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. This is a new-money type of atmosphere, but that doesnt make it any less imposing for visiting college basketball squads. 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. Stadium. MacKey Arena 9. McCarthey Athletic Center - Gonzaga The McCarthey Athletic Center is a 6,000-seat indoor. You dont know passion until youve heard thousands of people covered in red methodically spell out D-A-Y-TEEEE-O-O-O-O-N as loudly as they can enough times to the point where the song is still burned into your memory more than six years later. It opened in 1928 but does not show its age thanks to renovations and impeccable upkeep. Maybe baseballs sabermetricians should analyze how many wins certain home courts are worth. He missed one of the three free throws as the game went to overtime, where New Mexico prevailed. Nothing epitomizes the state of Indiana's love of basketball more than Butler's legendary fieldhouse. Opponents can attest to the fact that the arena seems smaller and more intimidating when all 19,300-plus seats are filled. 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. There's close to 6,000 students at Allen Fieldhousethree times more than Dukeand they've earned the title of loudest college arena. Their fans have also led the country in average attendance in each of the last three seasons. However, it still offers a somewhat intimate atmosphere near the court when filled. Theres a reason they say, Pay Heed, All Who Enter: Beware of the Phog, because Allen Fieldhouse is loud. Hinkle Fieldhouse 6. I was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, and have loved basketball for as long as I can remember. 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. Copyright 2023 YB Media, LLC. Are there times where Assembly Hall falls victim to older fans with money taking up the best seats and spending the entire game sitting down? Sure, Bramlage will be one of the hardest arenas you visit all season long if the Wildcats are in the midst of a good or great year, but even when theyre not tournament caliber, a crowd shows up and makes noise. College basketball is a special sport, and the atmospheres across the country take credit for a good deal of that. Id suspect that as the program continues to improve and remain among the elite in the SEC, Arkansas will find itself itching up this list. The placement of your student section is crucial to building a top atmosphere, and Michigan State has set itself up perfectly. Explore a new way to challenge real players on this multiplayer Basketball game! You have to respect a fanbase that has such a dedication to pure and unadulterated hatred for its enemy. The student section at men's basketball games, known as the Buckeye Nuthouse, is seated behind the team bench as well as behind the basket that the opponent shoots at during the second half, which allows them to be visible during television broadcasts. The arena seats 16,300 spectators and ESPN The Magazine referred to the stadium as the loudest for college basketball in the country. The Value City Arena is located on the campus of Ohio State University and is home to the Ohio State Buckeyes. The Aggies are ignited by that "Spectrum Magic," which has been responsible for only 18 non-conference home defeats since the 1996-97 season. Jan 12, 2023. If youre tasked with traveling to Rupp Arena, it will not be easy or pleasant. UNC is one of the most storied, successful programs in the sport, and the potential for an insane atmosphere is there when a situation calls for it. 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. 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. Opened in November 2004, the "Kennel". The Allen Fieldhouse, at the University of Kansas, is home to the Kansas Jayhawks men's and women's basketball teams. I imagine it gets much, much more deafening when IU is actually in the building. 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. In college basketball, going to an NCAA game is one of the most exhilarating experiences for a fan, and college campuses are where you are bound to find the loudest basketball arenas. Im nobody, but its 2021 and the internet is ubiquitous, so get ready for my opinion, world! And once the ball is tipped, theres not a louder college basketball arena in the country. 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. Any opposing team that steps into the arena in Ames, Iowa, has to deal with the looming threat of Hilton Magic, the belief that theres something extraperhaps even unexplainablethat joins with the fans to boost the Cyclones to victory at home. 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. Maryland has one of the nastiest, least-welcoming fanbases in the country. But when the Bulldogs have a marquee game in the building, theres nothing welcoming about the environment. On top of that, there are no air conditioning units in the building, no white-noise humming in the background. 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. Opened in 1989, the mayflower shaped . With the smaller size and acoustics in Hinkle mean the screaming fans, particularly the students, are magnified even more. You could argue for Duke or Kansas to be in this spot, but you have no argument for anyone else. It provides a solid combination of comfort and intimacy, which makes for quality basketball viewing. Gallagher-Iba Arena, Oklahoma State 10. Really, were all in agreement here; Maryland fans are obscenely obnoxious, and they wouldnt want it any other way. 