What a difference a team makes.

In the same year that drew one of the smallest turnouts in the history of Campout, an alternative method of obtaining tickets to high-demand basketball games, the largest crowd in the alcohol-free era of the event — from 2000 on — showed up in droves Friday night to gain admittance to the most anticipated home game of the season.

“Everyone here wants tickets,” Magdi Youssef, a senior in parks, recreation and tourism, said. “Being a senior and all, this is my last chance to see the UNC-State game as a student with my friends.”

“To be honest, I was surprised to see the turnout, and I am pretty happy to be a part of this.”

Campout, which in recent years has been contained to Dunn Avenue, spilled over into the Talley Student Center courtyard where dozens of tents restricted movement to the point where some were referring to the makeshift camp as “Talleyville.”

The record numbers included more than 150 tents and more than 1,400 students, a stark contrast to the 30 tents and 250 students present two weeks ago at Campout for Maryland tickets.

“This is the best [Campout] I have ever seen,” Scott Stephenson, a lifelong education student and co-chair of this year’s Campout, said.

Stephenson has been in charge of Campout for the last three years and attending them for more than four years — including the infamous 2000 UNC Campout that played host to rioting and bonfires and eventually led to the ban of alcohol and heat sources. He said his vision for Campout was realized Friday night.

“All [the 2000 UNC Campout] was, was beer and sex,” Stephenson said. “If I ever had a dream of what Campout should be, this is it.”

Allison Johnston, a junior in biology, said she had reservations about the event before Friday night, but changed her mind on arrival.

“I really didn’t think there would be this many people and this much going on,” Johnston said. “Now I am in the know and I’ll definitely be camping out next year.”

Adam Whitehouse, a junior in psychology and chair of the Student Senate’s Campus Community Committee, which houses the responsibilities of executing Campout, said the 1,400 students more than doubled expected numbers for the event.

“We are trying to bring back the traditions,” Whitehouse said. “We are starting with Campout and going for tailgating.”

He said Campout was occurring without a hitch.

“Most people I’ve talked to say it’s the best [Campout] with the most students,” Whitehouse said.

Funding for Campouts come from student fees appropriated to the Student Senate, a campus institution that has seen widespread criticism for its mismanagement of monies.

Whitehouse said the committee had made good on its promise to increase the number of activities at Campout.

“It’s gone awesome,” he said. “We’re giving back to the students.”

Activities included pi-ata smashing, spirit contests, a pig picking and a car bash that gave students the opportunity to take out frustrations from an early loss at UNC-CH on a Carolina blue-colored vehicle.

“At least it was supposed to be Carolina blue,” Whitehouse said as a student with an unexplained, but obvious hatred for carburetors took a particularly forceful whack at the two-toned wreck.

The Campout also spawned the “Shirtless Posse,” a group of more than 30 male students increasing membership by demanding other students remove their shirts.

At one point, the Shirtless Posse, badgering an unwilling victim with their shouts of “take it off, take it off,” prompted a question and literary allusion from Student Senate President Forrest Hinton.

“Have you ever read Lord of the Flies?” Hinton asked.

Most students appreciated the excitement and festive atmosphere.

“This Campout is the best I’ve ever seen,” Ayo Adeyeye, a junior in English literature, said. “It’s really important to find other opportunities to foster school spirit and rally behind our athletes.”

Jacob Galloway, a mechanical engineering sophomore attending his first Campout, said the events of Friday night and early Saturday morning would increase participation in the future.

“More people will come now that they see what’s going on,” he said.