Illinois CBB Fan Group in Dispute with Iowa Officials over Ticket Order Cancellation

The University of Iowa and a University of Illinois fan group are at odds over a canceled ticket sale for Saturday's men's basketball game between the Hawkeyes and Fighting Illini at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City.

According to ESPN's Myron Medcalf, the Orange Krush Illinois fan group has accused Iowa of wrongfully canceling its order of 200 tickets, leaving the group $6,000 in the hole since it is too late to cancel charter buses for the game.

While Orange Krush claimed the cancellation was a result of Iowa being "fearful" of their presence at the game, University of Iowa officials said the order was canceled because Orange Krush purchased the tickets at a discounted price under the guise of buying them for a local Boys & Girls Club chapter.

In a statement, the University of Iowa divulged that it will allocate the canceled tickets to a local Boys & Girls Club chapter in Iowa instead:

"The Iowa Athletics Department became aware of a discounted group ticket order for the Iowa-Illinois men's basketball game on behalf of an Illinois chapter of the Boys & Girls Club. In following up with that organization, it became clear this was not factual. When contacting the individual who made the original ticket order, they admitted to falsely ordering tickets under the non-profit organization. Iowa Athletics has refunded the original ticket order and donated tickets to the Boys & Girls Club of Cedar Rapids. We look forward to welcoming these kids to a sold-out Carver-Hawkeye Arena this Saturday."

Orange Krush also released a statement, claiming the tickets were purchased legally, and blaming the University of Iowa for reneging on the transaction:

"It is highly unfortunate for our group that this trip has been canceled because we were looking forward to it since receiving the tickets in the mail in October. It is highly unfortunate for the 150 students that collectively fundraised a total of $2,649.41 for local charitable organizations in order to be invited on this trip. Most of all, it is highly unfortunate that the University of Iowa and their athletic department refused to face the consequences of the mistake they made in selling tickets to a billing address in Champaign, Illinois."

Illinois and Iowa are longtime rivals who first played against each other in 1908 and are both currently members of the Big Ten.

Both teams are in the mix for an NCAA tournament berth, but the Illini have undoubtedly had a better season, as they are 16-6 overall and in second place in the Big Ten with a 7-4 conference record.

Illinois has won three games in a row and seven of its past eight contests. It holds victories over then-No. 8 UCLA, then-No. 2 Texas and then-No. 14 Wisconsin this season.

Iowa is 14-8 overall and 6-5 in Big Ten action, putting it just one game out of second place in the conference.

The Hawkeyes have won two games in a row and six of their past eight, and their victories against ranked teams came against then-No. 20 Iowa State and then-No. 15 Indiana.

Both Illinois and Iowa have reached the NCAA tournament in each of the past two seasons, and Saturday's game could be pivotal in helping both of them make it three in a row.