Durham, NC - For more than six years, Jim Davis has been a regular at Duke women's basketball games. He hopes that more employees and their families will start to do the same this week.

As part of Employee Appreciation Night on Thursday, Dec. 3, faculty and staff can purchase discounted tickets to see a battle between two nationally ranked teams in Cameron Indoor Stadium. Employees can buy tickets for $2 each, an 80 percent discount off the $10 face value, to see the No. 11 Blue Devils take on the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes at 7 p.m.

"It's a huge game early in the year, so it's important to show up because they need all the support we can give them," said Davis, an office assistant in Sports Medicine. "I hope that it's something that once people go, they'll decide they want to go some more."

The Blue Devils are 7-1 and coming off of wins against Western Kentucky and Marquette in the Caribbean Challenge in Cancun, Mexico.

Davis said he purchases discounted tickets to women's basketball games every year with the Employee Athletic Pass, which also provides season tickets to football games. He said he likes to go to women's basketball games because it costs less than a trip to the movies and he gets to support student-athletes he sees at work.

Head coach Joanne P. McCallie said that kind of dedication is exactly what she's hoping to see for their matchup against the Buckeyes.

"Duke employees are so committed and passionate for our program," she said. "When they attend games the atmosphere and energy in Cameron is electric. We share in their enthusiasm and play off their fight and resolve."

To order tickets, call 681-2583 or stop by the ticket office in Cameron indoor Stadium from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.