Maize Rage originally a publicity ploy of the Athletic Department"s marketing office is now a legitimate student organization, registered with the Michigan Student Assembly, and excited by the prospect of a promising basketball season under a new head coach.

Yesterday afternoon, 26 members of the Michigan basketball student fan club gathered in the MSA office in the Michigan Union for the group"s first meeting.

The members of Maize Rage will dominate Crisler Arena"s new student section, which features close proximity to the opposition"s bench. This year"s leadership is calling for greater numbers, volume and organization to become the "sixth man" that coach Tommy Amaker has asked for.

"I want to win," Maize Rage captain and "Superfan" Reza Breakstone told his devoted core of Ragers. "I don"t have the talent or the height to be on the basketball court. I"ve got lungs, a brain and energy. Everyone at the basketball game will feed off of this. We will all feed off each other"s energy and passion to win."

Student ticket sales currently stand somewhere in the neighborhood of 700 which already eclipses last season"s total of nearly 600 but Maize Rage hopes to break 1,000 before the season begins.

On Oct. 11 group members will be on the Diag in an attempt to raise awareness and excitement for the team and their organization. They will also be looking to sign up new members.

"When students see that there"s a support network like the Maize Rage that there is an enthusiasm, and that kids are unified behind this. It"s not just 700 independent students going to get tickets, we"re talking about one student body of fans. I think you"ll see the numbers jump quickly," Breakstone said.

As an MSA organization, Maize Rage is eligible to receive funding. This will go toward publicity, publication of its newsletter, making signs for the games and traveling. Maize Rage expects to travel to Kalamazoo for the game against Western Michigan and to Bowling Green. They are also planning trips to some Big Ten games, such as Michigan State, Ohio State and Purdue.

Maize Rage has also looked toward Michigan alumni groups across the country to contribute to their cause. An alumni group president in Denver has pledged to house Maize Ragers if they choose to venture west for the game against Colorado State in January.

Breakstone and the organization"s leadership have recognized the Dec. 1 home game against Boston College as the season"s most important. The hope is that an upset against the defending Big East champions will carry the Wolverines into their annual rematch with defending national champions Duke the following week.

"I"m not expecting a national championship," Breakstone said. "I want one thing: I want to beat Duke. Can I get a hell yeah? I want to beat Duke, I want to rush the court, and that"s all I ask. And everyone in this room can make that happen."