You wrote that there are season tickets available for Illinois basketball. I thought there was a huge waiting list for season tickets?

Students did not purchase their allotment of tickets for the 2007-08 season. So a certain number of student tickets became available to the general public, with one caveat: the season tickets are available on a one-year, non-renewable basis. That was done so that students can have the chance next season to buy their tickets.

The ticket office contacted all of the people who were on the so-called waiting list – it was created about two years ago – to see if those people were interested in the non-renewable tickets. But apparently the demand for UI basketball tickets has gone down, and there were still season tickets available as of last weekend. Call the ticket office (217-333-3470) for more info.

What does this mean for the 45-game sellout streak at Assembly Hall? Officials are hoping the streak will continue well into the season. In theory, the new situation will create a higher demand for the "break" games over Thanksgiving and Christmas when students leave campus and the streak is vulnerable. But season-ticket holders are more likely to attend the break games than students.

One more thing: Single-game tickets go on sale one week from today (Oct. 29).