What are the best college basketball courts of all time? Where can one find the best basketball courts to watch games?
Hang on there, all these queries will be answered in this article.
If you are a fan of college basketball, then you are probably familiar with the March Madness tournament and the sound of noisy student sections loudly chanting for their teams.
Not only do the spectators inspire the teams they are rooting for to leave all they have on the court, but they also foster a sense of togetherness, which is especially important when a team is competing on their home field.
In point of fact, for many of the best basketball programs in the United States, the school’s team is inextricably linked to its home court, which conjures up mental pictures of flawless, and the loud buzz of a clock that has run out of time.
So, stay with us as we carefully highlight to you the best basketball courts to watch games.
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What Are The Best Basketball Courts Of All Time?
Here is the list of the show best basketball courts of all time:
#1. California in Haas Pavilion
On our first list of the best college basketball courts of all time is the California pavilion.
It first opened its doors in 1933 and later became famous as the Harmon Gym, but in the late 1990s, it had a significant makeover that changed almost everything inside, except for the walls.
It was here in 1990 that the infamous “Cake Incident” occurred, in which Oski, the mascot for the University of California, flung a frosted cake into the section of fans screaming for Oregon State, and the cake landed on the head of Gary Payton’s father.
Regarding Haas, Bilas said, “It’s a lot prettier when they upgraded it. The Haas Pavilion doubles as a gym, complete with retractable bleachers.
It’s a legit fitness center. That location was rad, to say the least. That turned out to be one of the better locations for our GameDay festivities.
We were initially worried that people wouldn’t show up to GameDay because they had to wake up at 0:30 in the morning to get there, but they packed the place out.
It is one of the best college basketball courts to watch games.
Capacity: 11,858
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#2. UMKC in Municipal Auditorium
Another one of the best college basketball courts of all time is the UMKC Auditorium.
Franklin D. Roosevelt was the keynote speaker on the day of the dedication of the building in 1936.
That is something that can’t be said about many other arenas. And none of them can boast that they’ve played host to all nine Final Fours or even three of the first four.
The most recent one was in 1964, and it was the first national championship that this intellectual-looking guy with spectacles named John Wooden won.
An interesting fact about the Municipal Auditorium is that basketball was not always the primary focus when it was built.
It was designed to provide Kansas City with a civic center that could be used for a variety of purposes, from music to theater.
When the circus first came to town, the ceiling was originally 92 feet high, in part so that there would be enough area for trapeze artists.
However, Darryl Dawkins of the Philadelphia 76ers received more press coverage than any other circus ever could have when, while playing for the Kansas City Kings in 1979, he dunked the ball so hard that he broke the backboard at the Municipal Auditorium.
There was glass in every direction you looked. It is also one of the best college basketball courts to watch games.
Capacity: 10,700
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#3. Yale in Payne Whitney Gymnasium
You take a quick peek at the location, which is nine stories tall and has the appearance of an old church, and you find yourself wondering.
You play basketball in this place, right? Since 1932, they have done so in a structure that was designed by the same individual who was responsible for the Jefferson Memorial.
In its original configuration, it featured 4,000 lockers, two swimming pools, 28 squash courts, a practice room for polo equipped with a wooden horse, a fencing studio, tanks for rowing crews, and a space where individuals could concentrate on improving their posture.
Before the institution allowed female students, the male students even had access to a pool where they could swim naked.
Handsome Dan, the first bulldog to represent Yale, has been preserved and is now on display in a trophy case.
It has been known for the basketball arena to reach extremely high decibel levels; in fact, Harvard once attempted to take a timeout in the hallway so that the players could hear it better.
It is among the best college basketball courts of all time.
Capacity: 2532
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#4. Minnesota in Williams Arena
Another one of the best college basketball courts of all time is Williams arena.
The Barn, as it is known to its patrons. Since it was built in 1928, this has pretty much always been the case.
The raised floor is the most well-known aspect of the arena, and it is responsible for the fact that teams sit below court level.
As a result, their eyes are approximately at knee level with any player in the game.
