We’re just a few days from the start of the Final Four at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale — the national champion will be crowned on Monday night.

And even though two of the four schools still alive in the tournament are Final Four newcomers, they all are either traditionally strong basketball programs or come from one of the bigger conferences in the country.

But for the smaller schools that make the tournament, going deep into March Madness can turn into a pricey proposition.

Mark Wiedmer writes about this. He’s the lead sports columnist for the Chattanooga Times Free Press.