The unusual setting can give the Orange an advantage over opponents who arent used to the domes confinesor sizehelping Syracuse win 83.1% of its games in the arenas history. It's loudreal loud thanks to a famed student section known as the "Oakland Zoo." Dayton is very much included in that. I dont care. The same goes for the University of Kansas, who recently won the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship in 2008. On top of that, there are no air conditioning units in the building, no white-noise humming in the background. The "Cathedral," which seats roughly 8,700, opened in 1927, and even after recent renovations it has not lost its charm while remaining the trendsetter for other great college basketball venues that followed. But on its day, Chapel Hill turns this arena into a madhouse, and I have to respect that. Dean Smith Center 5. No, not Banes pit prison from The Dark Knight Rises. Mackey is widely known as one of the best, loudest, college basketball arenas in the country, especially when the hated Hoosiers are in town. 15 Best College Basketball Arenas 2. The Cats have led the nation in . With March Madness approaching, here's a look at some of the loudest college arenas in the NCAA: 10. Back in 2012, Nebraskas Brandon Ubel made specific mention of Michigan States Breslin Student Events Center. Unlike most of the buildings on this list, McCarthey Athletic Center isnt very old. Ive watched too many games at the Dean Dome and heard the shoes squeak for me to put it in the top 10. ESPNs Anne Catherine Clemmons writes, But to feel a record crowd of 22,125 shaking the much larger dome that is the Smith Center (which soaks in enough sunlight for the Tar Heels to practice without electric lighting when open in the early afternoon) is something else entirely. The way the dome is formed and the seating portion of the building is largely walled off from the concourse areas, all of the sound bellowing from Boilermakers bounces up, down, and all around to trap you inside this gray ball of unending noise. With this in mind, we polled our college basketball staff and asked them to rank what they feel are the 10 toughest places in the country for opposing teams to play. Hailing from the ABQ, where the fictitious Walter White cooked his famous blue crystal meth, the Lobos home court is burrowed in the earth. So loud," Mike Roberts, radio voice of the Lobos from 1966 to 2008, said in an ESPN story, "you can feel it in your bones.". The arena is named after Phog Allen, a former player and head coach for the Jayhawks whose tenure lasted 39 years.The arena's nickname, The Phog also pays homage to Allen. As if playing a possible two-platoon Wildcat team isnt intimidating enough, the fans in Lexington bring the noise. We have the VGK and Raiders (who themselves would hardly ever play at the same time as a UNLV hoops game), whoo hoo. 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. That has an effect on the atmosphere. Opened in November 2004, the "Kennel". The 12th-ranked Volunteers announced that Zeigler tore his left ACL in a win over Arkansas. But the potential is still there, and Utah State is still one of the toughest places to play in the Mountain West. The way the arena is designed, the students are given the sections along almost all of the sidelines, as well as a giant wall that looks incredibly intimidating from below. When it opened in September 1980, it was famously nicknamed, "The Loud House.". Dubbed the Carnegie Hall of College Basketball by legendary announcer Gus Johnson, Assembly Hall is known for its steep side seating and the Hoosier-crazy fans that fill it. 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. Thats why I have North Carolina this high. The Palestra 7. Is there any major sport that can create a home-court advantage like college basketball? This is a new-money type of atmosphere, but that doesnt make it any less imposing for visiting college basketball squads. The University of New Mexico Perhaps one of the quirkiest college basketball venues in the nation, the University of New Mexico's home arena, dubbed "The Pit," was a shoo-in for this list. Good run. The atmosphere at the Spectrum isnt what it was in the 2000s, and for that it just barely misses out on my top 25. Theres a reason why the NCAA puts the First Four in Dayton every March and has for years the city cannot get enough college basketball. After years of planning, the University of Idaho has finally broken ground on a dedicated basketball arena. Villanova doesn't play all of its home games at the quaint, 6,500-seat on-campus court, as the glitzier Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia also plays host to the Wildcats. But you wont find many arenas in this sport with a better atmosphere at its best. Gonzaga's new "Kennel" opened in 2004. Here are the loudest basketball arenas in the NCAA, 8. Memorial Gymnasium (Vanderbilt) 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. There's close to 6,000 students at Allen Fieldhousethree times more than Dukeand they've earned the title of loudest college arena. The seating towers over the floor, and with such a wide-open, cavernous feel, it can be one of the most intense atmospheres in college basketball when it reaches above 15,000 screaming fans. Consistently ranked among the best college basketball arenas in the nation in terms of attendance and overall acclaim, "The Pit," as it's more affectionately known, has housed the Lobos since 1966. It's a historical venue in the middle of the most exciting city in the world and can elevate the games of those fortunate to play there. . Almost the entirety of the seats behind the north basket at the McKale Center belong to students, so if youre trying to score on that hoop, good luck with verbal communication. Like we did for the top 10 upsets of the last decade and the 10 best uniforms in college hoops, we arrived at this overall top 10 ranking by averaging the responses, with more weight given based on the 110 scale. This is The Pit of the New Mexico Lobos. 