Tickets Going Fast For Indiana Women's Basketball Tournament Game Saturday
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Tickets are selling fast for Saturday's first-round games of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, with the lower level sold out and only general admission balcony seats still available as of Tuesday afternoon.
No. 4 Indiana (24-5) plays No. 13 Fairfield (31-1) at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, followed by No. 5 Oklahoma (22-9) vs. No. 12 Florida Gulf Coast (29-4). The winner of those two games play Monday at Assembly Hall, where the Hoosiers hope a large home crowd will give them an advantage.
“We’re grateful,” Indiana head coach Teri Moren said Sunday evening, following the Selection Show. “We were hopeful, some things had to happen this week that went our way (in order to host the first two rounds). But anytime that you have an opportunity to play at home in front of your home fans, we’re not just excited, but really grateful it worked out the way we wanted it to.”
While there were no tickets available in the lower bowl Tuesday afternoon, that could change. The NCAA has put a hold on lower-bowl tickets for visiting teams and other needs, and some of those tickets could become available and go on sale later this week, an Indiana women’s basketball team spokesperson said.
The only Indiana allotment for seating in Assembly Hall was for guests behind the bench. The rest was available for the general public to request and purchase after the brackets were announced. Lower-bowl seats for Monday’s game are still available for purchase. Unlike the regular-season, all lower-bowl and courtside seating will be assigned.
Indiana averaged more than 10,000 fans a game at home this season. That milestone had been reached only three other times in Big Ten women's basketball history. The Hoosiers totaled the fifth-best attendance in the country, as well.
That brings some home-court advantage. Indiana is 15-0 at home this season. A sold-out Assembly Hall crowd for Caitlin Clark and Iowa created plenty of noise as the Hoosiers beat the Hawkeyes this year. And last year, Indiana went 17-1 at home.
But a home crowd does not guarantee victory. No. 9 Miami upset top-seeded Indiana last year in Assembly Hall in the second round. No. 4 Indiana is an 18.5 point favorite Saturday against No. 13 Fairfield currently, per Fox Sports.
“Hosting was something that I wanted, just to get the chance to play in front of Hoosier Nation,'' Mackenzie Holmes said Sunday after the tournament seedings and pairings were announced. ''Like Chloe [Moore-McNeil] said, hopefully two more times. I hope they show out for us, and I know they will. I know we have the best fans in the country.”
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