This is my list, and in my world, its The Pit. As Virginia has improved under Tony Bennett, so too has the atmosphere at John Paul Jones Arena. Prepare for adrenaline-pumped moments! All that said, the biggest reason Kansas State is here for me is because of how it gets up for the Kansas game, which has made that contest a must-see and something I look forward to every year. A loud court makes it impossible to communicate. But you wont find many arenas in this sport with a better atmosphere at its best. The arena seats 16,300 spectators and ESPN The Magazine referred to the stadium as the loudest for college basketball in the country. The cushioned seating is a nice touch while still not taking away from the intense atmosphere that's usually associated with Cyclones basketball. However, the Cameron Crazies make it one of the loudest and most intimidating places to play in college basketball. In a video released by NCAA.com, it says. 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. But as Oklahoma State basketball has suffered, Oklahoma State football has produced, and Cowboys fans have understandably shifting their focus further to the gridiron. And for that reason, the atmosphere at Rupp Arena is worthy of a very high place in the pecking order. Maybe baseballs sabermetricians should analyze how many wins certain home courts are worth. That's what makes it special and that's why players hate playing there. But quality college basketball arenas are not exclusive to only the elite teams. You have to respect a fanbase that has such a dedication to pure and unadulterated hatred for its enemy. A few years ago, Im not sure Arkansas would have made this list. Jan 14, 2020. With a seating capacity of 23,500, it's the largest off-campus home for a Division I team in the country. But the potential is still there, and if Pitt improves in the near future, it will be much higher on this list in a few years. Unlike other traditional blue blood programs, Duke has rather small arena with 9,314 seats. 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. The Cats have led the nation in . With arguably the most passionate fans in college . Mackey Arena is also one of the loudest college basketball arenas in the country. In a video released by NCAA.com, it says, It's twice the. The stadium itself is actually 37 feet below street level due to the fact that it was built on a mesa. Wichita State has a hidden gem of an atmosphere. Back in 2012, Nebraskas Brandon Ubel made specific mention of Michigan States Breslin Student Events Center. 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. Officially the world's largest by capacity, Pyongyang, North Korea's Rungrado 1st of May Stadium takes top spot. 1,000 percent. 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. There might not be a better experience for a sports fan than catching a college basketball game at a campus arena. Thats about as loud as Rupp Arena gets, which is still pretty darn loud. Hoosier fans can dial it up. For big games especially, Rupp can get very, very loud. The same goes for the University of Kansas, who recently won the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship in 2008. We have the VGK and Raiders (who themselves would hardly ever play at the same time as a UNLV hoops game), whoo hoo. For the unbiased college basketball fan, it's a bucket list item, even to see it empty. The Wildcats are a perennial national power. The Aggies finished 13-5 at home a year ago and much of that can be credited to this loud and verbally abusive venue. Bud Walton Arena (Arkansas) Under Coach Bill Self, the Jayhawks have had multiple home . City. Rated 5 / 5. 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. Its been a long time since this allegedly happened36 years to be exactbut if it did happen then Oklahoma States Gallagher-IBA Arena is boss. WVUs fanbase fiercely backs its athletics, and mens basketball is one of its favorites. 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. It is currently the largest arena by seating capacity in the Big Ten Conference, with 19,049 seats, which is reduced to 18,809 for Ohio State men's basketball games. The Pit is aptly known, with its court settled 37 feet below street level. ESPN the Magazine recently asked engineers from Penn State's graduate acoustics program to help answer the question. 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. 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. While the stadium may hold far less than its competitors, the electric atmosphere brings them high on the list. Gallagher-Iba Arena, Oklahoma State 10. 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. The following courts are the loudest, biggest, baddest, meanest venues to visit. 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. All rights reserved. Considered one of the rowdiest places to watch college basketball, Oklahoma State's arena is named for two of the school's greats: basketball coach Henry Iba and legendary wrestling coach Hank Gallagher. Opponents can attest to the fact that the arena seems smaller and more intimidating when all 19,300-plus seats are filled. The Rock, Chalk, chant provides aneerie calm before the deafeningstorm. 