2/20/2020 Tom M. Boiler Up! They know how loud those can be. That adds to the atmosphere, which the fans complete. 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. Rank Arena Team Capacity Opened; 1: Rupp Arena: Kentucky: 23,500: 1976: 2: Thompson-Boling Arena Id expect the atmosphere to remain insane at GCU moving forward. The largest arena designed specifically for college hoops, the 23,500-seat Rupp Arena for the University of Kentucky opened in 1976 and is. 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. Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion 11. How historic is this building? 1 of 13 The loudest arena in college basketball has given the Duke Blue Devils the best home-court advantage for more than a decade. Good luck inbounding the ball with dozens of blue extended wiggling fingers casting a hex on you. On Feb. 13, 2017, 16,300 fans in attendance at Allen Fieldhouse set the Guinness World Record for the loudest crowd roar at an indoor sporting event (130.4 decibels). Not only is it loud, but the violence of the vocals makes it about as inviting as a swim among piranhas. Capacity. In terms of atmosphere, the Wildcats have a top-25 college basketball environment in The Pavilion. This is my article. Small sections of bleachers jet out from both baselines, while seats extend up the sides where balconies also exist which might not cater to fans with height issues. It provides a solid combination of comfort and intimacy, which makes for quality basketball viewing. It's not mean-spirited, it's not like you're going to get hit with a hot dog or anything. Unlike other traditional blue blood programs, Duke has rather small arena with 9,314 seats. The arena is named after Dr. Forrest C. "Phog" Allen, a former player and head coach of 39 years for the Jayhawks. Theres no question the students go very hard for their Tar Heels. t ws unbelievable.". The Rock, Chalk, chant provides aneerie calm before the deafeningstorm. Rupp Arena, Kentucky Size matters in Kentucky. The Cameron Indoor Stadium, which opened way back in 1940, is a 9,314-seat arena that is home to the Duke Blue Devils and serves as the home court for Duke men's and women's basketball and women's volleyball. Celebrities and athletes are often in attendance in the historic arena that now holds over 23,500 people, which makes it the largest arena in the country for indoor sports. What is the largest college basketball arena? Theres a reason they say, Pay Heed, All Who Enter: Beware of the Phog, because Allen Fieldhouse is loud. Conference affiliations reflect those in the current 2022-23 season; all affiliation changes officially took effect on July 1, 2022. Seating roughly 10,200, there's only one level, so even those at the highest points of the arena are still not too far from the action. More than 35,000 people watched a single Syracuse basketball game at the largest domed campus stadium in the country. These are the top-25 best college basketball atmospheres in Division I mens hoops, as ranked by a scientist I mean bracketologist. I've been to Indiana, Minnesota, Purdue, Arizona and around the country. Louisville is one of the most successful programs in the sport, and it has some very passionate fans. Dayton's home arena is not flashy, but it's the place where the madness of March officially begins with the First Four. The Syracuse Orange men's basketball team drew the highest average home attendance in college basketball in 2015-16, with an average crowd of 26,253. McOnnel Court- University of Oregon 4. Breslin also has played host to some of the world's greatest musical acts, including Aerosmith, KISS, Pearl Jam and The Beach Boys. Cameron Indoor Stadium 3. With about one-fourth of the fans coming from the student body, youve already created a rowdy atmosphere. McKale Memorial Center (Arizona Wildcats) February 1, 2023 will mark the milestone 50-year anniversary of the McKale Center's opening. original sound - Heath Adams. Mississippi State basketball fans and MSU students Josh Fisher, Ben Stroud and David Kiesel smile in front of a Humphrey Coliseum crowd before the Bulldogs face Kentucky on Feb. 15, 2023. Obviously, it wasnt a long drive, especially compared to Providence and Oklahoma, but Flyers fans turned Nationwide Arena into a madhouse. Jan 14, 2020. You have to respect a fanbase that has such a dedication to pure and unadulterated hatred for its enemy. Go for slam dunks, fire off long 3-point shots, use superpowers, win matches and earn cups! The largest mostly-college basketball arena with 23,500 seats (and more than 24,000 if needed), Rupp sat in the Guinness Book of World Records for the loudest arena for 17 days two seasons ago . 5. Now thats what you call home court advantage. The McCarthey Athletic Center is a 6,000-seat indoor arena on the campus of Gonzaga University that is home to the university's Bulldog basketball program. It opened in 1938 and underwent a major renovation in 2001. Retweets. 