The indoor basketball venue holds 17,222 seats and also houses the largest student section in the country at 7,800 seats. 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. #newmexico #lobos #thepit #basketball". Full disclosure: I attended Maryland, including many mens basketball games, including many mens basketball games in the student section. 14. Charles Koch Arena (Wichita State) Which 10 schools create the most challenging atmospheres for opponents? Shows how loud assembly hall can get. The Dunk is quickly becoming one of the loudest college basketball arenas in the country, and another raucous sell-out crowd was on hand last night. Save Share Show Less So, when you come to play against Maryland in College Park for a big game or as a team the fans are predisposed to dislike, it will not be a pleasant experience. A loud court makes it impossible to communicate. But its also because the fans turn Allen Fieldhouse into an incredibly-difficult environment for opposition to handle. 5. And, of course, it witnessed much of the Hoosiers 197576 undefeated seasonthe last perfect season in men's college hoops. But for the most part the students are civil and often downright clever with their chants. Cameron Indoor is iconic for a host of reasons, and one of the biggest is the atmosphere. I have never seen a fanbase so ready and willing to boo anything and everything. Honorable mentions are at the bottom. 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. Allen Fieldhouse Allen Fieldhouse - Kansas. The aluminum ceiling contains the loud cheering of student fans and adds to the unique character of Mackey Arena. Emailed daily. Thats about as loud as Rupp Arena gets, which is still pretty darn loud. The Pit is 37 feet down into the crust, funneling the vocals and screams from the red and white down onto the court. It also helps that the Blue Devils are among the best in the land every season. no arena in the country has hosted more NCAA Tournament games. After years of planning, the University of Idaho has finally broken ground on a dedicated basketball arena. Its no doubt in large part due to its dedicated and famous student section, dubbed the Cameron Crazies. The group is known for many things, including camping out in Krzyzewskiville, covering themselves in blue and white paint and taunting opposing players with signs, chants and their signature move where the entire student section reaches out an arm while an opposing player is inbounding the ball. Obviously, UK has one of the most passionate fanbases in the country there is zero chance anyone could ever debate that. 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. Regardless of the team, the atmosphere has the potential to be electric, especially if the matchup is right. McCarthey Athletic Center - Gonzaga The McCarthey Athletic Center is a 6,000-seat indoor. Mar 8, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions guard D.J. In the last five seasons, the Jayhawks have only lost five times total in Lawrencethree of which came in 201718. Great staff. 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. But you wont find many arenas in this sport with a better atmosphere at its best. The Allen Fieldhouse, at the University of Kansas, is home to the Kansas Jayhawks men's and women's basketball teams. The Pit," as it's more affectionately known, Why NCAA Tournament bubble teams should be wary of this team, 16-year-old Padres prospect already drawing superstar hype, Seven Cubs pitchers combine for spring no-hitter vs. Padres, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones comments on Tony Pollard rumor, Ben Simmons suffers back injury while rehabilitating, Insider: It's Packers, Jets 'or bust' for Aaron Rodgers, QB Anthony Richardson doesn't understand his 'project' label, Vikings HC reveals 'crazy' thoughts about star WR, XFL player released for giving another team plays from own playbook. When its full, and thats been a more common occurrence as the Cavs have been regularly competing for ACC championships the last several years, JPJ can be raucous. It's the house that Lute Olson made famous and one that continues to provide a daunting challenge to opponents on Sean Miller's watch. No, not Banes pit prison from The Dark Knight Rises. UNM Arena, New Mexico 5. When it comes to sports, performing in front of a home crowd can produce a much-needed jolt that aids in success. He missed one of the three free throws as the game went to overtime, where New Mexico prevailed. Breslin also has played host to some of the world's greatest musical acts, including Aerosmith, KISS, Pearl Jam and The Beach Boys. That's not far off, as the school also boasts that no other arena has hosted more games or opponents than The Palestra. A tremendous venue for college basketball. How historic is this building? When it opened in September 1980, it was famously nicknamed, "The Loud House.". 6,390. Named after legendary head coach Adolph Rupp, Rupp Arena in downtown Lexington, KY, has definitely seen its share of victories. 