In the past, the head coach of the Wisconsin Badgers, Bo Ryan, gave his team drills in which they would dive off the floor after loose balls to simulate what kind of fall they would experience.
In 1972, a fight broke out during a game between the University of Minnesota and Ohio State at Williams, which is considered to be one of the sport’s most infamous moments.
The images of a bleeding Buckeye center named Luke Witte, who spent some time in intensive care, showed up on the pages of newspapers and magazines all over the world, and two Gophers were suspended for the remainder of the season.
Capacity: 14,625
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#5. Northeastern in Matthews Arena
Mathews arena is also one of the show best college basketball courts to watch games.
The original, which first opened in 1910, two years before the Titanic, was the granddaddy of them all.
There, Jack Dempsey engaged in combat. During his time with the Boston Red Sox, Babe Ruth spent his offseasons playing hockey and working out with the team.
There were campaign stops made thereby both Teddy Roosevelt and Franklin Roosevelt. There, both the NHL’s Boston Bruins and the NBA’s Boston Celtics played their very first home games.
It was the setting for memorial services honoring Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart, as well as the funeral for Reggie Lewis.
The graduation ceremony saw the awarding of an honorary degree to hockey great Bobby Orr.
It has endured more than a century as well as two separate fires. And it continues to exist today through Northeastern’s basketball and hockey programs.
Capacity: 5,066
#6. Oklahoma State in Gallagher-Iba Arena
It first opened its doors in 1938 under the name 4-H Club and Student Activity Building and featured a white maple basketball floor that was the priciest of its kind anywhere in the nation at the time.
After a gazillion dribbles, the court surface is still there, making it the oldest court in college basketball that is still in use.
Regarding Gallagher-Iba, Bilas stated, “It reminds me a lot of Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Gallagher-Iba system is set up in the same manner.
There is not a great deal of room on the sidelines.
The only available real estate is in the end zones and higher. It’s very similar to Cameron, assuming they had built another deck.
It also ranks among the best college basketball courts to watch games.
Capacity: 13,611
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#7. Penn in the Palestra
When they were building the arena, someone had the brilliant notion of consulting a Greek professor for a suggestion on what they should call it. Bingo.
The name “Palestra” originates from ancient Greek and refers to a sport-related enclosure in the shape of a rectangle. Since 1927, the name has remained, and even grown in popularity.
The closeness of the quarters, the air of antiquity, and the volume of the reverberations from the past. Nothing missing.
There isn’t just any old gymnasium that can be called the Cathedral of College Basketball.
Pictures of famous athletes who have played at the arena are displayed on the concourse walls.
These athletes include Wilt Chamberlain and Kobe Bryant when they were in high school in Philadelphia.
In the inaugural game ever played for the NCAA Tournament, which took place in 1939 between Villanova and Brown at the Palestra, Villanova came out on top with a 42-30 victory.
The coaches almost treat it like a sacred ritual. When the San Antonio Spurs were in Philadelphia to face the 76ers, head coach Gregg Popovich made sure to take his team to practice at the 76ers’ facility.
Tom Izzo wanted the Palestra to know he was sorry for Michigan State’s poor performance, which led to the team’s loss to Penn State in the building during the previous season.
He said, “My apologies to this magnificent facility.”
And to think that the Cathedral of College Basketball was once a Navy mess hall back when World War II was going on.
Regarding the Palestra, Bilas stated, “I played there and I’ve done games there as a broadcaster and to me, that’s the same as Wrigley Field.”
It’s a great area that just kind of oozes history, and it’s traditional Philadelphia all the way through and through. When I was competing there.
Back then, people were allowed to smoke even inside their homes. It also ranks among the best college basketball courts of all time.
Capacity: 8,722
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#8. Butler in Hinkle Fieldhouse
This court has a height of five floors and a surface area of 2.2 acres, and the basketball-crazed state of Indiana reveres every square foot of it as holy ground.
During a self-guided tour, you have the option to walk the ramps and pause at each sign to reflect on a different historical event.
