Last year, students bought about 800 men's basketball season ticket packages over the course of the season.

But on the first day of this year's ticket sale, the athletic department sold 750 men's season packages for the upcoming season -- already nearly matching last year's sale, Associate Athletic Director Greg Myford said.

Penn State men's and Lady Lions' basketball tickets went on sale during a special event 10 a.m. Thursday in HUB-Alumni Hall. Students can buy tickets online beginning next Tuesday.

The immediate turnout was so great, some students were confused about what exactly was going on.

"A student asked me, 'Is this the line for flu shots?' " said Alex Cohen, Nittany Nation marketing and public relations chairman. "I don't know what the demand is for flu shots, but right now we'll pass off free flu shots if it means selling extra tickets."

Myford said the athletic department was pleased with the day's turnout. Matthew Checchio, assistant marketing manager for the athletic department, echoed Myford's sentiments.

"The line [was] incredible," he said. "It went from outside of Alumni Hall all the way back to [Paul Robeson Cultural Center's Heritage Hall]."

At the front of that line was a group of six students who had done their best Paternoville impression.

The group of freshmen arrived outside of Alumni Hall with chairs and blankets at 2:30 a.m. Thursday morning to ensure they were first in line. Even though they didn't get guaranteed front row tickets, the group was still excited to be the first to purchase tickets.

Joey Woll, a member of that group, was the first person in line.

"I've been to every home game for as long as I can remember," said Woll (freshman-secondary education), who is from State College. "We're changing the culture of Penn State. It's not going to be a football school when we're done with it."

With commitment from students like Woll, the pressure for a successful season is rising.

"I think the expectations are definitely high, higher than ever," Checchio said. "Talor [Battle] and Coach [Ed] DeChellis have said that, too."

Even so, don't expect the basketball players to feel any extra heat, sophomore guard Chris Babb said.

"It's not really pressure," he said. "We just feel like we've got a lot to prove. A lot of people are doubting us again, but we've got a lot of people behind us, our students behind us, and we're going to keep building off that."

Babb also said he was stunned to hear about Woll's group camping out to buy tickets.

"That's something I wouldn't expect," he said. "You hear everyone talk about this being a football school, but I think we're starting to turn that around and make it a basketball school and a football school. And I think it's great that people are really supporting us."