Established in 1968, it stands as the eldest arena in the association. But with how the student section is placed around more than half of the court and right up near the action and the schools inclination for hoops, the potential for an elite atmosphere is always there at Illinois. Opponents can attest to the fact that the arena seems smaller and more intimidating when all 19,300-plus seats are filled. Duke hasn't lost a non-conference game at Cameron Indoor. The Allen Fieldhouse, at the University of Kansas, is home to the Kansas Jayhawks men's and women's basketball teams. Assembly Hall 4. Sorry about the shaking.i was a little excited. I was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, and have loved basketball for as long as I can remember. Allen Fieldhouse is an indoor arena on the University of Kansas (KU) campus in Lawrence, Kansas.It is home of the Kansas Jayhawks men's and women's basketball teams. Mackey Arena is one of the biggest best college basketball arenas since it has a capacity of over 14,000 fans. Purdues Terone Johnson said in The Gazette, It gets ridiculous. 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. If youre ever lucky enough to walk through the doors at this historic venue, you can feel its age, history, and importance to the game within moments. The Wildcats are a perennial national power. . This is my list, and in my world, its The Pit. The huge space makes more sense once you know that the Orange football and lacrosse teams also . This is The Pit of the New Mexico Lobos. and volleyball teams and is the nation's oldest on-campus arena that still serves as the primary home to a Division I basketball program. Though the Panthers have been down the past three years (but off to a 7-2 start in 2019-20), the students are still at their creative best, tastefully (of course) finding ways to mock the opponent. Watch more top videos, highlights, and B/R original content, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. There have been so many Kansas games Ive watched over the years where the crowd so clearly willed its team back into the game and simply refused to let the Jayhawks lose. to see one of college basketball's great facilities up close. If the fans are up for a game, even if Indiana isnt ranked or particularly good, Assembly Hall will be deafening. 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. Memorial Gym, Vanderbilt 10. The stadium itself is actually 37 feet below street level due to the fact that it was built on a mesa. 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. Hinkle Fieldhouse 6. After undergoing a $1 billion renovation in. A Chicago native, Jeff Mezydlo has professionally written about sports, entertainment and pop culture for nearly 30 years. 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. So please let me assure you your school is very special in its own ways, and who I am to speak on that precious relationship you have with it? This is a list of arenas that currently serve as the home venue for NCAA Division I college basketball teams. Center (Louisville, KY) - Louisville Basketball (22,090 Capacity) . The arena seats 16,300 spectators and ESPN The Magazine referred to the stadium as the loudest for college basketball in the country. Matthew Knight Arena, Oregon While the arena hosts much more than sports, it is famously home to the Indiana Hoosiers mens basketball team. Fans absolutely pack out the place to the point of bursting, and with the old-timey concrete and wood and giant windows allowing the sun to shine through, the feeling is uniquely incredible. 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. There arent many cities in America more obsessed with college basketball than Indianapolis, and Butler is part of that puzzle. The trip to the desert has been one of the hardest in the Pac-12 for decades, in part because of the quality of the teams that have often blessed Tucson, but also because of the insane environment Wildcats fans create in the building. A few years ago, Im not sure Arkansas would have made this list. 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. From cheerleaders and bands, to painted co-eds and mascots, college basketball arenas -- with the thousands of fans that fill the seats -- can be one of the loudest places in the country. He missed one of the three free throws as the game went to overtime, where New Mexico prevailed. 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. The atmosphere is even more special during afternoon games when the daylight shines through the windows amid the throngs of spectators. Rated 5 / 5. 1,000 percent. This article was originally published on Fivestar News. The students are given almost every section nearest to the court, as well as a handful of sections at the very top of the arenas north side, which means they have their enemies surrounded. According to BGB, the duo of Jordan-Hare Stadium and Neville Arena is the loudest in all of college sports. City. When looking at the east coast venues, Dukes Cameron Indoor Stadium stands above as the loudest and most turbulent environment to play. I've been to the Pit. 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. 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. The following is a list of German indoor arenas for handball games. 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. Rupp opened in 1976 and has regularly seen crowds of over 24,000 during its 30 plus year history. 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). Mackey Arena is also one of the loudest college basketball arenas in the country. Largest College Basketball Arenas in the SEC ranked 1-14. But the potential is still there, and Utah State is still one of the toughest places to play in the Mountain West. If youre tasked with traveling to Rupp Arena, it will not be easy or pleasant. Dayton is very much included in that. Its like playing basketball at Boeings jet-engine testing facility. 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. This is my article. On a consistent basis, the atmosphere at the Dean Dome is not elite. src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=674090812743125&ev=PageView&noscript=1"/>. Named the loudest college basketball arena in the country, fans at Allen Fieldhouse aren't afraid to make some noise (and it's safe to say they won'r quiet down any time soon after the Jayhawks took home their fourth national championship in program history on Monday night). The HURD elicit fear into the psyches of its opponents. Every section that lines the edges of the court is filled with students, well known as the Cameron Crazies. No matter where an opposing player or coach turns, they will inevitably come face-to-face with a teenager painted blue with veins popping out of their head as they not-so-politely explain how bad their enemies are at what they do. The KFC Yum! The students fully embrace The Barnyard nickname, and its normal to see them wearing outfits emulating various farm animals, crops, and other farm-related items. It has been called The Loud House and once registered a decibel level of 120. 