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Spring break causes ticket restrictions

February 26, 2012

When senior forward Draymond Green and the rest of the seniors on the MSU men’s basketball team take the floor at Breslin Center for the last time Sunday against No. 8 Ohio State, the crowd will be missing some of their most die-hard fans.

Since the game occurs during spring break, Izzone members do not receive tickets to the game, which could give MSU an outright Big Ten championship and also is senior night for the players, with their season admission packages. The decorated senior class has two Big Ten regular season championships and two trips to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament on its résumé, but it won’t get the chance to play its last game at Breslin in front of the typically raucous, intimidating student section.

“We provided the option to purchase the Ohio State game rather than including (it) as part of the student admission because students typically leave campus during university breaks,” associate athletics director for external operations Paul Schager said in an email.

The final window of opportunity for Izzone members to buy tickets to the Ohio State game opened online at 12:01 a.m. this morning and lasts until 11:59 p.m. Tuesday. Tickets cost $12 plus a $3 processing fee, and admissions will be determined based on student section attendance and arrival time throughout the season, with students who have been to every game receiving priority, Schager said.

Students have had two prior opportunities to purchase tickets for the game — first when they initially placed their orders for Izzone tickets and again in December 2011 when tickets went on sale for Big Ten conference games, Schager said.

Ohio State is ranked No. 8 and is in second place in the Big Ten behind MSU. Of the three other teams MSU welcomed to Breslin that were ranked in the top 25 this season, Izzone members received tickets to two of the games.

Residential College in the Arts and Humanities freshman Bronson Herman said the Ohio State game is one he has been looking forward to for a while and was disappointed to hear it wasn’t included in the Izzone ticket package.

“We’ve been giving all our time, … showing up early (and) giving our support, and it’s one of the biggest games,” he said. “It’s senior night — the last time for Draymond and all the seniors to play.”

Herman said he was unsuccessful in his first attempt to purchase tickets for the game, but if he’s able to get them this time, he’ll make the trip back to campus during break.

Kinesiology junior Mike Uzelac said he would consider buying tickets for the Ohio State game, but he will be out of town during spring break. Despite not having tickets to all of the biggest games in the season, Uzelac said the tickets are worth the price tag.

“That’s kind of Izzo’s play anybody, anywhere (mentality), so we’re not going to get those big
games here,” he said. “At least we’re still getting the big games.”

Schager said the atmosphere in Breslin for the Ohio State game shouldn’t be much different than other home games.

“Even with fewer Izzone members in attendance, we are confident their enthusiasm will provide energy to all Spartan fans throughout the arena,” he said.

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