Over a two-week span, were answering the following question for college basketballs 10 best conferences: Which venue in each co

Posted in IYH Forums by jokergreen0220 at 23:10, Feb 18 2020

Over a two-week span, were answering the following question for college basketballs 10 best conferences: Which venue in each conference is the toughest place to play? A number of factors beyond capacity and attendance could affect a venues place in the order. Where does your school fall??SEC is football country, except on one campus: Kentucky. The crazy thing is that, based on conversations with several coaches about the SEC venue rankings, some feel that Lexingtons Rupp Arena is not the toughest place in the league to play.After attending plenty of games there, along with other SEC venues, Im not buying it. Rupp ranks No. 1, but you might be surprised by which arena is the runner-up.14. Mississippi State Bulldogs: Humphrey Coliseum, opened in 1975 It used to be extremely difficult to play -- much less win -- at The Hump, but that hasnt been the case the past four or five years. Last season, Ben Howlands first as the head coach, an average of just 6,555 fans showed up in an arena that can seat 10,575. The building is old and hasnt had much juice in it lately.Fun fact: The arena is named after George Duke Humphrey, Mississippi States president from 1934 to 1945.13. Georgia Bulldogs: Stegeman Coliseum, opened in 1964 Eighth-year coach Mark Fox has won more games in league play the past few seasons than anyone not named John Calipari, but its still difficult to get the fans out for hoops in Athens. The Bulldogs averaged 7,345 fans a year ago in a building that can hold 10,523. Stegeman is nicer after a renovation, but the building is small and old and isnt a huge home-court advantage for the Bulldogs.Fun fact: The Coliseum is actually two separate structures. The roof was built first, then the arena was constructed underneath the ceiling.12. Missouri Tigers: Mizzou Arena, opened in 2004 There was a time when the building was extremely difficult to steal a victory from, but that hasnt been the case lately. The Tigers averaged a paltry 6,294 fans last season, though the place can seat more than 15,000.Fun fact: A third of the $75 million cost to build the arena was given by Wal-Mart heir Nancy Walton Laurie and her husband, Bill Laurie, and the building was set to be named after their daughter, until it was discovered that she cheated her way through college.11. Alabama Crimson Tide: Coleman Coliseum, opened in 1968Alabama is still a football school, obviously, but second-year coach Avery Johnson has given the Tide hope. He moved the students closer to the floor, which has helped. The fans are scarce in November and December, but they come after football season ends. Its a large building, holding 15,383, and Johnson found a way to average 13,110 last season in a year the Tide missed the NCAA tournament.Fun fact: LSUs Pete Maravich scored 69 points in a 106-104 loss to Alabama at Coleman on Feb. 7, 1970. At the time, it was the most points scored by a single player against a Division I opponent.10. Auburn Tigers: Auburn Arena, opened in 2010 Bruce Pearl has The Jungle moving up the list slowly but surely. He has infused energy into the program and building. Now all thats missing are more victories. The arena was consistently averaging in the 6,000 range from 2010 to 2013, but it averaged more than 8,200 last season.Fun fact: The highest seat in the arena is just 43 feet away from the court.9. Ole Miss Rebels: Pavilion at Ole Miss, opened in 2016 The C.M. Tad Smith Coliseum was arguably the worst facility in the league, but now coach Andy Kennedy and the Rebels have one of the nicest in the brand new Coliseum, which opened in January. It cost $96.5 million, holds 9,500 and will certainly help the Rebels move up this list -- as long as they win. Ole Miss had a school-record seven sellouts in its first nine home games in the building.Fun fact: The Pavilion has the largest center-hung video board in college sports, with nearly 2,400 square feet of LED lighting.8. LSU Tigers: Pete Maravich Assembly Center, opened in 1971 The building was renamed in honor of the former LSU star after his death in 1988. Last season, the attendance figures shot up from 8,897 to 11,382, largely due to the presence of Ben Simmons. Its difficult to get fans into the building because football reigns supreme.Fun fact: Maravich never played in the arena as an LSU Tiger but did as a member of the Atlanta Hawks in a preseason game.7. South Carolina Gamecocks: Colonial Life Arena, opened in 2002Its a big building, and sometimes that hurts its appearance. Coach Frank Martin has started to make it a difficult place for opponents to win, and the Gamecocks averaged 11,995 fans last season in a venue that can hold almost 18,000.Fun fact: The biggest win in the building might have come on Jan. 26, 2010, when the Gamecocks pulled an upset over an undefeated and top-ranked Kentucky team that featured John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins.6. Texas A&M Aggies: Reed Arena, opened in 1998 It is located on