March 17, 2003

MILWAUKEE - More details are being set for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's first-ever trip to the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament.

The Panthers (24-7) will face Notre Dame at approximately 9:50 p.m. EST (8:50 Milwaukee time) Thursday evening. The game, with announcers Gus Johnson, Len Elmore and Solomon Wilcots, can be seen live in Milwaukee on CBS-58. Panther fans are invited to view the game live at the Gasthaus in the UWM Student Union beginning at 6 p.m. The Gasthaus grill and bar will be open throughout the evening. Free snacks will be provided courtesy of the UWM Alumni Association. The Union Bookstore will have a table at which special UWM NCAA T-shirts and hats will be sold. Panther fans leaving the Union after 8:30 p.m. CST will enjoy free parking.

Tickets and transportation are available for anyone wishing to attend the game right at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis. University Housing is sponsoring buses leaving from Sandburg Hall at 9 a.m. CST Thursday and 1 p.m. CST Thursday. Both buses will return to Milwaukee immediately after the game, with an estimated return time of 4 a.m. CST Friday. A limited number of combination game and bus tickets are available through University Housing at $45 each. No game-only tickets are available through University Housing. There are, however, bus-only tickets available for $10. Call the Sandburg Main Desk, 414-229-6123, to reserve a ticket.

The UWM Athletic Department's allotment of tickets sold out quickly Monday, but tickets are still available through Ticketmaster at (414) 276-4545, online at www.ticketmaster.com, or at the RCA Dome box office. A single-session ticket, good for both the Illinois vs. Western Kentucky game at 7:10 p.m. EST and the Notre Dame vs. UWM game that follows, costs $35 for an upper-level seat and $45 for a lower-level seat.

The RCA Dome will open 90 minutes prior to the first game. Because of increased security, fans have been asked to arrive early to allow for delays when entering the building. Fans are allowed to bring in small purses and flash cameras. Video cameras, food or beverages will not be allowed in the dome.

Panther fans in Indianapolis are invited to pre-game and post-game receptions hosted by the UWM Alumni Association at the TGIFriday's inside the Courtyard Indianapolis Downtown, 501 West Washington Street. The pre-game event will be from 5 to 6:30 p.m. EST (both times are an hour later than an earlier announcement) and the post-game event will start at about midnight EST.