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. City. The location of the student section, called The Izzone, is absolutely prime. The fearsome and historic Cameron Indoor, which opened way back in 1940, earns the top spot on our list. 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. Images. It was renamed in 1986 as the Louis Brown Athletic Center but the nickname stuck through . 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. Maybe baseballs sabermetricians should analyze how many wins certain home courts are worth. Amusing, possibly, but since thats patently foolish, they can scream for Tom Crean. But on its day, Chapel Hill turns this arena into a madhouse, and I have to respect that. As if playing a possible two-platoon Wildcat team isnt intimidating enough, the fans in Lexington bring the noise. 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? They put the "wild" in Wildcats. Villanova utilizes the Wells Fargo Center for some of its home games, but Finneran Pavilion, also known as The Pavilion, is the teams 6,501-seat arena located on campus. The Rock, Chalk, chant provides aneerie calm before the deafeningstorm. 2. While the arena hosts much more than sports, it is famously home to the Indiana Hoosiers mens basketball team. 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 Carrier Dome is one of the most unique venues in all of college basketball. The Value City Arena is located on the campus of Ohio State University and is home to the Ohio State Buckeyes. Shockers fans are riotous about their team and are constantly filling their roughly 10,000-seat gym to the rafters. Wichita State games are the real deal. But when the Bulldogs have a marquee game in the building, theres nothing welcoming about the environment. Opened in 1967, Mackey holds a little more than 14,000 people, and those people do not hesitate to yell. Lanxess Arena. All Rights Reserved. Zeigler is leading the Southeastern Conference in assists, averaging 5.4 per game. Likes. From 2005 to 2018, Kansas won every single Big 12 regular season title 14 to be exact. My story on one of the sport's most unique places and how the Lobos turned it all around: 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. McKale Memorial Center (Arizona Wildcats) February 1, 2023 will mark the milestone 50-year anniversary of the McKale Center's opening. Students are extremely engaged from the start to finish of every game, and the 7,000-seat GCU Arena is often rocking. However, the Cameron Crazies make it one of the loudest and most intimidating places to play in college basketball. 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. The MAC, or even more commonly, The Kennel, is even smaller than Cameron Indoor, with a capacity of only 6,000. If Arizona doesnt get back to the upper echelon of the Pac-12 in the next handful of years, the atmosphere at the McKale Center might lose some luster and dip in these rankings. According to BGB, the duo of Jordan-Hare Stadium and Neville Arena is the loudest in all of college sports. 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. The huge multi-level arena doesn't . The arena's primary tenant is the Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team. If he could do it again, he'd attend Degrassi Junior High, Ampipe High and Grand Lakes University. Xfinity Center (Maryland). That's historically been the case at Provident Credit Union Event Center. That has got to have Bill Self, Kansas head coach, screaming for joy. Opened in 1971, the arena has seen great success over the years, including 576 Indiana wins that power an .834 winning percentage. Also, the name sucks, and corporate staleness is not good for college basketball. Shot from student section. Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Purdues Terone Johnson said in The Gazette, It gets ridiculous. It still remains one of college basketball's special gyms. What is the loudest college basketball arena? Kohl Center (Wisconsin) I went to Oakland Raider games. Breslin Student Events Center - Michigan State, On Feb. 13, 2017, 16,300 fans in attendance at Allen Fieldhouse set the. 5. 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. 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. Named after famed Kentucky coach Adolph Rupp, the home of the Wildcats is one of the most recognizable arenas in all of sports. 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 World's Most Famous Arena" has been a college basketball staple for decades. When looking at the east coast venues, Dukes Cameron Indoor Stadium stands above as the loudest and most turbulent environment to play. Theres a reasonable chance this arena will move into the top 25 if the Cavs keep up their spot near the top of the ACC. . On its surface it sounds more like a U Masss Blue Wall Cafe, just a benign hangout to get a morning bagel. 