Louisville basketball coach Jeff Walz says he's buying the first 2,500 beers before WNIT game

What's one way to lure fans in and raise awareness for a women's basketball game? Well if you're Jeff Walz — it's free beer.

The head coach of the Louisville Cardinals said he will buy a round of beers for the house Thursday night — for at least for the first 2,500 beer drinkers.

Nothing helps a fan watch fundamentally sound basketball — with a good personality — like good old beer goggles.

Walz will buy the lucky fans their first beer purchased on $2 beer night at 7 p.m. Thursday at the KFC Yum! Center for the Preseason WNIT semifinal game against LSU. He called it a sign of gratitude to U of L's loyal 21-and-over fans and an invitation for others to see the Cardinals.

"We're just trying to have a little bit of a good time here at the ballgame," Walz said after Monday's 100-82 win over Quinnipiac. "Make sure you have a designated driver if you want to come and have a few of them."

Walz said it'll easily be his greatest one-time beer purchase.

"I tried that once in college, but I only got up to about 400," Walz joked, "but no, no, no, I've never done that."

Walz will be able to pull off the stunt because the KFC Yum! Center — the Cardinals' homecourt — is off campus, and beer is allowed to be sold there.

Amy Morgan, Louisville's assistant athletic director for marketing said it was Walz's idea to pay out of his own pocket and entice some new fans.

"It shows his commitment to the program and his desire to grow the program and expose as many fans as possible to their play on the court," she said.

Kansas State gained some national publicity last week when it provided about 300 pounds of free bacon to students who attended its women's team's season opener.

"We don't need any bacon," Walz joked. "… We're more hummus around here, health food. Fried asparagus for the next game, a tofu burger."

Or a healthy round of brewskis.