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. The United Center has the highest capacity of any current NBA . Though the students dont get a huge amount of the seating dedicated to them, Wichita State is one of the rare schools in college basketball whose older crowd is ready and willing to get very, very loud and rowdy. For the unbiased college basketball fan, it's a bucket list item, even to see it empty. 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. Students are placed a couple sections deep behind both baskets, plus with sections into the 200s on the east end, meaning theres no escape for opponents no matter which basket theyre attacking. Most schools have some sort of flair that make them unique, from a traditional chant or song to a gorgeous arena from before your grandparents were born. I have attended a Purdue game at Mackey before, and it was one of the loudest things Ive ever experienced (no, it was not the game below). Arkansas won a national championship in the building's first season, and though the school's recent teams have not enjoyed that same elite success, the program still ranks among the national leaders in home attendance. It's big, but not mammoth, and can feel like a cigar box to opponents when 16,300 are packed in to root on the Jayhawks. Gallagher is called the Madison Square Garden of the Plains, and though the fans probably wont break any lights in the 13,000-plus capacity arena, the fact that it once did keeps fans screaming louder and louder. When the Orange are struggling, the arena can look cavernous with empty spots, yet when Jim Boeheim's program is playing well it truly is the "Loud House." Opened in 1967, Mackey holds a little more than 14,000 people, and those people do not hesitate to yell. The Aggies finished 13-5 at home a year ago and much of that can be credited to this loud and verbally abusive venue. I can think of several games Ive watched at this arena over the years that felt like my TV was vibrating. A&M sophomore Alec Hankins made up his mind that he would not risk missing Saturday's game with many believing the crowd will break the attendance record for Reed Arena 14,036 set in 2022 . Bramlage Coliseum (Kansas State) A few years ago, Im not sure Arkansas would have made this list. The 30 Toughest College Basketball Arenas to Play In By Bex Walton - July 3, 2016 There's something about some arenas in basketball that make it almost impossible to win a game in. 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. I've been to the Pit. The Crazies were issued a gag order of sorts as they were told from the powers that be to clean up the chants. One of The Pits legendary moments came back in 2010, when San Diego States D.J. Thats about as loud as Rupp Arena gets, which is still pretty darn loud. The Carrier Dome is one of the most unique venues in all of college basketball. Really, were all in agreement here; Maryland fans are obscenely obnoxious, and they wouldnt want it any other way. How much better does it get? Since Jan. 28, 2012, Iowa State has a winning percentage of 70-plus at home against Top 25 opponents. Stadium. 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. Cameron Indoor is iconic for a host of reasons, and one of the biggest is the atmosphere. The San Diego State mens basketball program was built into a nationally-relevant program by Steve Fisher in the 2000s, and as the program gained steam, so too did the eager crowds at Viejas Arena. 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. Lets go to the decibel meter. But part of what makes Hilton so deadly is the passion and noise making isnt relegated to just the students the adults sitting around the arena are poised and ready with their boo birds, too. The Hilton Coliseum is a 14,267-capacity arena that is home to the Iowa State University Cyclones men's and women's basketball teams, as well wrestling, gymnastics and volleyball programs. The arenas serve as home venues for both the men's and women's teams except where noted. Kansas has a lifetime 774114 record at Allen Fieldhouse, which works out to a .872 win percentage going back to 1955. Jokes aside, Ive seen the Carrier Dome erupt into some of the most incredible celebrations and really make opponents pay for daring to enter Upstate New York. According to the school, no arena in the country has hosted more NCAA Tournament gamesthan UD's 125. Since it's March Madness, I thought we would discuss which college basketball arenas are the loudest? If youre tasked with traveling to Rupp Arena, it will not be easy or pleasant. Ushers and concession employees are fabulous. Still, the Razorbacks have had one of the most formidable home atmospheres in the SEC for some time, knocking off tons of ranked teams at home in the 2010s despite missing the NCAA Tournament more often than not. There might not be a better experience for a sports fan than catching a college basketball game at a campus arena. That team, led by Sean May, erased a nine-point deficit in the final three minutes. But is it a tough section to play in front of? 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. Full disclosure: I attended Maryland, including many mens basketball games, including many mens basketball games in the student section. They put spells on opponents. Come on: "Hoosiers" was filmed here. The atmosphere is even more special during afternoon games when the daylight shines through the windows amid the throngs of spectators. Memorial Gym, Vanderbilt 10. Its the largest domed structure on a U.S. college campus and can hold 33,000 for basketball games and 56,250 for concerts.