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. The Jack Breslin Student Events Center is a 16,280-capacity venue that is home to the Michigan State Spartans men's and women's basketball teams. 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. Their Allen Fieldhouse has been helping them with the home-court advantage since 1955 and continues to be one of the best in the country for college hoops. Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Best Big Ten Basketball Rivalries Right Now, This article was originally published on Fivestar News, more than 11,000 seats larger than the second-largest arena in the sport, they dont care if they need binoculars to see the ball from their seats. The location of the student section, called The Izzone, is absolutely prime. Thats about as loud as Rupp Arena gets, which is still pretty darn loud. 311. Gonzaga's new "Kennel" opened in 2004. The indoor basketball venue holds 17,222 seats and also houses the largest student section in the country at 7,800 seats. Assembly Hall 4. Watch popular content from the following creators: Live life To The Fullest(@ballisendless), Live life To The Fullest(@ballisendless), cbbcr3(@cbbcr3), cameronhellgeth(@cameronhellgeth), Ryan Hammer(@ryanhammer9), cameronhellgeth(@cameronhellgeth), Caroline(@cmakauskas), Cooper Deck(@cooperdeck . Allen Fieldhouse- Kansas 3.Oconnel Center- Florida 2. Rupp Arena- University of Kentucky 1. Named after famed Kentucky coach Adolph Rupp, the home of the Wildcats is one of the most recognizable arenas in all of sports. Students are placed behind both baskets, occupying a large chunk of the space around the court, meaning their spirited chants and curses can be heard and felt intimately by opposing players on the floor. McKale Memorial Center 14. Here are the loudest basketball arenas in the NCAA, 8. Finneran Pavilion (Villanova) That makes Duke tough and loud, but not the toughest and loudest (though one man likened the crowd to that of a jet engine). Though the Antelopes jumped to DI in 2013, theyve established themselves as one of the top mid-major programs on the rise, especially after reaching their first NCAA Tournament in 2021. 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. 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. 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. 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. Duke hasn't lost a non-conference game at Cameron Indoor. Rated 5 / 5. 1.1M. Good run. The Carrier Dome is a domed arena on the campus of Syracuse University, home to the Syracuse Orange football, basketball and lacrosse teams. 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. How loud does it get in The Phog? Ushers and concession employees are fabulous. 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. The fearsome and historic Cameron Indoor, which opened way back in 1940, earns the top spot on our list. The atmosphere at the Spectrum isnt what it was in the 2000s, and for that it just barely misses out on my top 25. As UVA has been a national and regional contender, the students have been bringing their A-game, and its made a difference. The student section, The eRUPPtion Zone, is one of the best ones in the country if only it werent relegated to a few sections behind one basket and a few more sections up in the rafters. If your teams arena didnt make this list, it doesnt mean your atmosphere is bad. The Palestra 7. Charles Koch Arena (Wichita State) Former Kentucky guard John Wall elicited a 110.1 when he returned in 2011. The Blue Devils are ranked fourth all-time in wins of any NCAA mens basketball program and the Cameron Indoor Stadium fans never let you forget it. ESPN The Magazine's Loudest Arenas 1. Cameron Indoor Stadium, Durham, North Carolina. Dayton's home arena is not flashy, but it's the place where the madness of March officially begins with the First Four. This is definitely a bucket-list arena for hardcore college basketball lovers. WVUs fanbase fiercely backs its athletics, and mens basketball is one of its favorites. A loud crowd makes any sporting event better, so here's our list of the top 25 loudest stadiums.Arrowhead Stadium holds the record for the loudest stadium having recorded a noise level of 142.2 decibels. The Rock, Chalk, chant provides aneerie calm before the deafeningstorm. Some are steeped in tradition, while others offer modern-day amenities but still remain a pain for the opposition. Dash and steal the ball from your opponent in head-to-head matches! UNM Arena, New Mexico 5. All Rights Reserved. Conference affiliations reflect those in the current 2022-23 season; all affiliation changes officially took effect on July 1, 2022. It's consistently one of the most well-attended arenas in the Pac-12, and why not? It opened in 1938 and underwent a major renovation in 2001. The Show, the San Diego State student section, is one of the most creative in the country. They put the "wild" in Wildcats. Jan 14, 2020. Great sightlines. 