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. Conference affiliations reflect those in the current 2022-23 season; all affiliation changes officially took effect on July 1, 2022. Dean Smith Center 5. The aluminum ceiling contains the loud cheering of student fans and adds to the unique character of Mackey Arena. Good run. Rank Arena Team Capacity Opened; 1: Rupp Arena: Kentucky: 23,500: 1976: 2: Thompson-Boling Arena 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. I dont care if The Pit isnt the official name of New Mexicos basketball arena. ESPN The Magazine's Loudest Arenas 1. There's close to 6,000 students at Allen Fieldhousethree times more than Dukeand they've earned the title of loudest college 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. nd tht s the loudest I've ever heard it. I dont know if people who arent familiar with Cincinnati and the general region, but basketball, particularly college basketball, is EXTREMELY important. Georgia's Sanford Stadium is home to electrifying fans and a great atmosphere. 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. It means every orange-clad, snow-loving student gets every chance to optimize the strength of his or her vocal cords. Also known as The Barn, Minnesotas Williams Arena is one of the most unique in the sport. 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. 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. McKale Memorial Center (Arizona) And once the ball is tipped, theres not a louder college basketball arena in the country. However, it still offers a somewhat intimate atmosphere near the court when filled. 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. It opened in 1938 and underwent a major renovation in 2001. Retweets. The arena is named after Dr. Forrest C. "Phog" Allen, a former player and head coach of 39 years for the Jayhawks. 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 . 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. The airlock doors Thats how they get you first. What is the loudest college basketball arena? It opened in 2004, several decades later than the majority of arenas to crack this top 25. Sure, they lull you to sleep with the Rock Chalk Jayhawk chant, but dont let that fool you. Fans sit in a hole in the ground literally which makes even the farthest-away seats feel relatively close to the court. 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. Shockers fans are riotous about their team and are constantly filling their roughly 10,000-seat gym to the rafters. 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. Their fans have also led the country in average attendance in each of the last three seasons. 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. It was the final conference game between the Blue Devils and the Tar Heels. 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. Petersen Events Center (Pittsburgh) It also helps that the Blue Devils are among the best in the land every season. 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. #newmexico #lobos #thepit #basketball". With March Madness approaching, here's a look at some of the loudest college arenas in the NCAA: 10. 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 following is a list of German indoor arenas for handball games. But the potential is still there, and Utah State is still one of the toughest places to play in the Mountain West. 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. 2018-2021 All Rights Reserved Nothing But Nylon is powered by, News & gear by players, for players Powered by. Its first game pitted Iba's Oklahoma A&M (the school's name at the time) squad against Kansas, coached by Phog Allen. 486. Cameron Indoor Stadium (Duke Blue Devils) Home Record Since 2000: 284-22 (.928) Advertisement. 8: Kentucky (Rupp Arena) It might offend some Kentucky fans to see me ranking them outside of the top five, and they might have a point. Xavier fans are ferociously dedicated to their Musketeers, and their dedication to the program is part of why it has risen up to the Big East. How much better does it get? Come on: "Hoosiers" was filmed here. 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. 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). Rupp Arena- University of Kentucky 1. The students are given almost every section nearest to the court, which is a prime setup to surround the opposing team. The United Center has the highest capacity of any current NBA . 3. 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. Cameron Indoor Stadium 3. So I'd have to say Maryland. 2023 ABG-SI LLC. Im sure some will say this top-10 placement is based on bias, which Im willing to give some credence to. Ive watched too many games at the Dean Dome and heard the shoes squeak for me to put it in the top 10. 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. 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. During the Big 8 Conference finals, former OKU wrestling coach Myron Roderick said, "It got s loud, lot f the lights busted n Gallagher. Enter the Iowa State Cyclones. That adds to the atmosphere, which the fans complete. 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. 5. They know how loud those can be. The Carrier Dome is one of the most unique settings in college basketballand, because it doubles as a gridiron, in football as well. 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. 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. Zeigler is leading the Southeastern Conference in assists, averaging 5.4 per game. The arena is the home venue for the University of Arizona Wildcats' men's and women's basketball teams. 132 Likes, TikTok video from Heath Adams (@thecybermentor): "The Pit in NM is one of the loudest college basketball stadiums in the country. 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. Its like playing basketball at Boeings jet-engine testing facility. Take the late Rick Majerus, who coached all over the country, lastly at St. Louis. The Allen Fieldhouse, at the University of Kansas, is home to the Kansas Jayhawks men's and women's basketball teams. 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.