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21,000 U. Va students, only 100 student tickets for Sweet 16

Posted at 5:29 PM, Mar 27, 2014
and last updated 2014-03-27 17:29:27-04

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR/Newsource) — There are more than 21,000 students at the University of Virginia, but for Friday night’s Sweet 16 game in New York, a grand total of about 100 student tickets were made available.

The NCAA allotted Virginia just about 1,200 tickets for this weekend’s action at Madison Square Garden. Donors and students snagged them up in a raffle system that started seconds after Sunday’s win over Memphis.

The Virginia Athletics Ticketing Office at Bryant Hall handles distributing those tickets. Virginia Athletics Foundation donors were given tickets based on a points system. A little more than 100 tickets went to students in a raffle system for about $300 each.

Fans who want a more affordable way to show Cavalier basketball pride can pick up the new styles at Mincer’s. The shirts arrived Tuesday morning so fans can commemorate the team’s first trip to the Sweet 16 since 1995.

“I’m not sure there were even Sweet 16 shirts around back then, said Mark Mincer, owner of Mincer’s. “This event now has had much more enthusiasm.”

“It seems like more of the community is behind the team,” he said.

“It’s really a testament to the excitement Coach Bennett and the players have generated in this special season we have going on,  said Todd Goodale, associate Director of Athletics for External Affairs. “We appreciate everyone’s interest in trying to continue on.”

UVA is working with the NCAA right now to finalize travel plans. The team leaves from Charlottesville Wednesday afternoon.

If you couldn’t get a ticket, the Virginia Club of New York has announced plans for a pre-game tailgate and watch party a block from the Garden.

That will start at 5 p.m. at the American Whiskey Bar.

The game will air on TBS, at 9:57 p.m.  Friday.