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The Honolulu Advertiser


By Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Staff Writer

Posted on: Friday, December 4, 2009

UH hopes for 40,000 at tomorrow's game

 • These seniors are class act

The University of Hawai'i is hoping good weather and a late walk-up surge will carry attendance at tomorrow's football game against Wisconsin to the 40,000 mark for the first time since 2007.

The Warriors have not drawn more than 37,000 to Aloha Stadium since the 2007 regular season finale against Washington. That game, quarterback Colt Brennan's final home appearance and the Bowl Championship Series-clinching victory, drew a sellout crowd of 49,566.

UH athletic director Jim Donovan said approximately 35,500 tickets had been distributed for Saturday's game as of Wednesday. He believes that projects to "40,000-41,000 (tickets distributed)" and "hopefully 40,000 (in the house)."

The 6:30 p.m. game will be shown live on ESPN2.

A victory over the 8-3 Badgers would make UH bowl eligible and put the Warriors, who are now 6-6, in the Dec. 24 Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl against their ex-coach, June Jones, and Southern Methodist. A loss would likely put Nevada (8-4) in the Hawai'i Bowl.

While UH head coach Greg McMackin, who took the stadium microphone after last week's victory over Navy, has beseeched fans to come out for the Senior Night game and UH would like to see a sellout, Donovan says ticket sales to date are "I think a sign of the (economic) times" and holiday crunch.

"We're grateful for everybody that comes out and hope they can be as loud as the (36,834) that were at the Navy game last week," Donovan said.