The Show Me Center will be filled to the rafters for today's crucial Ohio Valley Conference basketball showdown between Murray State and Southeast Missouri State University.

This could prove to be the largest sellout for a Southeast basketball game in the 13-year history of the Show Me Center, school officials said. As many as 7,200 people might be on hand for today's ball game.

As of late Friday, only 44 upper-level tickets remained.

There have been three sold-out games in the past. Two of the three involved Murray State.

On Feb. 22, 1992, a crowd of 7,195 witnessed the Southeast vs. Murray State game. It was the largest crowd ever to watch a Southeast basketball game at the Show Me Center, said John Trieb of the school's sports information office.

The second highest attendance was 7,156 for the Jan. 14, 1999 game against Murray State. The third highest figure was 7,142 for a game against Southwest Baptist on Feb. 17, 1990.

"We are 2-1 in sellout games," said Trieb. The loss came in last year's game against Murray State.

The university had 6,991 tickets to sell for Saturday's game against Murray State, including 110 standing-room-only tickets.

Coupled with complimentary tickets and passes for the media and those working the game, total attendance could reach 7,200, said Joyce Penny, athletics office ticket manager.

The ticket office has been a busy place in recent days with people calling for tickets. "Last week, I sold tickets to ESPN," she said. "They called and ordered 15 tickets."

Ron Hines, sports information director at Southeast, said about 90 media passes have been issued for the game, including about 40 for the ESPN2 crew of broadcasters, cameramen and support personnel.

Today's game is slated to be broadcast on ESPN2. Tipoff is at 1 p.m.

"The facility will be sold out," said Athletic Director Don Kaverman. "We are very, very grateful to our fans for their support."

ESPN2 will broadcast the game nationwide. Kaverman said the national exposure will be good for the university and its athletics program.

"People all over tomorrow will be hearing about Southeast Missouri State University," he said.

Southeast President Ken Dobbins believes ESPN chose the game at least in part because of the school's enthusiastic fans.

"We have only been in Division I basketball for a short period of time. To have this kind of exposure nationally says a lot of things about the university as a whole," he said.

Dobbins said the televised game will provide outstanding exposure for the university. "I would call it not just a game, but a happening," he said.

The sports channel airs on a number of cable systems around the country. But ESPN2 isn't on the local cable system. Still, Kaverman said it will be seen by people in the area who have satellite dishes.

"We are hopeful we can get more ESPN games right here in Cape Girardeau," said Kaverman. "We think this is an outstanding basketball venue."

Southeast has had some classic battles with Murray State over the years. "It always is a great college basketball game," said Kaverman.

The full house comes as the university prepares to implement a new season-ticket policy for basketball games at the Show Me Center.

The new policy would apply to the sale of season tickets, beginning with the 2000-2001 season.

"We are not going to raise ticket prices," said Kaverman.

But those buying season tickets would be required to pay $75 to 125 a seat to the Booster Club in addition to the cost of buying the tickets. The Booster Club fee would vary, depending on the seat location.

In the center sections on either side of the basketball court, the added fee would be $125 a seat.

Season tickets range from $140 to $175 a seat.

At the high end, a person would have to pay $300 a seat for season tickets, Kaverman said. Many boosters, however, make larger contributions, he said.

In the past, the university hasn't had a formal policy. Some people have paid the Booster Club fee for a single seat, but then purchased season tickets for several seats.

Kaverman said the university wants to make the policy uniform so all boosters are on an equal footing.

Other universities have higher fee requirements. Murray State has six premium sections of seats. Persons wishing to buy season tickets for those seats must pay $175 a seat in addition to the cost of the tickets. Southern Illinois University requires a $250 a seat "donation," Kaverman said.

"We are not trying to make it where it is unaffordable for folks," he said.

Southeast has 2,793 season ticket holders. Most have seats in the lower sections, but some sit in the upper levels.

Booster Club donations aren't required to buy season tickets in the upper sections of the Show Me Center. Kaverman said that won't change.

Going to a uniform policy regarding seating in the lower level sections could generate another $55,000 a year for Southeast's athletics department. The school needs added revenue to remain competitive in the OVC, Kaverman said.

Booster Club membership currently generates more than $486,000 in cash and in-kind contributions, he said.

Kaverman said Southeast appreciates in-kind donations as well as cash. "People provide us with hotel rooms, gasoline and restaurant meals."

All that helps fuel the athletics program, he said.

The new seat policy isn't designed to be burdensome to the fans, Kaverman said. "We are not going to change people's seat locations."