Jaci Kohn
Staff writer
If location is everything, the Racers have the advantage.
The Racers will be playing in the second round of the NCAA Tournament against Colorado State at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky. at 11:15 today.
With the close proximity of the game the fan support should be intense and the team said they need the support of Racer Nation to prevail in the Big Dance.
“If we get the support it makes more sense to be a six (seed) in Louisville, Ky., or six in Nashville, Tenn. Now we have to get the fans to come,” Head Coach Steve Prohm said. “Hopefully they’ll make the trip and they’ve made the trip all year so I’m encouraged that we’ll have 7,000 to 8,000 people there.”
At the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament last weekend, thousands of Racers fans came to Nashville to cheer on the team and the NCAA Tournament should be no different.
Located about 228 miles northeast of Murray and only four hours by car, Louisville is a less expensive location than Portland, Ore., which could have been the venue had the Racers been slated as a higher seed.
For example, if the Racers had to play in Portland, it would take the team and fans about a day and a half. If they played in Albuquerque, N.M., it would take around 19 hours and to get to Greensboro, N.C., from Murray would take 10 hours.
The trip is only a few hours worth, and something the fans should take advantage of while having this luxury.
Additionally, driving by car is less expensive than by plane. Using a gas calculator, the trip to Louisville from Murray should cost around $67.90 for a small SUV. When compared to a plane ticket, which could cost anywhere between $300 and $400, the choice is easy.
The KFC Yum! Center is home to the University of Louisville men and women’s basketball, women’s volleyball and women’s lacrosse teams. The stadium includes 22,000-plus seats, seven levels, 72 suites, 62 premium boxes, six lounges, four meeting rooms and a 1.5 acre landscaped entry plaza.
“The Yum! Center is beautiful; we got a tour of that at the beginning of the season,” Prohm said. “We practiced in the practice facility that’s in the Yum! Center earlier in the season.”
With the close proximity, the Yum! Center should be packed with blue and gold as Racer Nation rallies the team to go far to in the Big Dance.