Who can forget Jim Valvano running around the floor of "The Pit" looking for someone to hug after North Carolina State's shocking upset of Houston in the 1983 national championship game? The Razorbacks are celebrating the 25th season of basketball at their arena named after Walmart's co-founder. The likes of Dwayne "Pearl" Washington and Carmelo Anthony have starred here, making it a one-of-a-kind experience for the college basketball fan. The Roundhouse, as its known for reasons that should be self-explanatory, the Shockers forged one of the best home records in the country for years in the building. Michigan State during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in West Lafayette, Ind., Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021 . Yes, name - I believe the name of an arena makes a difference, and it will play a role in how I evaluate the Big Ten's basketball arenas. The following is a list of German indoor arenas for handball games. For non-Duke fans, it's another reason to loathe the Blue Devils. Its an intense environment, but Duke has moved past the mindset of doing things that would be hurtful or cross a line thats too personal. Charles Koch Arena (Wichita State) City. Assembly Hall, Illinois 9. And if youre there for a game against Cincinnati, Dayton, Butler, or another team the fans have a special distaste for, you can expect some extreme nastiness. Widely regarded as one of the best venues in North American college sports, the McKale Center is . The Pit is renowned for being one of the loudest places to play in college basketball, with sound levels reaching up to 125 decibels, about as loud as a jackhammer. If youre tasked with traveling to Rupp Arena, it will not be easy or pleasant. ", Roy Williams, UNCs head coach, also added, "That was the loudest I have ever heard the Smith Center.. That's not far off, as the school also boasts that no other arena has hosted more games or opponents than The Palestra. Duke hasn't lost a non-conference game at Cameron Indoor. In addition to being one of the loudest in the nation, the arena has also helped Kansas compile a 140-3 home record since 2007, statistically one of the best in all of sports. But is it a tough section to play in front of? Also, the name sucks, and corporate staleness is not good for college basketball. These two are clearly a cut above the rest and host some special atmospheres in the scheme of this sport. Always free! Cameron Indoor Stadium 3. Rupp Arena (Kentucky) Fitting that the largest basketball-only arena in the U.S. be #1 on our list. Big Ten basketball players vote on the league's loudest gym. 14. At Xavier, basketball is THE sport in a part of the country where college basketball is giant. But OSU fans wouldnt complain about being good in both, and if Mike Boynton can continue the momentum he built from last season and bring some passion back to the program, then theres no question Gallagher-Iba Arena will go back to being one of the most feared settings in the game. Great staff. Nothing epitomizes the state of Indiana's love of basketball more than Butler's legendary fieldhouse. Honorable mentions are at the bottom. Assembly Hall arena is on the campus of Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana and home of the Indiana Hoosiers. The home of the Wildcats has packed in as many as 24,000 for basketball games, despite the official capacity being listed as 23,500. Like in Durham, the small confines in Spokane give the arena an intimidating feel for opponents, especially when the focus is a raucous student section. Ive felt like Hilton was on the verge of riots on a handful of occasions, particularly when Kansas comes to town. According to BGB, the duo of Jordan-Hare Stadium and Neville Arena is the loudest in all of college sports. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, Rick Pitino says UNC, Duke and rest of ACC run clean programs. Even when MSU lost an uncharacteristic 15 games in the 201617 season, only two of those came at Breslin, and it dropped just one game all year at home last season. That seems to have changed, and the environment in Champaign has improved, but theres still some room to grow before I can put Illinois back in my top-25 best atmospheres. During the Big 8 Conference finals, former OKU wrestling coach Myron Roderick said, "It got s loud, lot f the lights busted n Gallagher. Maybe baseballs sabermetricians should analyze how many wins certain home courts are worth. Regardless of the team, the atmosphere has the potential to be electric, especially if the matchup is right. But its still one of the premier crowds in the country for now. After undergoing a $1 billion renovation in. The students are given prime seating right along the sideline opposite the benches, and they are very fond of dressing up in ridiculous costumes, throwing around foam pool noodles, general shenanigans, and launching disparaging remarks as opponents. Add in the history of the place, and its undoubtedly one of the marquee places to see a basketball game in the world, regardless of level. Largest College Basketball Arenas in the SEC ranked 1-14. Ive never attended a home Dayton game, but I did witness the two NCAA Tournament games Dayton played in Columbus in 2015, and if that was anything to go by, contests in UD Arena are bonkers. By, This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google. The Carrier Dome is a domed arena on the campus of Syracuse University, home to the Syracuse Orange football, basketball and lacrosse teams. As a kid growing up in Columbus, Ohio, I was an Ohio State fan. Kentucky is one of the most successful NCAA basketball programs in the country, and playing in front of fans in Rupp Arena is a plus. Thats quite a lot of people who can pack inside the Domes doors and scream obscenities at opposing players and coaches. The Pit is SO LOUD. For big games especially, Rupp can get very, very loud. 10. Confined within the multipurpose home of the Spartans, the group dresses up, brings props and uses mini-megaphones that make great souvenirs for the kids. The arena broke the Guinness World Record for the loudest indoor roar on Feb. 13, 2017, against West Virginia at 130.4 dB, breaking the record Rupp Arena established less than three weeks. My story on one of the sport's most unique places and how the Lobos turned it all around: Dean E. Smith Center (North Carolina) There might not be a better experience for a sports fan than catching a college