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. I know the name changed. San Jose State's Provident Credit Union Event Center: When you can count the actual attendance by hand, you know the atmosphere leaves something lacking. I think we all knew what the top two would be, and rightfully so. Michigan State during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in West Lafayette, Ind., Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021 . What is the largest college basketball arena? New Mexico has taken a step back in recent years after making four of five NCAA tournaments from 2010 to 14, but opponents would never be wise to underestimate The Pit. As if Gonzaga didn't need any more of an advantage, the student section's close proximity to the court and the building's overall cozy atmosphere continue to make playing there a daunting challenge for the opposition. 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. Many fans have complained about the quality of the arena, but thats for a separate discussion. Top 5 Loudest CBB Arenas? Without question, the Peterson Events Center has the capacity to be one of the loudest arenas in the nation, in large part thanks to the Oakland Zoo student section. Hinkle Fieldhouse (Butler) You know a team of this sort is loud when a noted college basketball announcer says it's every bit as loud as an ACC arena. From 2005 to 2018, Kansas won every single Big 12 regular season title, and while its teams are usually very good, the fans also cultivate a difficult environment for opposing teams to handle. It opened in 2004, several decades later than the majority of arenas to crack this top 25. The Carrier Dome is a domed arena on the campus of Syracuse University, home to the Syracuse Orange football, basketball and lacrosse teams. 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. But is it a tough section to play in front of? 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. Theres a reason they say, Pay Heed, All Who Enter: Beware of the Phog, because Allen Fieldhouse is loud. Cameron Indoor Stadium, Durham, North Carolina. When Gonzaga played at North Carolina last season, members of the school's athletic department made the trip to see one of college basketball's great facilities up close. The Lobos have won a whopping 732 home games since the arenas opening in 1966, with their fans making it a daunting place to play. Sorry about the shaking.i was a little excited. The Razorbacks are celebrating the 25th season of basketball at their arena named after Walmart's co-founder. In a video released by NCAA.com, it says. The arena is named after Dr. Forrest C. "Phog" Allen, a former player and head coach of 39 years for the Jayhawks. The last few years havent been what Arizona would have preferred, but the atmosphere at the McKale Center remains one of the best in college basketball. The results appear in the magazine's Nov. 15 issue, which is available on newsstands. I graduated with a journalism degree from the University of Maryland in 2017, co-founding The Left Bench and spending time at The Columbus Dispatch, USA Today and San Antonio Express-News. Not many venues can claim they play in a dome, but thats what the Syracuse Orange do. Kentucky isnt just a passionate fan base, its kind of rabid, and thats no insult. Indiana has won five NCAA Championships in men's basketball (1940, 1953, 1976, 1981, 1987). Former Kentucky guard John Wall elicited a 110.1 when he returned in 2011. Kentucky has won 89.5% of its all-time games at Rupp and has only lost eight of the 132 games it has played there under John Calipari, to give you an idea of just how much of a home court advantage the Wildcats enjoy. Big Game Boomer . 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. Home Team. Cameron Indoor Stadium The loudest arena in college basketball has given the Duke Blue Devils the best home-court advantage for more than a decade. I can think of several games Ive watched at this arena over the years that felt like my TV was vibrating. Add in that people in Kansas really, really, really care about college basketball, and then also add in the aura and legend of Allen Fieldhouse, and you begin to understand why opponents must beware of the Phog. 1. O'Connell Center, Florida 6. I believe that a home crowd can make a difference in a game it takes a player on the court to hit a shot and a coach on the sideline to call the play, but the fans at Kansas have won games for their team on many occasions. The bar is high to reach the top 25. College basketball is a special sport, and the atmospheres across the country take credit for a good deal of that. How much better does it get? But its still one of the premier crowds in the country for now. College basketball arenas, both big and small, make for some of the best atmospheres in sports thanks to eccentric student sections, unique venues and never-ending tradition. It might not have the historical value or intimacy of its rival down Tobacco Road, but the "Dean Dome" can hang with any other in the game in terms of noise or intimidating the opponent. From signs to body paint to shaking their hands in coordination at opposing players inbounding the ball, Duke clearly has one of