10 Strangest College Basketball Arenas

[@dylanstaub2925]

I also graduated from Long Beach State. The NBA used the Pyramid as a host site for summer league games in the late 90s and 2000s before moving to Vegas. The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) has also used the Pyramid to host larger-scale CIF Sectional and State Regional Championship high school basketball games.

[@aaronholcomb237]

Oklahoma State expanded their basketball arena which was completed before the 2000-01 season. They built it completely around the original arena so when you go into the lobby you still see the facade of the old arena.

[@luvsla72]

I attended Long Beach State when they built The Pyramid. It took a lot of student parking away but it was neat to see it built.

[@crveech]

I live in Nashville and have been to some Vanderbilt games. Memorial Gymnasium is very different, but that's what I like about it. Plus, visiting SEC teams always have a lot of fans there. Probably because a lot of them have moved to Nashville.

[@HYPERPANTHER]

Should add Fordham Rose Hill Gym. It's old and tiny, yet nicknamed the "Prairie" because of its size when it was built.

[@jimhenry8714]

When the LBSU Walter Pyramid was planned, it was proposed to seat 7000-8000, but only three of the lower sections and none of the upper-level seats were installed, leaving the capacity around 4500. Current listed capacity is 4200, with crowds of 5000 possible with standing room and temporary seats. There actually used to be a bar on the upper level, but that was dismantled when the CSU banned alcohol sales in on-campus venues for several years. Both the exterior and interior have been used in many films, TV shows and commercials. The court was used as a futuristic arena football field in the film "Starship Troopers". It's a cool venue that i've had the pleasure of watching events in for many years! (Except when it leaks during a rare rainstorm) One final thing about Vanderbilt's arena: I think it's the only major college arena where the team benches are on the baselines, instead of the sideline on each side of the scorer's table.

[@Phateagle262]

Vandy's arena reminds me of a basketball version of Manchester City's old home, Maine Road, in its disjointedness.

[@mattciciarelli6965]

You missed the mark on a few of these. Princeton’s home court is Jadwin Gym, the indoor track is behind the stands (where the blue light was) it’s also unique in that it’s at ground level, but there are three levels beneath it. Vanderbilt’s gym has the benches on the end lines… the only place that has that, and you didn’t even mention it … C’mon man!!! You clearly didn’t do your homework on The Palestra. It looks like Cameron Indoor Stadium because they were built around the same time and had the same architect. In basketball-rich Philadelphia, the Palestra is an incredible venue. Research … research … RESEARCH!!!

[@jameswillmert3589]

The PA system at Williams arena isn’t very good. It’s very monthly, so you can barely hear the PA announcer

[@danimalman3]

You should look at ICCU arena for the university of idaho. It's absolutely beautiful.

[@THEREDHOTWRECK]

As someone who lives next to the U of M, Williams is great place to see a game.

[@huntersmith4079]

Was at Hinkle last night best place!

[@jonstefanik9400]

Lots of arenas are nicknamed "The Barn".

[@mattritson7564]

Forgot Oregon basketball courts old area call McArthtur the pitt up grade in baseball area court duck wings courts

[@Wideout4]

Payne Whitney Gymnasium At Yale ???

[@bartcranston6982]

Philadelphia Big 5, damn auto correct!

[@taylorgreer4984]

Wreck em tech baby!!

[@kylesheahan3992]

Oregon stadium is just ugly

[@76carmel]

Vanderbilt (Memorial Gymnasium) is unique because the benches are on the ends of the floor, not on the sidelines.

[@hoopsheavenpa]

Penn made a Final Four in 1979. And it’s Hinkle Fieldhouse, not Henke. The final championship game from “Hoosiers” was filmed there.

[@gazelle8830]

Surprised Rutgers isn’t here, their arena is literally a giant trapezoid

[@spinlok3943]

There's one weird one that's not necessarily basketball but its the "Yooper Dome" in in Marquette Michigan. Its just a big white dome with no base and its white like a 60s modernist design even though its in a very small town in middle of nowhere upper peninsula Michigan.

[@leewilsonwithers4091]

You left out when UTA played in Texas Hall theater!

[@wi54725]

I've seen about 300 home games at Vanderbilt, and growing up, I thought the benches on the end lines were the normal thing, while the sideline benches were weird in all the other arenas. It was built to be a theater and concert stage as well as a basketball arena. Kentucky had benches on the end lines for many years in their prior gym--Memorial Coliseum. By far the strangest basketball arena I ever saw a game in was the old Long Island University gym. It was located in the old Paramount Theater in Brooklyn. You've got to see pictures of LIU when they played there. It was only used for one tournament a year, but the South Padre Island Invitational tournament was played in a ballroom, and the seats were quite comfortable and rested on carpet. It's the best food I've ever enjoyed at a basketball game--prime rib, potato medallions, steamed vegetables, and iced tea eaten at a table while watching a college basketball game in front of you.

[@bartcranston6982]

The Palestra at the U of Pennsylvania was the home of the Philosopher Big 5 from the mid 1950s to fairly recently. Not only were Penn’s games played there but my Alma Mater, St. Joseph’s, Temple, LaSalle and Villanova played many of their games there. It was an intense city rivalry for about 40 years until the 90s. It’s not the same anymore but this season the Big 5 plus Drexel will play a round robin tournament in December.

[@robertwiles8106]

Vandy here. Memorial Gym, when it was first built, was one of Nashville's main music venues. The seating and raised court are designed that way so that you can run a divider curtain down the center of the basketball court, lengthwise, and the seats line up like a proper "theater". That's how Memorial Gym is configured for concerts. I saw many awesome shows there! Phish, Nine Inch Nails with an unknown Marilyn Manson opening, DMB, Smashing Pumpkins on the Siamese Dream tour, the original Pixies and many more.

[@cysuyenaga]

The Walter Pyramid will require $55 million to repair its leaking roof. Unfortunately, they don't have the money to fix it so it's possible it will have to be torn down.

[@srsykes]

Oh you really should do your homework! I will assume it was just a slip, but never call "Penn," Pennsylvania University. That's too close to Penn State, it is the University of Pennsylvania. In its glory days Penn has some great basketball teams. But the real claim to fame of its home court, is that the Palestra was home to "The Big Five." There was an annual series of games among Penn, Villanova, St. Joes, Temple and LaSalle for the city championship; the best record against the other four was the champion. Talk about loud and rowdy, they could give an Eagles game a run for the money. Not bad for an arena built in 1927.

[@chrisatz3942]

You missed Indiana University’s Assembly Hall.

[@Vincent-qq2st]

not every arena needs to be littered with rooftop bars and balconies.

[@incognito99e]

What about Centenary?

[@kurtgreaser988]

Not DI any more.

[@SnowyFox1831]

Vandys basketball stadium has a upper decks and it’s better then there football stadium!

[@suncoastliving6983]

You always mispronounce hinkle fieldhouse

[@BrentJ4Liberty]

With Williams Arena, there is also the Maturi Pavilion attached to it

[@76carmel]

The Palestra, Penn’s arena has hosted games for Penn State.

[@cjbcoleman]

Vanderbilts gym is awesome!

[@mattdoroshow2825]

The Palestra is a historic arena

[@CurtisDavis-w3k]

#HowCrazyBeautiful!

[@JK_Rosser_LV]

Viejas Arena for my SDSU Aztecs have just a singular bowl design 12,414 capacity and I can't stand it. Terrible design. Wish we could do a renovation( probably can't be done due to a historic site) or a new arena all together. We're kind of pissed our football has their venue done before the hoop squad