SEMO STIRS BASKETBALL FEVER IN AREA

Former Cape Girardeau restaurateur Russ Reed, who now lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, hopes Thursday's first-round NCAA game there between Southeast Missouri State University and Louisiana State University doesn't divide his family too badly.

Reed, who owned Reed's Restaurant and Catering in the Townhouse Motor Inn for about eight years until moving to Salt Lake in 1995, has a daughter, Sally Reed Whitehead, who is a Southeast graduate and a son, Tom Reed, who graduated from LSU.

"It's going to be a great family rivalry," said Reed, who is now a salesman for a sand and gravel company.

Reed and his son, who also lives in Salt Lake City, both plan to attend Thursday's game, the SEMO Indian's first-ever game in the NCAA tournament. However, father and son will be sitting on different sides of Huntsman Center.

"Tom will definitely sit on the LSU side," Reed said. But Reed will be sitting with the SEMO fans, both as a proxy for his daughter, who can't attend, and because of his years in Cape Girardeau.

"I even called the bookstore at SEMO and ordered a sweatshirt to wear to the game," said Reed.

Reed is looking forward to welcoming some old friends to Salt Lake City.

Many Southeast Missouri State fans are doing their best to make it to Utah for the game, said local travel agents.

Terri Welker, a travel consultant at 1st Discount Travel, said she and other consultants started getting calls at home Sunday night after it was announced when and where the Indians would play their first game in the NCAA tournament. "We also got a lot of calls Monday, though it has slowed down some today," Welker said from her office on Tuesday.

Elizabeth Seesing of AAA Travel Agency said she found several flights with openings on Monday morning, but by 2 p.m. Monday most flights that would get people to Salt Lake City in time for the game were sold out.

Welker said so far they have been able to get flights for all those interested and at reasonable rates considering the last-minute nature of reservations.

"I wouldn't have been surprised to see tickets in the $900-plus range, but we grabbed a few seats early and were able to get them for $300s to $400s," Welker said.

"It's spring break ski season in Utah, and there just aren't any return flights Sunday," Welker said.

Marsha Hendrix, assistant ticket manager for Southeast, said she knows one person who is driving to the game. She said Lee Flanagan, who goes to all Southeast games, left early Tuesday morning on what he estimated to be an 18- to 20-hour drive. Salt Lake City is about 1,500 miles from here.

Those heading to Salt Lake City for the tournament shouldn't have trouble getting tickets to the game, Hendrix said. The school has spoken for the 350 tickets it got, but Hendrix said tickets will be sold at the gate.

Reed said he has been to Huntsman Center, and it is large enough that there shouldn't be problems getting last-minute tickets.

"Anyone who comes will love Salt Lake," Reed said. "It's a wonderful city. And tell everyone if they come, I'll be happy to show them around."