference, I promise you."

Cleland also unveiled a new song he had written that serves an anthem about the Bronco men's basketball program call "One Team, One Heartbeat."  The lyrics of the song echoed many of the guiding principles of the program instilled by head coach Steve Hawkins, including toughness, dedication, and being not just a team but a family.

"It means a lot to have this many fans come out on a Thursday night and support us like this," said Hawkins.  "I've seen 'The Zoo' improve every year since I've been here, and an event like tonight shows that our fans are the best in the MAC."

Beyond Cleland's concert, other highlights of the night included various games and giveaways, including a student winning "Burritos for a Year" in the Qdoba Quick Shot competition and a Consumers' Credit Union promotion that saw students scrambling on the ground for $1,000 in cash.