tuesday, october 28 2003
sports
6A the university daily kansan
Indiana reduces student basketball tickets again
By Brian Janosch Indiana Daily Student via U-Wire University of Indiana
For the second straight year, the Indiana University ticket office has reduced the number of men's basketball tickets included in the season ticket package.
After originally advertising 12 games in its student ticket package, the ticket office has cut that number down to eight after demand exceeded expectations. Some students have already received their refund of $44 on
their credit cards.
"IU basketball is a high demand product," Assistant Media Relations Director Pete Rhoda said. "We don't want anyone to get shut out."
"We wanted to make sure that everyone sees the same amount of games," Rhoda said.
The change comes as a result of nearly 11,500 students purchasing the season tickets. Student seating in Assembly Hall is limited to 7,800.
Students had to deal with the decision to cut the ticket amounts last year too, as the originally promised 10 tickets were
dropped to six or seven. Despite the fact that students will still be receiving one more game than last year, some aren't taking the decision lightly.
"I don't treatly understand how this could happen, especially two years in a row," freshman Dave Tendering said. "I just don't get why they would promise the students one thing, only to go back on their word like that. And after seeing it happen last year, you would think they would have learned."
Rhoda said the ticket office made a prediction as to the number of students that would purchase tickets before selecting the number of tickets to include in the package, and unfortunately, its prediction was exceeded.
"We had to take a business standpoint," Rhoda said. " (The number) was based on past years, and if it exceeds that number, we make the necessary changes."
While some students are unhappy with the decision, when the alternatives are put into perspective, others said it seemed like the lesser of two evils.
"I would rather have this thar
no tickets at all," freshman Mike Nilles said. "I think there would be a lot more upset people if they did a raffle or seniority. Sure it stinks that we have less tickets, but with eight games you are still bound to get quite a few good ones."
With eight out of the Hoosiers' 13 home games being against Big Ten opponents, students certainly will not miss all the Big Ten Conference action.
That, combined with the fact that several of the non-conference home games feature talented teams like Missouri, Temple and Butler, should provide
students with a majority of quality games despite the reduction. But worries still arise when the possibility of missing a big-time match-up becomes an issue.
"Coming from Illinois, all that I really care about is getting to see that game," freshman Chase Weigt said. "If the U of I game isn't in my ticket package, I am going to be even angrier about this whole situation."
With the season kicking off Nov. 21 against UNC-Greensboro, students can expect to find out which games they received within a few weeks.
Maryland basketball picked to finish fifth in poll
By Corey Masisak The Diamondback via U-Wire University of Maryland
The last time the Maryland men's basketball team wasn't picked to finish in the top four in the ACC preseason media poll was the 1996-97 season, and the Terps finished four spots higher than predicted.
The same result would suit the Terps fine this season. They were picked to finish fifth in the preseason poll released Sunday at ACC
Operation Basketball, the official kickoff of the 2003-04 season.
This is the final season for the nine-team ACC before Miami (Fla.) and Virginia Tech join the league. Boston College recently became the eventual 12th member, but its exact entry date is still unknown.
"What we're counting on right now is July of '06," ACC Commissioner John Swofford said. "If Boston College and the Big East conference work out something different for them to come earlier, then we'll welcome them."
One of the most popular discussion topics was the forthcoming schedule changes. With a 12-team setup, the ACC must decide whether to split into two basketball divisions like the SEC or stay in one like the current Big 12.
"I would like to see it stay one division," Terp coach Gary Williams said. "Because you want to be the ACC. When you go to two divisions you start to talk about a Western division and an Eastern division, and you don't really need that."
North Carolina's Roy Williams
and Clemson's Oliver Purnell are the league's new coaches. Williams and the North Carolina job have been linked since Dean Smith and then his replacement Bill Guthridge retired.
The former Kansas coach decided to stay in Lawrence three years ago, which led the Tar Heels to hire former player Matt Doherty. But after two straight seasons without a trip to the NCAA tournament, Doherty is out and Williams is in.
Purnell led Dayton to a 24-6 record last season, and his Flyer
teams during the past nine seasons gained a reputation for being tough at the defensive end.
He hopes to resurrect a Clemson program that's low on talent. The Tigers were picked to finish last in the ACC, a spot they've held the past three seasons.
"We've definitely worked on (defense) more." Clemson guard Chey Christie said. "With us knowing his philosophy has worked, we are buying into what he's saying. He really wants us to get into it on defense."
Duke is the preseason favorite
to win the league for the fourth year in a row. It's been two seasons since the Blue Devils have made good on the prediction. Duke received all but two first place votes.
Williams' Tar Heels are predicted to finish second, and point guard Raymond Felton is the pre-season player of the year. Felton is expected to thrive in Williams' up-tempo offense, much like former Kansas star Kirk Hinrich did.
"That's my game," Felton said of playing up-tempo. "I love playing that way. It's a perfect fit for me."
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