Loyola vs. Kansas State? There’ll be lots of respect — and lots of open seats

ATLANTA — It was a funny line:

“Who wants a ticket for $2?”

A fellow writer made the crack after Kansas State held off Kentucky 61-58 in a slog of a Sweet 16 game. It’s true that the ninth-seeded Wildcats against 11^th-seeded Loyola in Saturday’s South Region final won’t pack Philips Arena — not even close. Not after all the Kentucky fans, who filled about 90 percent of the seats in Thursday’s second game here, headed for home.

But seriously: Anybody from Chicago want to hustle to Atlanta knowing tickets to Loyola’s biggest game since its 1963 national championship will be ever so affordable?

One thing Loyola and Kansas State’s matchup will have in abundance is mutual respect. That was evident after the Ramblers’ pulse-pounding 69-68 victory over Nevada. Point guard Clayton Custer finished an on-court television interview, took a few hurried steps to join his teammates in a giddy locker room and was stopped cold by a crowd of K-State players.

One by one, they slapped his hand and gave him some form of a hug. The Wildcats clearly understand they’ve got a worthy opponent in front of them.

And the Ramblers? They respect every team they play. It’s just how they roll.

A familiar face

Remember Bruce Weber? Of course you do. He coached Illinois to the national title game in 2005. Seven years later, he was fired. Now he has his second team — Kansas State — in the Elite Eight. He also took Southern Illinois to the Sweet 16 in 2002.

Weber’s Wildcats are led in scoring by 6-10 Dean Wade, who is just easing back from a foot injury and likely won’t be able to log a full allotment of minutes against the Ramblers.

Follow me on Twitter @slgreenberg.

Email: sgreenberg@suntimes.com