the best student sections in the country, and by extension have one of the best atmospheres as well. Jan 14, 2020. The same goes for the University of Kansas, who recently won the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship in 2008. The Pit is SO LOUD. Hinkle Fieldhouse 6. With the largest student section in the country at 7,800 seats, Assembly Hall is far from a friendly site for opponents when its rocking. McCarthey Athletic Center - Gonzaga 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. Under Coach Bill Self, the Jayhawks have had multiple home . I was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, and have loved basketball for as long as I can remember. Known as one of the "best, loudest, and most intimidating" stadiums in college football, upwards of 92,000 people can fill the seats to watch the action between the hedges. 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. Thanks to a devoted student section that seats about 4,000, the noise level can be an issue for the opposition. Thats quite a lot of people who can pack inside the Domes doors and scream obscenities at opposing players and coaches. Just ask Jimmy Chitwood. With March Madness approaching, here's a look at some of the loudest college arenas in the NCAA: 10. The Wildcats are a perennial national power. 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. In a more formal test of how loud Cyclones fans can get, they measured a 109 reading. 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." Rupp Arena- University of Kentucky 1. We also have 10 times the population as we did during Tark's heyday. I can remember watching many Arizona home games over the years where the crowd was absolutely out of its mind, with Derrick Williams game-saving block against Washington in 2011 the first example I think of. Some are steeped in tradition, while others offer modern-day amenities but still remain a pain for the opposition. Sports' Jeff Eisenberg, former Wake Forest star Ish Smith said: I know people will automatically say Cameron and we never won in Cameron, but Cameron was fun to play in. Opponents can attest to the fact that the arena seems smaller and more intimidating when all 19,300-plus seats are filled. 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. How loud does it get in The Phog? Always free! If youve never watched a game at GCU Arena before, you owe it to yourself to do so as soon as possible. src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=674090812743125&ev=PageView&noscript=1"/>. So it's clear that playing at home can make a big difference in college hoops, especially when you have dedicated fans and can pack an arena. Up high are the season ticket holders, down low are the Smurfs, better knows as the Cameron Crazies. Its a cool setup, good atmosphere and the fans are involved constantly.. "The Barn" opened in 1928, and thanks to several renovations and upgrades over the years, it stillupholds the strong tradition of Golden Gophers basketball. It means every orange-clad, snow-loving student gets every chance to optimize the strength of his or her vocal cords. Thats why I have North Carolina this high. Unlike most of the buildings on this list, McCarthey Athletic Center isnt very old. Rupp opened in 1976 and has regularly seen crowds of over 24,000 during its 30 plus year history. Cameron Indoor Stadium, Duke 3. 1,000 percent. Since the Cintas Center opened in 2000, Xavier has been one of the most remarkably consistent programs in college hoops, missing the NCAA tournament only twice in that span. ESPN the Magazine recently asked engineers from Penn State's graduate acoustics program to help answer the question. Mackey is widely known as one of the best, loudest, college basketball arenas in the country, especially when the hated Hoosiers are in town. 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. Opened. Ask West Virginia, who was present on Feb. 13, 2017, when the 16,300 in attendance set the Guinness World Record for the loudest crowd roar at an indoor sporting event (130.4 decibels). 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). So yes, the midwest knows its noise. 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. 1. Thats Opeth, Lamb of God and Metallica territory. Memorial Gymnasium (Vanderbilt) 1 Tiger Stadium - LSU 2 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium - Florida 3 Arrowhead Stadium - Kansas City Chiefs 4 Ohio Stadium - Ohio State 5 Thats Metallica-concert loud, or just a shade below. Mackey Arena has a secret to its rowdiness that not many venues can in the NCAA tournament picture and, perhaps more importantly, The Pit is rocking again. The stadium itself is actually 37 feet below street level due to the fact that it was built on a mesa. After undergoing a $1 billion renovation in. Come on: "Hoosiers" was filmed here. 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. Bud Walton Arena (Arkansas) These two are clearly a cut above the rest and host some special atmospheres in the scheme of this sport.