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. For big games especially, Rupp can get very, very loud. As if playing a possible two-platoon Wildcat team isnt intimidating enough, the fans in Lexington bring the noise. The following is a list of German indoor arenas for handball games. "The World's Most Famous Arena" has been a college basketball staple for decades. Good luck inbounding the ball with dozens of blue extended wiggling fingers casting a hex on you. It might offend some Kentucky fans to see me ranking them outside of the top five, and they might have a point. The fact is, Syracuse fans love the Orange so much, they dont care if they need binoculars to see the ball from their seats; theyll show up anyway. Big Ten Basketball Arenas, Ranked Before I go further, let's outline the criteria I'm using for these very definitive rankings: atmosphere, home-court advantage, banners, history, and name. Memorial Gym, Vanderbilt 10. 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. Opened in 1971, the arena has seen great success over the years, including 576 Indiana wins that power an .834 winning percentage. 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. Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall opened as Assembly Hall during the 1971-72 season is one of the most notorious arenas in basketball. X dont play. These two are clearly a cut above the rest and host some special atmospheres in the scheme of this sport. Georgia's Sanford Stadium is home to electrifying fans and a great atmosphere. KFC Yum! I've been to Indiana, Minnesota, Purdue, Arizona and around the country. Images. This is a list of arenas that currently serve as the home venue for NCAA Division I college basketball teams. Xfinity Center (Maryland). Carrier Dome 12. 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. for the loudest crowd roar at an indoor sporting event (130.4 decibels). 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. Also, the name sucks, and corporate staleness is not good for college basketball. Big Game Boomer @BigGameBoomer . Sorry about the shaking.i was a little excited. upholds the strong tradition of Golden Gophers basketball. The students, who are given 10 of the arenas 26 sections, especially feel compelled to ensure everyone in the area knows that IU sucks, regardless of whether or not IU is in the building. When it opened in September 1980, it was famously nicknamed, "The Loud House.". The University of Pennsylvania dubs the grand room as the "most storied gymnasium in the history of collegiate athletics." Nope, the Blue Wall doesnt have the Izzone. For those in journalism (ahem) who know that newspapers are dead, the Izzone is a refreshing bout of paper-in-hand newsprint, even if it is simply to mock. Kentucky Wildcats: Rupp Arena, opened in 1976 The downtown arena holds around 23,5000, and there is rarely a time when Rupp isn't at capacity these days. The Pit is aptly known, with its court settled 37 feet below street level. No matter if its blatantly obvious that the call is correct, Iowa State fans will boo it and boo it with purpose if it goes against their Cyclones. Opened in November 2004, the Kennel is the smallest arena on this list, but its atmosphere has made Gonzaga one of the most successful programs at home. One of The Pits legendary moments came back in 2010, when San Diego States D.J. Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion 11. And for that reason, the atmosphere at Rupp Arena is worthy of a very high place in the pecking order. Rutgers' basketball arena was originally titled the Rutgers Athletic Center (RAC) when it opened in 1977. Bramlage Coliseum, Kansas State 8. 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. The MAC, or even more commonly, The Kennel, is even smaller than Cameron Indoor, with a capacity of only 6,000. 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? Then you come into the arena, and the depth of it is so magnified because its such an open space youre not used to playing in something like that and thats when they get you. 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 . Rupp Arena, Kentucky Size matters in Kentucky. The arena is the home venue for the University of Arizona Wildcats' men's and women's basketball teams. src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=674090812743125&ev=PageView&noscript=1"/>. The crowd is loud. 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 is loud, so much so that it agitates the marrow buried deep within. The aluminum ceiling contains the loud cheering of student fans and adds to the unique character of Mackey Arena. The Pit - Dreamstyle Arena 13. The Carrier Dome is one of the most unique settings in college basketballand, because it doubles as a gridiron, in football as well. Unlike other traditional blue blood programs, Duke has rather small arena with 9,314 seats. I've been to Duke. 6,390. It's also been a quality home for the team to thrive in. There is zero controversy in saying this ACC fans will chase you down a long, busy hallway for no reason other than to make sure you know that College Park is hell on earth and Terps fans are the scum of humanity, you know, for your own safety. Who has the loudest student section? Since 1928, Hinkle Fieldhouse has been at the center of it all and was named as a National Historic Landmark in 1987. Its capacity is 6,000, and Zags fans pack it constantly. 