Dallas ? Texas schools don’t have a lock on home-court advantage in the Big 12 Tournament, a Kansas University athletics official says.
The KU athletic department has sold virtually all of its allotment of 1,100 tickets for the four-day men’s tournament at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, said Jim Marchiony, associate athletic director.
“I think you’ll see KU represented as well as any school in the Big 12,” Marchiony said.
More than 5,500 degree-holding KU alumni live in the Dallas area, ranking it among the country’s 10 largest areas for KU grads. Topping the list is the Kansas City metro area, where Kemper Arena will be home to first- and second-round games for next week’s NCAA Tournament.
A couple of wins in Dallas this weekend could pay off big next week, said Kirk Cerny, vice president of the KU Alumni Association.
“A lot of alumni have purchased tickets at Kemper for the first and second rounds,” Cerny said. “We have our fingers crossed.”
Next year’s Big 12 Tournament also will be at Kemper in Kansas City, Mo.
Taking the stage will be Big Jay, Baby Jay and members of the KU Spirit Squad, Dance Team and Pep Band.
Cerny is hoping it’s a routine that gets repeated Saturday and Sunday, too.
“The rally is always 90 minutes before the session in which KU plays,” Cerny said. The Jayhawks play at 8:30 p.m., but the evening session begins with a 6 p.m. game.
For those keeping score at home, a KU victory tonight would assure another rally at 11:30 a.m. Saturday. A second tournament win would put the Jayhawks in the championship game, and prompt a final rally at 12:30 p.m. Sunday.