The aura can be perceived most clearly during the day when the sun is shining through the windows that are located on the roof.
Butler has crammed its Fieldhouse full of memories, from the Cinderella Final Four teams of 2010-11 to the man whose name is on the arena: Tony Hinkle, who coached there for his whole career and was the one who came up with the concept of making basketballs orange.
But the high school basketball tournament is what made it a state treasure, and it was the reason they built it to be so astonishingly large in the first place.
In other words, the tournament is what made it a state treasure. In 1928, Butler University didn’t require almost 15,000 seats for its basketball game, but the Indiana state tournament did.
After a skinny kid named Bobby Plump secured a title for small-town Milan with a shot that will never die, Oscar Robertson grew up not too far away and won two state championships there.
This was just after a skinny kid named Bobby Plump secured a title for small-town Milan with a shot that will never die.
You may be familiar with it as the narrative that was adapted into the film “Hoosiers,” which you may have seen. The main moments of the film were captured on-site in Hinkle.
Bilas on Hinkle Fieldhouse: “Hinkle is like playing in the 50s. It’s reminiscent of the locker room at a famous old golf club.
Even though everything is spotless and flawless, you can tell that everything has been there for a very long time.
The song “Hoosiers” immediately starts playing in your head the moment you step foot inside.
It’s been around for a long time. It’s like coming into one of those locker rooms from when you were in elementary school.
Even if it’s not fresh and cutting-edge, it nailed it.
Capacity: 9,100
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#9. Duke in Cameron Indoor Stadium
The building didn’t open until 1940, a few short months after James Naismith had passed away.
But he saw it being built, and no list of legendary college stadiums would be complete without Cameron. No.
Extremists among the crowd. Tents in the Krzyzewskiville area. 428 straight sold-out performances with 9,314 in attendance.
The 139-game unbeaten streak versus opponents from other conferences dates back to the year 2000.
The crowd was so close to the court that the noise and atmosphere were loud enough to use as an extra offensive player during a fast break.
The story goes that in 1935, basketball fans Eddie Cameron and Wallace Wade drew a basketball arena in a book of matches.
This may or may not be true. That’s almost too good to be true, but then again, this is Cameron we’re talking about. Almost every detail of its history defies belief.
The Duke squad wasn’t even necessary for the miracle to occur.
As a nod to his time coaching high school basketball in Indiana, North Carolina State head coach Everett Case had his team cut down the nets after they defeated North Carolina in the 1947 Southern Conference championship game in Cameron.
A new tradition was established for the first time it has ever occurred at a college game.
“You’ve got a vibe when you go in there that you can’t define,” Bilas said of Cameron, Duke’s home court.
Wired internet is available in the structure. It feels solid in the hand. Many legendary players and coaches have passed through its halls.
The place is noisy, cramped, and hot despite the air conditioning. It’s one-of-a-kind in every respect. This location exudes special energy that can’t be found anywhere else.
Cameron Indoor Stadium and Allen Fieldhouse are, in my opinion, the two finest arenas for basketball in which I have ever set foot.
By the way, Allen Fieldhouse at the University of Kansas first welcomed fans on November 5, 1955.
It’s one of the sport’s most recognizable landmarks, yet it’s still too new to cut.
These 15 old timers are an invaluable part of the game since they each have their unique manner of keeping history alive.
Capacity: 9,314
#10. Allen Fieldhouse
This venue, which first opened its doors in 1955 and is commonly referred to as “the Phog,” is the arena in which the University of Kansas Jayhawks play their home games.
Dr. Forrest C. “Phog” Allen, a former player and head coach for the Jayhawks for a combined total of 39 years, was honored with the naming of the arena.
ESPN The Magazine referred to the arena as the stadium with the loudest atmosphere for college basketball in the country, and the arena has seating for 16,300 spectators.
One of the most significant home court advantages in men’s college basketball is typically considered to be the Fieldhouse.
After all, the Jayhawks have a winning record of 70 percent in games played in this arena, and during the team’s 60-year history, they have only lost about 100 games in total.