basketball game at a campus arena. As if playing a possible two-platoon Wildcat team isnt intimidating enough, the fans in Lexington bring the noise. McOnnel Court- University of Oregon 4. Over the past two seasons, Duke is 33-0 at home the past two seasons and hasnt lost an out-of-conference game at home since Feb. 26, 2000. The KFC Yum! Though no numbers could be found on the decibel level of screaming fans at the Dean Smith Center, testimonial of one 2005 game says all you need to hear. Not only is the trip out to West Virginia a long one for any of the other nine (current) Big 12 teams, the environment that awaits them is unfriendly, to say the least. src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=674090812743125&ev=PageView&noscript=1"/>. The fearsome and historic Cameron Indoor, which opened way back in 1940, earns the top spot on our list. How historic is this building? The 9,314-person capacity at Cameron is far smaller than many of Dukes blue blood competitors, but it makes for a tight, cramped and electric atmosphereespecially when that team in Carolina blue comes to town. All Rights Reserved. Opponents can attest to the fact that the arena seems smaller and more intimidating when all 19,300-plus seats are filled. And conversely, Maryland fans will wholeheartedly agree and wear their reputation as a badge of honor. Stephen C. O'Connell Center, also known as the O'Dome, is a 10,500-seat arena that is home to the Florida Gators athletic programs. The huge multi-level arena doesn't . Utah State has an Oakland Raider mentality without the knives and guns. UNM Arena, New Mexico 5. But at Maryland, they do whatever it takes to get you off your game. The Pete isnt what it was a decade ago, but thats much more the fault of the programs failures on the court than the fans in the stands. Amusing, possibly, but since thats patently foolish, they can scream for Tom Crean. Since Xavier began play there in 2000-01, it's won more than 250 games in the building. I have to pay my respects to the Winning Team, Losing Team chant. #newmexico #lobos #thepit #basketball". Cameron Indoor Stadium (Duke Blue Devils) Home Record Since 2000: 284-22 (.928) Advertisement. Save Share Show Less The Coliseum has been dubbed as one of the finest facilities for collegiate basketball, and with the student sections placed deep behind both baskets, fans have no choice but to scream, cheer and boo for the duration of the game. However, the Cameron Crazies make it one of the loudest and most intimidating places to play in college basketball. Top 5 Largest College Basketball Arenas in NCAA Division I Sports #3: KFC Yum! Thats Opeth, Lamb of God and Metallica territory. It has become the hub of one of the most impressive programs in the sport and been an important piece of Gonzagas climb into the national limelight. It was Hilton Magic that helped propel Iowa State over Oklahoma three years ago, coming back from a 21-point second-half deficit for the win. Big Game Boomer @BigGameBoomer . 132 Likes, TikTok video from Heath Adams (@thecybermentor): "The Pit in NM is one of the loudest college basketball stadiums in the country. But on its day, Chapel Hill turns this arena into a madhouse, and I have to respect that. Its been a minute since the Panthers were nationally relevant, having last made the NCAA Tournament in 2016, and with every passing year that they remain near the bottom of the ACC, the worse the atmosphere will get. You could argue Maryland should be a bit lower if you want, but you cant say its inclusion on this list and at least near the top 10 isnt warranted. Just ask Jimmy Chitwood. Its the largest domed structure on a U.S. college campus and can hold 33,000 for basketball games and 56,250 for concerts. Bramlage Coliseum, Kansas State 8. It is also fitting, perhaps, that the winningest program in college basketball history plays its' games here on these hallowed grounds. Students are given the sections nearest to the floor behind one of the baskets and along one of the sidelines, plus a couple of sections in the 300s. Unfortunately, I have always been too short and Jewish to play at a high level, so I instead settled for watching and reporting from the sideline. Villanova has won a tremendous amount of games in the building, especially in the last handful of years as the program claimed multiple national championships and Big East crowns. Its first game pitted Iba's Oklahoma A&M (the school's name at the time) squad against Kansas, coached by Phog Allen. This is a list of arenas that currently serve as the home venue for NCAA Division I college basketball teams. Now thats what you call home court advantage. That has got to have Bill Self, Kansas head coach, screaming for joy. Any time the Jayhawks have to go to Ames, I circle that date on my calendar and make sure I watch, even if the teams are lopsided, because that crowd is liable to explode at any point in the game. Its a cool setup, good atmosphere and the fans are involved constantly.. Breslin Student Events Center - Michigan State, On Feb. 13, 2017, 16,300 fans in attendance at Allen Fieldhouse set the. in the NCAA tournament picture and, perhaps more importantly, The Pit is rocking again. The students are given almost every section nearest to the court, which is a prime setup to surround the opposing team. Kansas allots 4,000 of the arenas 16,300 capacity to students and puts them behind both baskets and largely in a four-section span in one of the corners. It got so loud that some of the lights broke. Thats why Im handing out a few honorable mentions so a handful of fanbases dont feel totally ignored, and I acknowledge some other great places to experience college basketball. The Mountaineers take huge pride in how Bob Huggins coaches his players to play, and that passion comes out during games through tons of noise, a super-rowdy atmosphere, and really one of the more vicious college basketball settings in the country. They know how loud those can be. Rupp Arena- University of Kentucky 1. Full disclosure: I attended Maryland, including many mens basketball games, including many mens basketball games in the student section. McKale Memorial Center (Arizona Wildcats) February 1, 2023 will mark the milestone 50-year anniversary of the McKale Center's opening. Cameron Indoor Stadium Thats what i think, what yall think? Theres close to 6,000 students at Allen Fieldhousethree times more than Dukeand theyve earned the title of loudest college arena.