LAWRENCE (KSNT) – One of the most anticipated college basketball games of the season is set to tip off on Jan. 30 at Allen Fieldhouse, and students are already lining up to make sure they don’t miss it.
The Kansas Jayhawks will host the BYU Cougars in a highly anticipated matchup featuring the No. 1 and No. 2 NBA draft prospects. With the stakes high, KU students have begun camping out to secure a spot inside the historic arena.
More than 100 students were seen camped outside Allen Fieldhouse, some waiting for up to five hours. Others arrived as early as 6 a.m. or stayed as late as 10 p.m. to maintain their place in line.
Camping rules require groups to be present for random roll calls. If a group misses one, they lose their spot for the game.
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Members of the KU basketball camping leadership group say they notice the excitement that has been building all week.
“We [KU Camping Leadership] saw it was like 109 groups… we were like, ‘That’s insane,’ because we haven’t had 100 yet this year,” said Brenna McCumber, a KU basketball camping leadership member. “So you definitely could tell that people are excited for this game, and you can tell by how many people are camping here at all times.”
While waiting, many students work on homework, scroll through their phones, or even bring pillows to rest during early morning shifts.
McCumber emphasized that while the game is exciting, camping should not interfere with academics. Each camping group includes roughly 30 students to help ensure no one misses class.
The Jayhawks and Cougars will face off today at Allen Fieldhouse, with national attention focused on the star prospects set to go head-to-head.
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