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.". 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. The Cyclone faithful are a dedicated bunch that pack the 14,384-seat arena and are worthy of rounding out our top 10. 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. Thanks to a devoted student section that seats about 4,000, the noise level can be an issue for the opposition. Come on.thats ridiculous. When Cody Zeller made a key steal against Michigan State, Assembly Hall earned a 115.3 dB reading. The results appear in the magazine's Nov. 15 issue, which is available on newsstands. 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. WVU Coliseum is rather unpleasant for visiting teams, and thats something I am very sure the fans who pack the building are proud of. In 2017-18, the Musketeers set a single-season home record with 17 victories. This is my list, and in my world, its The Pit. It makes it the largest arena in the country that is used only for indoor sports, and when you combine that with the success of the Wildcats you get a nightly crowd thats always ready to rock. I dont know if people who arent familiar with Cincinnati and the general region, but basketball, particularly college basketball, is EXTREMELY important. I remember getting to the line and it was so loud my ears started to hurt, and I think for a split second I lost my focus, Gay would later say of his miss. The bar is high to reach the top 25. 1. When filled to capacity of more than 10,000, the noise level surrounds the floor, leaving little room to escape for the opposition. Bruce Waynes not climbing out of this pit. Dean E. Smith Center (North Carolina) (The team's 150-game non-conference home winning streak was ended earlier this season with a loss to Stephen F. Austin). 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. 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. Its twice the size as Cameron [Indoor Stadium] with three times the students sitting courtside. 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. 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. With March Madness approaching, here's a look at some of the loudest college arenas in the NCAA: 10. But the potential is still there, and Utah State is still one of the toughest places to play in the Mountain West. "The Phog" or "The Cathedral of Basketball," as it is affectionately called, was opened on March 1, 1955 and now holds 17,000 people. Many sell-out arenas will average about the same noise level, but vitriol adds an extra slice to the tympanic membrane, and now they take that venom from the ACC to the Big 10. The Aggies finished 13-5 at home a year ago and much of that can be credited to this loud and verbally abusive venue. Prepare for adrenaline-pumped moments! The place can be downright deafening when the Hoosiers are on their game. The Musketeers boast one of the nicer and more multifunctional venues in the college game. 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. The Crazies were issued a gag order of sorts as they were told from the powers that be to clean up the chants. 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. Capacity. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. State. David Aldridge writes on Duke Report.com: The Crazies have become known as one of the most clever student sections in sports, but I think many guys come into the arena looking forward to hearing what theyll come up with. Utah State has an Oakland Raider mentality without the knives and guns. 3. Who's got the loudest college basketball arena in the country? UD Arena gets decent crowds for NCAA Tournament games, but its on another level when the Flyers are playing. According to the school, no arena in the country has hosted more NCAA Tournament gamesthan UD's 125. From 1928 until 1950, Hinkle was the biggest college hoops arena in the country; after a 1950 renovation (and a name change), Williams Arena became the largest -- a title it held until 1971. He's also tied for second on the team in scoring, averaging 10.7 points, while leading the team and ranking in the SEC's top 5 in steals. Fans are often seen using paint and props to create crazy energy in the stands, along with bouncing in unison in the same, or different, directions. Up high are the season ticket holders, down low are the Smurfs, better knows as the Cameron Crazies. Screaming, because Kansas fans once hit 122 on the decibel thingamajig. 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. Shows how loud assembly hall can get. The second closest program is Kansas State, with their duo of Fort Snyder and. 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. Since Xavier began play there in 2000-01, it's won more than 250 games in the building. Its a cool setup, good atmosphere and the fans are involved constantly.. The Spartans have won 86.9% of their home games since the arena opened in 1989, as the fans in East Lansing have given a team that is annually among the sports elites a further advantage. 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. Its first game pitted Iba's Oklahoma A&M (the school's name at the time) squad against Kansas, coached by Phog Allen. 14 Petersen Events Center;. 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. 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.