news-record.com

The folks here in West Lafayette, Ind., home of Purdue, are learning about the frenzy around a big basketball game. Tents surround part of Mackey Arena, site of tonight's 9 p.m. contest on ESPN between two of the top teams from the Big Ten and ACC.

This is the first time students have been allowed to camp before a Purdue game. They tried it last year but the administration disallowed it. A compromise was made and students can camp before four Purdue home games this year, but there's a catch. Students can't show up before noon the day before the game.

Students also can't have electricity, fires or heaters. No big deal, right?

Wrong.

The temperature dipped into the low 20s last night. The whipping wind made it feel like it was in the mid teens (stinging any exposed skin) with snow flurries to add to the accumulation the city got the other night. It's not felt much warmer this afternoon. The school newspaper reported that 137 different groups were represented in Purdue's version of tent city.

Students don't seem to mind in order to get a prime seat for what the city's local newspaper around here is calling the biggest non-conference basketball game for Purdue in more than 25 years. One writer compared it to opening night of Mackey Arena _ exactaly 41 years ago today _ when Purdue hosted eventual national champion UCLA and coach John Wooden.

The Purdue fans are ready. The question is if the team will be ready for Duke's challenge.

-- dustin long