In addition to becoming a pro basketball town in recent years, the great city of New Orleans is also learning to embrace college basketball. The New Orleans Privateers have played a big part in that, as they become a noteworthy mid-major program. Traditionally, cheap New Orleans basketball tickets have been easy for fans to find. But those days are all in the past, with the Privateers starting to become a force in the Southland Conference. As a program on the rise in a major city, the sky is the limit for the Privateers, increasing the demand for last-minute New Orleans basketball tickets.

The First Act

New Orleans basketball got its start at the Division II level, where the Privateers enjoyed a lot of success during the 1970s. In fact, New Orleans reached back-to-back Final Fours in 1974 and 1975, falling short of a Division II national title both times. After moving up to the Division I level, New Orleans had another great stretch in the late 1980s and early 90s. Between 1987 and 1997, the Privateers played in the NCAA Tournament four times and the NIT five times while also winning at least a share of their conference regular-season title seven times. During that time, the Privateers became one of the great mid-majors in the country.

Setting Sail

After falling into mediocrity during the early part of the 21st century, New Orleans found its savior in Mark Slessinger, who took over the program in 2011. The Privateers finally found a permanent home in the Southland Conference in 2013, while Slessinger guided New Orleans back to the NCAA Tournament in 2017. That season set the Privateers on a path to become one of the top teams in the Southland more years than not, meaning there should be plenty more conference titles and NCAA Tournament appearances in the future for New Orleans basketball.