Associated Press UA head coach Lute Olson directs his players in Arizona's 88-67 loss last night against Oklahoma in San Jose, Calif. Olson's defensive game plan to focus on the Sooners' post players backfired as OU guard Hollis Price led all scorers with 26 points.

Fans pay premium prices for scalped tickets

It's an hour before tipoff outside the Compaq Center in San Jose, and some fans are still left out in the cold.

While the action inside is starting to heat up, ticketless and ticketed fans alike are feverishly trying to make deals to profit from the Sweet 16.

"Got two tickets," a man says as he walks back and forth in front of the player will-call windows.

He finds a buyer and pulls out a fistful of dollars folded in half and bound by rubber bands. He takes the money from the buyer and hands two NCAA Sweet 16 tickets to the customer.

The loot is added to the wad of green and rewrapped carefully before being shoved back into the pocket of his faded blue Dockers.

Father and son Ken and Kyle Hertel are waiting outside trying to get tickets to the Arizona game. Though from the Bay Area, both are loyal Arizona fans - especially Kyle.

"I love them," Kyle says. "I have been a fan for five years. This is my favorite team."

There's no better way for a father to bond with his son than to buy them both tickets to this weekend's games. The question is: at what price?

"We've been out here since 1 (p.m.)," Ken says. "There are a lot of tickets available. (For) the upper decks, they have been asking for about $200. We'll pay $200 for lower deck or face value for upper deck."

Why pay $200 per ticket to watch a basketball game?

"This is his first NCAA (Tournament)," Ken says about his son Kyle. "It's local, and he is a big fan of Arizona. We are here for him."

But Ken and Kyle are not the only buyers out as tipoff approaches - some ticketed fans get in on the action.

Missouri fan Rick, who opted to provide only his first name, drove to San Jose from Scottsdale Wednesday. Though he has tickets, he still bought more and is aiming to sell.

"I just bought them from a guy over there on the sidewalk," he says. "I bought two for $400. I am going to try to sell them for a couple hundred (dollars)."

As the minutes tick down to the jump ball, Rick is looking to unload the tickets and make his way into the game, loot in his pocket.

"I'm going to get rid of them pretty quick," Rick says. "I want to go watch the game."

As father and son continue to search for the right price, and Rick looks to unload, two other UA fans have bought their tickets and are about to take their seat for the Sweet 16.

"We bought ours for $350," 1998 UA graduate Roger Dong says. "They are in section 108 (lower deck). We live up here, and we couldn't pass up this chance."

Tipoff arrives, and guess who is sitting in the seventh row behind the basket: Missouri Rick, sipping on a soda and digging his money-dirty hands into a tub of popcorn.