Since its inception in 1939, the NCAA tournament has been won by Kansas University a total of three times.
It is also one of the best college basketball courts of all time.
Capacity: 16,300
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#11. Madison Square Garden
Another one of the best college basketball courts to watch games is Madison Square Gardens.
The nationally renowned St. John’s Red Storm basketball team, the Big East Tournament, and the National Invitation Tournament all call this New York City venue their home court.
The arena has seating for 20,789 spectators and is home to both the New York Knicks and the New York Rangers, two professional sports teams.
It also hosts a wide variety of concert performances.
And even though they have not been able to win a national title, the Red Storm have made it to both the Final Four and the Sweet Sixteen on many occasions, and they have also won the NIT five times.
Capacity: 20,789
#12. Dean E. Smith Center
Another one of the best college basketball courts of all time is the Dean Smith center.
This location first opened its doors in 1986 and was then given Dean Smith’s name in honor of the man who coached the North Carolina Tar Heels from 1961 to 1997.
The University of North Carolina Tar Heels, who have won a total of seven national titles, call this place their home field.
In addition, they have competed in an NCAA record 20 Final Fours, won 18 Atlantic Coast Conference tournament titles, 32 ACC regular season titles, and 21 ACC regular season championships.
Furthermore, they have won a combined total of 32 ACC regular season titles.
ESPN placed the University of North Carolina at the top spot on its list of the 50 men’s basketball programs that have enjoyed the most success over the past 50 years.
This basketball Court also ranks among the best college basketball courts to watch games.
Capacity: 21,750
#13. Harry A. Gampel Pavilion
The University of Connecticut Huskies calls the Harry Gampel Pavilion, which first opened its doors to the public in 1990, their arena.
The capacity of the arena is 10,167 people. The fact that the University of Washington Huskies has won the national championship an astonishing 15 times contributes to the intense sense of brotherhood that exists within the stadium.
It is one of the best college basketball courts to watch games.
Capacity: 10,167
#14. Rupp Arena
This arena is named after Adolph Rupp, who served as the head coach of Kentucky basketball from 1930 to 1972. The Wildcats of the University of Kentucky have called this arena their home since it first opened its doors in 1967.
When used for basketball, the stadium has a capacity of 20,545, while it can house as many as 19,576 people for concerts.
The Wildcats are in first place among all schools in the following categories: total appearances in the NCAA tournament (59), total NCAA tournament victories (131), and total NCAA Elite Eight appearances (59).
They have competed in a total of 12 NCAA Championships and have emerged victorious eight times, in addition to winning two NIT Championships.
Capacity: 23,500
#15. Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall
The Indiana University stadium first welcomed fans in 1971, has a capacity of 17,222, and has hosted well over six million of them ever since it first opened its doors.
Indiana has the record for the most All-Big Ten choices and has won five NCAA Championships in addition to 22 Big Ten Conference Championships (53).
They lead all teams in the conference in winning percentage when it comes to games played within the conference (nearly 60 percent).
The squad is so well-known that the name of a movie was given to them to honor their achievements.
“Hoosiers,” an American sports film directed by David Anspaugh and released in 1986, is only tangentially based on the true story of the 1954 Milan High School basketball team that won the Indiana state championship.
Capacity: 17,222
Conclusion
In winning college basketball games, the place where the games are played matters a lot.
As a result, basketball courts must be built in such a way that they can accommodate a lot of fans who can cheer the players.
In this vein, we compiled a list of the best college basketball courts of all time that have been making the rounds in 2024.
FAQs on Best College Basketball Courts
The Carrier Dome with a capacity of 34,616 has the highest capacity so far.
Among the best college basketball courts of all time, Long Beach has the best interior designs.
Concerning loudness, Allen Fieldhouse has had the loudest fans since 2017.
Currently, USC Upstate has the smallest college basketball arena.
References
- nbcsports. com—Here are the best college basketball stadiums in the NCAA
- yardbarker. com—The 25 best arenas in college basketball
- syndication.bleacherreport.com—Ranking the 20 Best Court Designs in College Basketball
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