By Gavin Davis, news correspondent

The Northeastern University men’s and women’s basketball teams will be holding Midnight Madness on Wednesday, an event created to celebrate the start of the 2015-16 basketball season. The Huskies will put on a show at 8 p.m. in Cabot Center in front of Northeastern basketball fans to create excitement for the upcoming season.

“If you like watching people dunk and hit big shots, it’s a fun event,” senior guard Zach Stahl said. “There are almost always some surprises that happen, so people will be in for a great time.”

Stahl, who will be participating in his third Midnight Madness, said he remembers plenty of surprises from the late-night pep rally in the past.

“I remember during one of my first times at Midnight Madness, [former Northeastern forward] Chris Avenant came out dressed as Batman while doing the dunk contest, so that was the sight to see,” Stahl said. “People got quite the kick out of that.”

In addition to a dunk contest, Midnight Madness will include free food, T-shirts and other prizes, like the chance to win Amy Schumer homecoming tickets.

“Events like these are so great for us as the fans,” said Michael Samaha, one of the leaders of The N Zone, the basketball student section. “We get a chance to see up-close these guys who we will be rooting for this year and for years to come.”

Along with getting a look at the players and coaches, fans will have the opportunity to be the first to purchase tickets for the men’s basketball home-opener against Wentworth Institute of Technology. The game is part of the Men Against Breast Cancer Challenge and will take place at 7 p.m. on Nov. 17 in Cabot.

The doors of Cabot will open on Wednesday at 7 p.m. for Midnight Madness.

For more information, visit the Facebook event page here.

Photo courtesy Northeastern Athletics.