Golden Hurricane Basketball Fans Ready For The Madness

Are you ready for the madness? The NCAA men's basketball tournament started Tuesday. The University of Oklahoma plays Thursday in Spokane, while OSU and Tulsa tip-off Friday in San Diego.

The Golden Hurricane is preparing for the Big Dance, and their fans - including the four-legged kind - are ready to show support for the Blue and Gold.

It's been 11 years since the University of Tulsa was part of the NCAA basketball tournament. Mascot Goldie's still too young to make the trip, but that's not stopping her from getting in a little practice time.

The TU Ambassador is helping fans like Ellen Lucas prepare for a trip to the NCAA tournament.

"We're going to win this game," said Tulsa fan Ellen Lucas. "I'm confident."

The Golden Hurricane play UCLA Friday night in San Diego.  The irony for Lucas is she's actually a Bruin who graduated from UCLA in 1970. But one look at her, from toes to earlobes, and there's no doubt which corner she's in.    

"Look at my clothes. I figured out in my closet I have this one section that is nothing but Tulsa garb. Rowing garb, football garb, basketball garb. So not a chance I'm rooting for UCLA," Lucas said.

Tulsa isn't the only group of Oklahomans heading to San Diego. Oklahoma State also plays there Friday afternoon, but if you're thinking about going, you should be prepared to fork over some money.

We checked Travelocity.

And you want to stay through Monday cause both teams are going to win, right?

"I was not about to suggest that we were going to come back early," said TU fan Ellen Lucas.

The least expensive airline ticket as of Tuesday afternoon is $740 a person. As for tickets, Stub Hub has a lot available and each includes two games. For TU, the lowest was $108 a ticket and the max was a whopping $611. As for OSU's session, $108 was floor with $372 as the highest price.

The University says it's sold nearly all of its allotted 550 tickets but expects a big crowd of TU alumni living in California to come to the game.

Lucas says this has been a dream season, and she couldn't could be more proud of her adopted school.    

"You got to be proud. You'd be a fool if you're not proud," she said.

The University is hosting an official "Hurricane Hoopla" fan party at the San Diego State University Student Union before Friday's game.

If you can't make it, here's a list of watch parties taking place around town:

• Rusty Crane, 109 North Detroit Avenue (Official Golden Hurricane Partner)
• Albert G's, 421 East 1st Street
• The Brook, 3404 South Peoria
• Buffalo Wild Wings in Tulsa, 6222 East 41st Street
• Buffalo Wild Wings in Broken Arrow, 1151 North 20th Street
• Campbell Hotel Lounge, 2636 East 11th Street
• Charlie Mitchell's, 4848 South Yale Avenue
• Chili's, 11138 South Memorial
• Fassler Hall, 304 South Elgin Avenue
• Fat Daddy's Pub & Grille, 8056 South Memorial
• Fox and Hound, 7001 South Garnett
• Full Moon Café on Cherry Street, 1525 East 15th Street
• Full Moon Café in Broken Arrow, 411 West Stone Wood Drive
• Leon's, 3301 South Peoria
• McNellie's, 409 East 41 East 1st Street
• McNellie's South City, 7031 South Zurich Avenue