Raising Cane's is Overrun by Monarch Fans After ODU's Win Over Towson in Men's Basketball

Near the end of Saturday's ODU men's basketball game against Towson University, a hum started to rise in the crowd. The Monarchs scored basket after basket, and suddenly, the team was in range of the free-chicken threshold.

Raising Cane's, a new chicken restaurant in University Village, sponsors a promotion where every ticketholder from an ODU basketball home game receives a free, three-finger chicken combo if the team reaches 80 points.

When guard Trian Iliadis hit a three-pointer with less than 30 seconds remaining, putting the Monarchs over 80 for the first time this season, there was a mad scramble for the exits, particularly from the packed student section.

Within minutes of the game ending, there was a line out the door of Raising Cane's, and halfway down the block. It was awesome, said Raising Cane's general manager Gilbert Viera.

"They were excited for the win, but mostly for the free Cane's they were about to have for dinner. What a rush it was that night for me and my crew!" Viera said. In total, 1,107 free, three-finger combos were given away in the 24 hours after the game.

Raising Cane's chose the ODU area for its first Virginia restaurant in part because of the good fit of a community engaged restaurant with a student-friendly menu, and a school increasingly becoming a residential campus.

"We are thrilled that the Monarchs were able to meet the Cane's Challenge and score 80 points and win! It was great to see the restaurant packed with students and fans," said Janet Mclaughlin, ARAMARK resident district manager. "Now we'll wait to see if the Monarchs and Lady Monarchs are up to the challenge again at their next home games."

Both teams are nearing the end of their regular seasons, and this was the first time enough points were scored to earn spectators free chicken. The Monarchs try again on Wednesday, Feb. 2, against Delaware. Tipoff is 7 p.m. The Lady Monarchs' next home game is Thursday, Feb. 10 against Northeastern, at 5:30 p.m.

Founded in 1996 in Baton Rouge, La., Raising Cane's is a 14-state, 90-restaurant chain that offers high-quality chicken finger meals, featuring fresh chicken. The University Village location is open from 10:30 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Wednesday and 10:30 a.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday through Saturday. More information about the Raising Cane's franchise is available at www.raisingcanes.com.

The University Village is a 75-acre mixed-use development initiative. With ODU and its 24,000 students and 2,400 staff and faculty, in addition to the Ted Constant Convocation Center as anchors, the Village is a destination all its own with restaurants, retail shops, recreational facilities, hotel, and residential, office and research facilities.