Iowa Athletics has responded to an allegation from the Orange Krush, Illinois’ student section, that the department unfairly voided tickets to the Iowa men’s basketball game against Illinois on Saturday afternoon.

The Orange Krush attends one road game per year as a section, and it released a statement on Thursday night saying the Iowa athletics department invalidated 200 tickets that the student section purchased and received in the mail in October.

“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,” the statement read. “It is against the spirit of competition and rivalry, two outstanding attributes of the Big Ten Conference, to make this decision.”

Statement from the Orange Krush: pic.twitter.com/etb13geis1

— The Orange Krush (@TheOrangeKrush) February 2, 2023

The section claimed it legally bought the tickets to the game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Saturday, and 150 students raised a total of $2,649.41 to donate to local charitable organizations to go on the trip.

The Orange Krush said it paid $5,400 to purchase tickets from Iowa athletics, and the student organization claimed it will also lose $6,000 from canceling charter buses too close to the scheduled date of the trip. The group also said because its yearly budget is $30,000, it cannot afford to go on another trip this season.

“We take it as a great compliment that the Orange Krush is a strong enough section to be so feared that an opposing athletic department is willing to sacrifice $5400 and ruin a sellout in order to turn us away,” the statement read. “Gary Barta and staff, we issue great thanks to all of you for the adoration you have shown the Orange Krush through your cowardice.”

The Iowa men’s basketball program released a statement in response to the Orange Krush later Wednesday night, saying the student section purchased discounted tickets under a false name.

“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 and Girls Club,” Iowa Athletics’ statement read. “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.”

A statement from the Iowa Athletics Department regarding Saturday’s game vs Illinois: pic.twitter.com/8gzZmf87Ns

— Iowa Men’s Basketball (@IowaHoops) February 2, 2023

The Orange Krush claimed it was a 501(c) non-profit organization in its statement, but it did not state anything about an Illinois chapter of the Boys and Girls Club.

Iowa Athletics voided the tickets because they were falsely purchased, and the department donated those tickets to a different club in the Iowa City area, the department said in the statement.

“Iowa Athletics has refunded the original ticket order and donated tickets to the Boys and Girls Club of Cedar Rapids,” Iowa Athletics’ statement read. “We look forward to welcoming these kids to a sold-out Carver-Hawkeye Arena this Saturday.”

The Orange Krush has not publicly responded to Iowa Athletics’ statement as of the time of publication.

The Iowa men’s basketball team will host Illinois at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday. This is the Hawkeyes’ and Fighting Illini’s only regular-season meeting in 2022-23.