Basketball fans pour into Downtown Indianapolis
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (WTVD) -- Basketball fanatics from near and far are pouring into downtown Indianapolis ahead of the NCAA Men's Final Four tournament.
Austin Dubisar, a Duke fan since childhood, made the nine hour car ride from Durham to see the Blue Devils in action.
"I got to go to the Duke-Carolina game at Duke this year, so we'll see when the game starts," Dubisar said. "It's better than that, and it's hard to beat that."
Indianapolis is the hub of hoops hysteria this weekend, and there's no shortage of entertainment.
Fans lined up Friday morning outside Lucas Oil Stadium for open practice day to catch a glimpse of their favorite players and coaches.
"My favorite part about the team is probably Coach K. He's a great coach," said Drew Reifsteck about the Duke Blue Devils.
"It's crazy. I was here in 2010 to watch them practice and had a lot of fun," said Duke fan Dennis Gooding.
For the ultimate pre-game experience, visitors can meet coaches and former players at autograph sessions, attend youth clinics, and play sports at the four-day, interactive Final Four Fan Fest inside the Indiana Convention Center.
Through Sunday, concerts are taking place at the NCAA March Madness Music Festival, a free outdoor music fest at White River State Park. A star-studded lineup includes performances by Rihanna, Lady Antebellum, and Zac Brown Band, among others.
"I think it's pretty nice. I think it's welcoming," said Brian Loudon visiting from Louisville.
Duke fans are feeling confident the Blue Devils can beat Michigan State University Saturday night and advance to the NCAA championship round.
"Oh, yeah. No problem. They'll win I'll say double digits," predicted Gooding.
Tip-off is at 6:09 p.m.
