The Duke Blue Devils have done a good job setting us up for a ferocious finish this week in college basketball, as they scored upsets over Louisville and Virginia earlier last week and added to their momentum with a huge road win over ACC rival, North Carolina on Wednesday night.
Duke’s huge upset over the No. 5 team in the nation came in the middle of the week, but the feeling in college basketball is that this week is really just getting started. The action picks up as soon as Thursday night with four teams inside the top 15 hitting the hardwood. After a Top 25 break on Friday, fans can get amped up again with a wild weekend that features a bevy of top shelf college basketball matchups.
The best part is fans are bound to enjoy some serious value via well-priced college basketball tickets, as several of the big games are either worth every bit the cost or even provide a mild discount. To gauge just how much value fans are in for throughout the rest of the week, let’s break down the top five most expensive games on the schedule, per TiqIQ.com:
2/20/2016 – Purdue Boilermakers @ Indiana Hoosiers at Assembly Hall | Avg: $336.84 | Get-in: $230
The battle of Indiana sounds off at Assembly Hall on Saturday, when the 22nd ranked Hoosiers host the 17th ranked Boilermakers. Indiana (21-6) leads the way in the Big 10, but will have their hands full against a Purdue team that has the same exact record and is just two games back inside the conference. With a big road upset, Purdue could take another step closer to first place, as well as declare that they’re the team to beat out of Indiana.
2/21/2016 – Michigan Wolverines @ Maryland Terrapins at Xfinity Center | Avg: $236.25 | Get-in: $142.97
After a solid start to the 2015-16 college basketball season, the Wolverines have seen a dip in their play and walk into a heated road battle with the Terrapins at just 19-8. Michigan still has a chance to stay alive for the top spot in the Big 10, though, making this showdown at the Xfinity Center with Maryland as big as games get going forward. Maryland has been the best overall team in the conference to this point, however (22-4 on the year), and will be out to avenge a 70-67 loss at Michigan earlier this year.
2/20/2016 – Kansas Jayhawks @ Kansas State Wildcats at Bramlage Coliseum | Avg: $205.13 | Get-in: $105
Few games carry the intensity as this weekend’s showdown between Kansas and Kansas State. Another inner-state rivalry sticks in the top three for most expensive college basketball tickets, and few will be shocked to see this one rise over $200 on average. Kansas State plays host as the severe underdog (just 15-11 on the year), while the No. 2 overall Jayhawks will have blowout on the brain. Kansas will want to keep their hold on the top spot in the Big 12, and they should be able to do so judging by an easy 77-59 win over the Wildcats earlier in February. This is still a huge rivalry and Kansas State fans will be pining for a huge upset, though, adding to the allure.
2/20/2016 – Kentucky Wildcats @ Texas A&M Aggies at Reed Arena | Avg: $180.80 | Get-in: $92
If you weren’t sure about the value of college basketball tickets yet, perhaps you will see it in Saturday’s battle between Kentucky and Texas A&M. The Aggies have seen themselves slide down the rankings after a hot start, but at 19-7 (8-5 inside the SEC) they still have a shot at stealing first place in the conference. It all starts with a massive upset in front of the home crowd at Reed Arena, and from there it’s anyone’s guess how high the Aggies can soar.
The value is clear to see when you compare this game to the top three games on this list, but anyone looking to save some extra cash can just hit up Hipmunk.com for a discount on their travel and lodging fees. Flights to Austin on Hipmunk.com can be found out of Kentucky for traveling Wildcats fans, while College Station hotels on Hipmunk.com start as low as $47.
2/20/2016 – North Carolina Tar Heels vs. Miami Hurricanes at Dean E. Smith Center | Avg: $120.48 | Get-in: $77
Fans can save even more for a huge clash between the Tar Heels and Hurricanes and the Dean Smith Center on Saturday. North Carolina comes in as the nation’s 5th best team, but they’ll want to get the taste of a home loss to the hated Blue Devils out of their mouths. Miami won’t be a gimme win, either, as the Hurricanes will hit the road as the 11th best team. They also come in as the top team in the ACC and probably won’t take too kindly to North Carolina robbing them of that label. Fans can expect an intense, high-scoring affair, and for cheap seats around just $77, they’re figuring to get a bargain.
