Best College Basketball Arenas

From the opening tip to the closing buzzer, basketball provides non-stop action, excitement and nail-biting tension. But the place where the game is played is just as important as the players, the coaches, the referees and the fans. The best college basketball arenas take the game to another level, infusing every play with a feeling of historic importance.

The Palestra

Opened in 1927, the Palestra in Philadelphia is steeped in history. This 8,722-seat arena on the University of Pennsylvania campus is home to Philadelphia Big 5 basketball—the teams of Pennsylvania, La Salle, Saint Joseph's, Temple and Villanova Universities. Known as the cathedral of college basketball, the Palestra has hosted more games in its long history than any other college basketball venue. Just as important, it's simply a great place to watch a game—the bleachers extend right down to the court, with no barrier between fans and players, giving you an unmatched opportunity to get close to the action.

Hinckle Fieldhouse

The Hinckle Fieldhouse is home to Butler University's Bulldogs. This 11,042-seater has been an Indianapolis institution since 1928. Major renovations in 2014 brought some serious upgrades to this well-used arena, but you can still feel the history of the room as you take your seat, waiting for the game to begin. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Fieldhouse was immortalized as the location for the making of the 1986 sports film, Hoosiers. The Fieldhouse was, in fact, the site of the real-life games that inspired the film.

Cameron Indoor Stadium

You might hear words like "magic" and "mythic" used to describe Duke University's Cameron Indoor Stadium. Indeed, it's hard to pin down exactly what makes this Durham, North Carolina, venue so special. But special it is, with its imposing Gothic architecture, flawless sightlines and intimate seating right down to the floor—housing some of the loudest and most enthusiastic fans of the game. You get the sense that any faceoff you watch at this college basketball arena is history in the making, as many games played here have been.

Allen Fieldhouse

You don't know what loud is until you've watched a game at the 16,300-seat Allen Fieldhouse in the heart of Lawrence, Kansas. When the enthusiastic home crowd cheers on its native Kansas Jayhawks against a visiting rival, it's impossible not to get swept up in the excitement. Dedicated in 1955, Allen Fieldhouse is one of the largest college basketball arenas in the Big 12 Conference. The James Naismith Court is named for the inventor of basketball, who was the United Kingdom's first basketball coach from 1898 to 1907.