Number of student tickets set

Even with large donations at the last minute students will only be allotted 50

For the second year in a row, the men’s basketball team will be a part of March Madness after receiving a bid for the tournament.

And SIU will sell tickets to 50 students in a lottery system Tuesday at 5 p.m., giving a few lucky winners the opportunity to purchase tickets and travel to Indianapolis to cheer on the Salukis.

SIUC, along with every other school in the tournament, received 550 tickets to distribute among students and other fans.

The University decided to make 50 available for students and the other 500 for families of the basketball team and coaches, season-ticket holders and donors to the Saluki Athletic Scholarship Fund.

Brad Pietz, SIU’s athletic department ticket manager, said the number of tickets available for students is a big chunk of the allotted, considering the other people who have to be given a chance to get tickets.

“Tickets will be available based on donor giving,” Pietz said. “Members at the highest level will be given first priority and then it will go down from there.”

For some, the announcement of the ticket lottery for students does not bother them because the game is on a Thursday and is in Indianapolis.

Freshman Kyle Burnside from Downers Grove said there should be more tickets available, but he understands that there has to be a set number to accommodate everyone.

“I guess it’s an okay amount because it is a Thursday game so we will be in school,” Burnside said.

For students who do not receive a ticket through the lottery, they will still be able to purchase tickets through TicketMaster.

Paul Kowalczyk, SIUC athletic director, said 50 tickets were made available last year, and there was no problem, so this year the same system will be used. Last year, students were on spring break when the lottery took place.

Because the system of distributing tickets is based on a donor level, there have been people who have offered large donations, in hopes of changing their status on the list.

“This will not affect student tickets,” Kowalczyk said. “It might change the position in donor seats, but not the number available for students.”

Students who hope to attend tournament games can purchase tickets at TicketMaster for single games or the entire session.

Reporter Samantha Robinson can be reached at