The Ohio State Buckeyes have to win two more games in the NCAA Tournament before the team can begin thinking about playing in the Final Four, but some OSU students are already starting to make plans for the more than 500-mile trip down south.
With the No. 1, No. 3, No. 4 and No. five seeds already eliminated from the west region of the tournament, the No. 2 seed Buckeyes are the favorite to advance to the Final Four. OSU is scheduled to play No. 6 seed Arizona on Thursday and either No. 9 Wichita State or No. 13 La Salle if they advance to play on Saturday. However, in a tournament that is filled with upsets, nothing is guaranteed.
If the Buckeyes can get past those two contests, they will be booking flights and hotels to Atlanta for the Final Four.
Zach Bickett, a second-year in logistics management, decided Monday night to book a hotel for him and two of his friends.
“We are luckily able to cancel our reservations if we don’t make it to the Final Four,” Bickett said. “But it worked out to be $37 a night and just outside of Atlanta, so it’s a steal.”
Dustin Stinson, a fourth-year in sports industry, made a guarantee.
“I will absolutely be there,” Stinson said. “I didn’t go to last year’s Final Four and I kind of wish I did.”
Stinson said he has family in Atlanta he can stay with, and three of his roommates are also thinking about going.
Jay Short, a third-year in human nutrition and dietetics, said he is planning to attend the Final Four if OSU makes it, and is considering carpooling, flying or taking a bus with friends to Atlanta for the game.
“And then we have to figure out where to stay,” Short said. “We have no problem if we can even figure out a camping spot.”
He plans to enter the student lottery, however he said he would go to the game even if he didn’t receive tickets.
“We would at the very least go and enjoy the environment and go to tailgates. You can’t pass it up as a student. It’s the Final Four, it’s going to be crazy,” he said.
Bickett and Stinson don’t have tickets to go to the games yet either; they plan to enter into the online student lottery and see what happens.
Stinson said even if he has to buy more expensive tickets online, he will be in the Georgia Dome as long as the Buckeyes are there.
“It’s my last year and I’m graduating in a month. This is my last big sporting event to be able to travel to,” Stinson said. “It’s now or never.”