With two minutes left in the second half, Nicholls is leading the No. 1 University of North Carolina Tarheels 93-45. More than 4,000 Colonel fans are packed in the plush, newly refurbished Stopher Gymnasium collaboratively chanting “Over-rated!” One Nicholls forward has shot 93 percent from the field for a school record of 38 points. The Colonels have shut down UNC’s All-American center Tyler Hansborough for a career-low two points. And lastly, Dick Vitale and Erin Andrews have made their first- ever appearance in Thibodaux to showcase the match-up.

As the Colonels offense begins to burn the final seconds off the clock, I suddenly press the pause button on the Xbox controller to go to a real Nicholls basketball game on a Thursday night.

My perception is abruptly shifted to the opposite side of the spectrum: 100 fans are scarcely filling the seats in Stopher Gym. The Colonels are shooting 32 percent from the field and are hanging on to a one-point lead. The band director is the lone Colonel fan willing to attempt a chant.

Nicholls basketball in March Madness 2008 is not the only Colonels sport to infiltrate the video game sports phenomenon.

Colonels fans can also live another dream of Nicholls football winning the BCS national championship on NCAA Football 2008 for Playstation 2.

Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 have yet to adopt the FCS teams in football; however, it is rumored that NCAA Football 2009 will feature the FCS teams.

Even though EA Sports makes Nicholls unrealistic, it is still cool to see your friends and people in your classes on a video game.

I sometimes wonder if the players even know they are featured on a video game.