Section B·Page 4
The University Daily Kansan
Wednesday, March 10, 1999
ROWING
SATURDAY
KANSAS vs DRAKE
MARCH 13
12:00 p.m.
KAW RIVER
BURCHAM PARK
1999
Midwest bracket 'impressive'
Continued from page 1B
Kansas coach Roy Williams said the team's seed had never affected the way the Jayhawks prepared for tournament play.
"We're trying to prepare the same way." Williams said. "If it takes some of the pressure off the kids, then I'm fine with it. But if you ask me, I want to be the No.1 seed because that means I enjoyed the year a heck of a lot more."
If the Jayhawks were the No.1 seed in the Midwest Region, it wouldn't make surviving the tournament any easier.
Although every team in the tournament probably picked its bracket as the toughest, Williams said it was hard to ignore the teams in the Midwest Region.
"Evidently there are nine major conference tournaments, and six of the nine winners are in the Midwest, and that's pretty impressive," Williams said. "You look
and you see Utah and Kentucky in our own little first- and second-round site in New Orleans. It's a heck of a region."
Of the 16 teams in the Midwest Region, nine won their conference postseason tournament Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan State, Utah, UNC Charlotte, Rhode Island, New Mexico State, Mount St. Mary's and Arkansas State.
Of the eight teams in New Orleans, three have combined to make seven Final Four appearances in the 1990s — Kentucky with four appearances, Kansas with two and Utah one.
Despite the tough competition in the Midwest Region and the relatively low expectations the Jayhawks face in the NCAA Tournament, Williams has chosen to take it one day at a time.
Junior forward Ashante Johnson prepares to go up for a shot against Nebraska's Andy Markowski. Kansas heads to its NCAA tournament game on Friday with the momentum of three straight victories. Photo by Graham K. Johnson/KANSAN
"This team hasn't done real well when we've talked just about long
term goals." Williams said. "We've done so much better when we've focused on today's practice and Evansville. So, I don't want to set a minimum or a maximum."
want us to go out and play as well as we can play. Hopefully, we can get lucky and get some breaks and stay around for a long time."
Edited by Sarah Hale
Superdome ticket sales sluggish
Empty seats may greet Hawks in Louisiana
By Chris Wristen
cwristen@ukans.edu
Kansas sportwriter
As of yesterday afternoon, 10,000 tickets still remained for the games that will be played in the 24,000 seat Louisiana Superdome. Sales are expected to pick up as game day gets closer, but a sellout is not expected. This would favor Kansas fans seeking tickets.
When the Kansas men's basketball team tips off against Evansville on Friday, the Jayhawks might be playing without something they've become accustomed to—a sold-out crowd.
"It works out to be an advantage to the Kansas fans," Superdome Public Relations Director Bill Curl said. "Some of the other sites have fewer seats, and other popular venues are sold out, so if you're a Kansas fan and want to go to the game, then you're out of luck at those places. Here we've still got good seat tickets available."
There are a few factors that are considered to be contributing to the unexpectedly slow sales. Because the Superdome is farther away than other sites, fans must scramble to make airline arrangements and last-minute hotel reservations. In addition, KU students still will have classes in session because the tournament begins a week before spring break.
The Superdome will play host to
Kansas, Evansville, Kentucky,
New Mexico State, Washington,
Miami (OH), Utah and Arkansas
State, all of which were allotted
350 tickets per school to distribute.
"Each school was given 350 tickets, and we will use all 350," said Doug Vance, assistant athletics director.
Additional tickets may be purchased either at the Superdome box office or through Ticketmaster at (505) 522-5555. Tickets cost $90 for all three sessions and may be purchased for $30 per session after tomorrow.
Curl said, "We'll probably sell more for Sunday's game because of the possibility of Kansas playing Kentucky in the second round."
Edited by Melody Ard