by Kent Lowe, Sr. Associate Sports Information Director
BATON ROUGE -- First, the LSU Athletics Department announced that it would cover the ticket cost for 250 LSU students for each of the two nights of Dick’s Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off play at the Maravich Assembly Center, Nov. 16 and 17.
Tuesday, at his media session prior to Friday’s season opener against ULM, men’s basketball Coach Trent Johnson also wanted to make a push to have students attend the two nights of the tournament that would propel one team to New York City.
“I see where LSU is paying for the first 250 (student) tickets for the NIT (next Monday and Tuesday),” he said as he was about to leave the podium. “How about Coach J pays for the next 250 students? That would be a pretty good deal, huh? I think I want to pay for the next 250.”
So now on both nights, the first 500 students will be admitted free to watch the games in the Maravich Center.
Usually, all students are admitted free of charge to men’s basketball games with their student ID up to the capacity of the student section (as they will be for Friday’s season opener at 7 p.m. with ULM). But under NIT rules, the cheapest ticket for students is $4. The Athletic Department will cover that cost to the 250 students that fill the Maravich Maniacs section in the lower bowl of the building and Coach Johnson will cover another group of 250 for general admission seating in parts of the student section.
Gates for the two nights of doubleheaders will open each day at 3:30 p.m., one hour prior to the 4:30 first-game tipoff. On Nov. 16, the free tickets will be given out beginning at 5:30 p.m. until supplies run out and on Nov.17 the start time of distribution will be either 3:30 or 5:30 p.m., depending on which game LSU plays. After the 500 tickets are issued, any other students in line or wishing to attend the game must pay the $4 entrance fee.
The student entrance for games is the upper southeast entrance of the Maravich Center. Following the NIT games, the free admission for all students with valid ID will resume with the Louisiana-Lafayette game on Dec. 1.
