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Gophers head south to Des Moines -- a short trip for fans

The Gophers will play a first-round NCAA Tournament game in Des Moines on Thursday, just 246 miles from campus.

MINNEAPOLIS - Jason Sprenger watched the Selection Show on Sunday with curiosity. 

Who would his alma mater, the University of Minnesota, draw in the first round of the NCAA Tournament? And where would they play? 

The second question didn't matter as much.

"I just assumed I wouldn't go," Sprenger said. "I just assumed they would be flying somewhere."

Not even five minutes after the Selection Show started, Minnesota popped up on the screen. The Gophers would be playing Louisville at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines —  a mere 246 miles from campus and about a three or four-hour drive down I-35. 

Sprenger bought tickets 18 hours later.

"Got some friends together, going to take the kids out of school and make a day of it," Sprenger said. "It's an experience you can't have every day."

That's for sure. 

Since the NCAA Tournament expanded in 1985, the Gophers have never played a tournament game so close to campus. Des Moines is even closer than Milwaukee, where the Gophers traveled for the tournament in 2017 and 2010.

It's a best-case scenario for Nadine Babu, the co-owner of GopherHole.com.

"I knew, A) I could go, and B), tons of Gopher fans would be able to go," Babu said, describing her first reaction to the Selection Show. "When it's that easy, there's no reason not to go."

The Gophers will play the very first game of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday morning, part of Session One in Des Moines (which includes two games: Minnesota/Louisville and Michigan State/Bradley). 

Tickets aren't exactly cheap for that session, but they're not totally unreasonable for a high-demand event like the NCAA Tournament. Through the NCAA, upper-deck tickets are running a little more than $150. On the secondary market like StubHub, though, tickets to the first session in Des Moines on Thursday are as low as $54 without fees. 

"I think that's pretty realistic for two basketball games and a whole session," Babu said. "Plus, you don't have a flight."

The university did receive a ticket allotment, but that's only for players' and coaches' families. 

The school hasn't announced any buses or transportation for any other fans looking to see a game — or hey, two games —  in Des Moines. 

But it's not hard to find your way down to Iowa.

"I think a lot of fans are going to see this like I did, as an opportunity they can't pass up," Sprenger said. "I hope we're loud and strong." 

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