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. The only team that seems to have cracked the code to succeeding there is BYU, which had won three straight in The Kennel before Gonzaga knocked the pesky Cougars off this past February. Cincinnati is one of those cities where people take their high school allegiances very seriously, and if thats the case, then you know itll kick up a notch when it comes to college. There's close to 6,000 students at Allen Fieldhousethree times more than Dukeand they've earned the title of loudest college arena. But on its day, Chapel Hill turns this arena into a madhouse, and I have to respect that. Since Miller took over the program in 2009-10, Arizona has won more than 140 home games. The Crazies were issued a gag order of sorts as they were told from the powers that be to clean up the chants. With a seating capacity of 23,500, it's the largest off-campus home for a Division I team in the country. And once the ball is tipped, theres not a louder college basketball arena in the country. Since it's March Madness, I thought we would discuss which college basketball arenas are the loudest? 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. 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). With about one-fourth of the fans coming from the student body, youve already created a rowdy atmosphere. As compiled by Collegiate Basketball News, the median winning percentage of the 351 Division I men's teams in their current arenas is 67.7%, with 144 of those 351 schools having a winning. I've been to Indiana, Minnesota, Purdue, Arizona and around the country. ", Roy Williams, UNCs head coach, also added, "That was the loudest I have ever heard the Smith Center.. Playing away is tough in itself, but if you're playing at one of these arenas then it's pretty much game over. If youve never watched a game at GCU Arena before, you owe it to yourself to do so as soon as possible. By, This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google. 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. Fans in the famous student section, called the Cameron Crazies, are known for painting themselves blue and white and doing signature moves, like reaching out an arm while an opposing player is inbounding the ball. X dont play. Its size is unmatched with 34,616 seats, Syracuses home is more than 11,000 seats larger than the second-largest arena in the sport. The Aggies are ignited by that "Spectrum Magic," which has been responsible for only 18 non-conference home defeats since the 1996-97 season. It opened in 1928 but does not show its age thanks to renovations and impeccable upkeep. 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. This is one of the best college basketball arenas in 2022 as it has state-of-the-art facilities and a capacity for a maximum of 17,472 seats. And conversely, Maryland fans will wholeheartedly agree and wear their reputation as a badge of honor. Also known as The Barn, Minnesotas Williams Arena is one of the most unique in the sport. All rights reserved. Virginia Cavaliers: John Paul Jones Arena, opened in 2006 A decade ago, a trip to Charlottesville, Virginia, was nowhere near the toughest in the league. Gallagher-Iba Arena (Oklahoma State) Rob Ferguson/USA TODAY Sports Considered one of the rowdiest places to watch college basketball, Oklahoma State's arena is named for two of the school's. 2. Explore a new way to challenge real players on this multiplayer Basketball game! The aluminum ceiling contains the loud cheering of student fans and adds to the unique character of Mackey Arena. 1. From being the part-time home of St. John's basketball to hosting the Big East Tournament (and even the Big Ten Tournament in 2018) and the final rounds of the postseason NIT, MSG has just about seen it all. But quality college basketball arenas are not exclusive to only the elite teams. No, not Banes pit prison from The Dark Knight Rises. It is also fitting, perhaps, that the winningest program in college basketball history plays its' games here on these hallowed grounds. From the team benches on the baseline to the expanded court area, the home of the Commodores is something to behold. For the unbiased college basketball fan, it's a bucket list item, even to see it empty. When you put together the prioritizing of student seating with a basketball school and a fanbase that prides itself in being horrible to outsiders, you will formulate one of the premier atmospheres in college basketball. 1 Tiger Stadium - LSU 2 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium - Florida 3 Arrowhead Stadium - Kansas City Chiefs 4 Ohio Stadium - Ohio State 5 But its still one of the premier crowds in the country for now. 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. Its first game pitted Iba's Oklahoma A&M (the school's name at the time) squad against Kansas, coached by Phog Allen. Likes. 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. 2018-2021 All Rights Reserved Nothing But Nylon is powered by, News & gear by players, for players Powered by. Finneran Pavilion (Villanova) Cameron Indoor Stadium, Durham, North Carolina. When Cody Zeller made a key steal against Michigan State, Assembly Hall earned a 115.3 dB reading. Rupp Arena, Kentucky 4. Zeigler is leading the Southeastern Conference in assists, averaging 5.4 per game. Which 10 schools create the most challenging atmospheres for opponents? 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 team's 150-game non-conference home winning streak was ended earlier this season with a loss to Stephen F. Austin). That adds to the atmosphere, which the fans complete. You have to respect a fanbase that has such a dedication to pure and unadulterated hatred for its enemy. The circular configuration of Koch Arena has provided a huge home-court advantage for the Shockers, especially in recent years when they've ranked among the nation's best. I can think of several games Ive watched at this arena over the years that felt like my TV was vibrating. At just under 18,000 capacity, the home of the Terps is one of the bigger venues in college basketball. Obviously, it wasnt a long drive, especially compared to Providence and Oklahoma, but Flyers fans turned Nationwide Arena into a madhouse.