Tickets to terminally ill player's first college game sell out in minutes
Since its cramped gym can only hold about 2,000 spectators, Division III Mount St. Joseph University readily accepted an offer to move its Nov. 2 women's basketball season opener 13 miles east to the 10,250-seat Cintas Center at Xavier University.
Amazingly, even that wasn't enough to satisfy the overwhelming public demand to witness terminally ill freshman Lauren Hill achieve her dream of playing one final basketball game.
The roughly 5,000 upper-level tickets that went on sale for $5 apiece Wednesday morning sold out within 30 minutes, Lions athletic director Steve Radcliffe said Thursday. Mount St. Joseph is reserving the remaining seats to its game against Hiram College for students, guests of the athletic department and Hill's friends and family.
To accommodate interest from those who couldn't buy tickets or who live outside of Cincinnati, Radcliffe said Mount St. Joseph intends to stream the game on its website and is exploring the possibility of having it broadcast locally or nationally. Xavier University spokesman Tom Eiser said a decision on whether to televise the game could come as soon as Friday.
"The support has been incredible and inspiring," Radcliffe said. "We had planned to play this game on campus, but this thing has just gone so crazy and generated so much interest that now we're able to give another 8,000 people the chance to see the game in person. It's going to help raise money and awareness, and I think that's really positive."
The story of Hill's courage has inspired massive interest nationwide since WKRC-TV in Cincinnati, Yahoo Sports and other outlets first shared it last week.
Doctors don't expect Hill to live past December as a result of an inoperable tumor they discovered growing at the base of her brain stem last year. Fearful that Hill wouldn't be strong enough to fulfill her goal of playing college basketball for the first time, the 19-year-old Indiana native's parents asked the school to petition to have its Nov. 15 season opener moved up — a request the NCAA granted earlier this month.
Moving up the game was critical because Hill's symptoms have worsened the past few weeks. She told Yahoo Sports last week that her hand-eye coordination has deteriorated, she endures frequent headaches, dizziness and nausea and the right side of her body is so weak that her leg often gives out on her when she walks. She has attended practice with Mount St. Joseph's several days this week, but she typically can't last more than a few minutes on the floor without needing a rest.
"She was given the day off yesterday from practice and classes, but she was back today," Radcliffe said. "I know this is a challenge for her from the standpoint that her body isn't doing what she wants it to do, but she's there almost every day. She's putting it all in and embracing the fact she'll get to go on the floor, hear the crowd and get to play in a game."
Hill's story has captured so much attention that cards, letters and packages from across the nation have arrived at Mount St. Joseph addressed to her every day for the past week. On Tuesday, Hill received a visit at practice from Cincinnati Bengals defensive lineman Devon Still, whose four-year-old daughter is battling cancer. On Thursday, a jersey and a letter arrived from the Cincinnati Reds wishing Hill luck in her Nov. 2 game.
What's most gratifying for Hill is the money and awareness she has raised to support the fight against pediatric cancer. Hill has Diffused Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG), a rare, inoperable pediatric brain tumor that primarily affects children ages 5-10 and kills 90 percent of victims within 18 months.
"Wow" is the only word repeating in my head right now," Hill posted on Facebook on Wednesday. "That's all I can think. Wow. This is unbelievable! Never did I ever think this would happen! I've never been so happy- my wish to spread awareness and play in a college game on the court wearing that jersey #22 is coming. I'm just still in shock right now at how many lives I've touched."
The support has been inspiring for everyone who knows Hill as well. Radcliffe views it as the silver lining to a sad but inspiring story.
"From my perspective as athletic director, I find it incredibly fulfilling that we have the chance to help Lauren tell her story and grant her wish to play in a college basketball game," he said. "It's a story we're pleased to be part of even though it has some bittersweetness to it because we know there will be an outcome that's sad. But the game on Nov. 2 hopefully will be a bright shining moment for her and her family before all that."
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Jeff Eisenberg is the editor of The Dagger on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at daggerblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
