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Jonathan the Husky, the live mascot of the University of Connecticut men’s basketball team, is currently unable to make the trip to Houston for the school’s Final Four matchup with Miami due to logistical issues pertaining to his travel. According to the mascot’s Twitter account, Jonathan XIV is too big to fit under the seats on an airplane, meaning that he needs a chartered flight with two seats for himself and two seats for his assistants.
As of Thursday, the Jonathan XIV account said that the school has been unable to secure a plane ride for the mascot or his handlers, putting him jeopardy of having to watch the Final Four from home.
According to a report by CT Insider, UConn fans have implored university president Marc D’Amelio to intervene and set up a solution before Saturday’s game. While a university spokesperson said that discussions around getting Jonathan XIV to Houston are continuing, no definitive decision has been made.
Jonathan XIV is the 14th live mascot in university history, following in the footsteps of Jonathan I, who began the school’s lineage of huskies beginning in 1935. UConn’s basketball program is looking for its fifth national championship and their first since last making the Final Four in 2014.
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