campus and holds just shy of 13,000 fans. This is a football school first, but coach Billy Kennedy did a nice job making Reed a legit home-court advantage last season, as the Aggies averaged 8,955 fans per home game. Its a large venue, so when its packed, its tough for opponents to win.Fun fact: The arena was named after Houston veterinarian Dr. Chester Reed, who graduated in 1947. Reed donated 265 acres of land to the school.5. Tennessee Volunteers: Thompson-Boling Arena, opened in 1987 This place was rocking back when Bruce Pearl was roaming the sideline, but it hasnt been the same the past four or five years. The building is huge, but the capacity actually decreased from more than 24,000 to 21,678 when it was renovated in 2008.Fun fact: The court was named The Summit after late Lady Vols coach Pat Summitt.4. Arkansas Razorbacks: Bud Walton Arena, opened in 1993 The Razorbacks have a tremendous fan base and were 12th in the country in attendance last season, despite having a mediocre team. Arkansas has won 81 percent of its games in Bud Walton since it opened, and part of that success can be attributed to the fast-paced style implemented by former coach Nolan Richardson and continued by current coach Mike Anderson. Youll be hard-pressed to find a team that has been more different at home and on the road than Arkansas in recent years.Fun fact: Bud Walton is the co-founder of Wal-Mart. He paid half of the $30 million it took to build the arena.3. Vanderbilt Commodores: Memorial Gymnasium, opened in 1952This is one of the oldest and most unique gyms in the country. The benches are on the baseline, which makes it difficult for the visiting coach and players. The court sits elevated above much of the crowd.Fun fact: Martin Luther King Jr. spoke at Memorial Gym in 1967.2. Florida Gators: Stephen C. OConnell Center, opened in 1980 When former coach Billy Donovan had the Gators rolling, this place was really difficult for opposing teams. The fans are close to the court, and when they pack the O-Dome, it can really get loud. The only issue is the fans often dont show for games in November and December. The arena is currently undergoing a much-needed renovation, which is expected to be completed this year.Fun fact: Last year, the OConnell Center brought in its five-millionth fan. The number to date is 5,065,770.1. Kentucky Wildcats: Rupp Arena, opened in 1976 The downtown arena holds around 23,5000, and there is rarely a time when Rupp isnt at capacity these days. The Cats have led the nation in attendance 25 times (last season included), and Kentucky has won nearly 90 percent of its games in the building. Its a brutal place to play, especially these days, because of the rabid fan base and the talent in the program. Rupp isnt at the level of Cameron Indoor Stadium or Allen Fieldhouse, but you can make a case for it being among the five most difficult places to play in the country.Fun factEvery season since Rupp opened, UK has ranked first or second in average home attendance. https://www.cheapjerseyslines.com/bryce-callahan-jersey-retro/" class="TyTxtSmlC">Bryce Callahan Jersey Retro . Barcelona also left injured defenders Carles Puyol, Javier Mascherano and Jordi Alba out of its squad for the trip to Glasgow. 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JOHNS, N. https://www.cheapjerseyslines.com/ray-neal-jersey-retro/" class="TyTxtSmlC">Ray Neal Jersey Retro . Traditional contenders Brazil, Greece and Turkey drew the other three spots to complete the 24-team field for this summers tournament in Spain, basketball governing body FIBA announced Saturday at its meeting in Barcelona. MIAMI -- The Miami Marlins were savoring a rare victory, thanks to pitcher Jose Fernandezs latest gem. A team official attempted to engage the rookie in a discussion as highlights of his performance began showing on the clubhouse television. Mesmerized, Fernandez walked away from the conversation and toward the TV. "Come on, dude," the Marlins official grumbled. "Hey, I want to see this, bro," Fernandez replied. For the 20-year-old Cuban defector, its all new -- pitching in the majors, winning games, seeing himself on TV. When hes not on the mound, he often hangs over the dugout railing, captivated by the action and cheering on a team with the worst record in the majors. If Fernandez acts as though hes trying to enjoy every moment, he is. "I keep saying, Im here, and I want to have fun," he said. While fun has been in short supply for the Marlins, Fernandez is making their season more bearable. The precocious right-hander is 4-3, remarkable considering the rest of the pitching staff began the week a combined 17-44. Heading into Wednesdays start at Arizona, Fernandez ranks among the top three rookies in the majors in ERA (3.11) , strikeouts per inning (77 in 72 1-3) and opposing batting average (.210). Such statistics are all the more impressive because he doesnt turn 21 until July 31. Fernandez became the first pitcher under 21 to allow less than two runs and less than four hits in each of his first two career starts since 1965. And in his most recent outing, Fernandez became the first pitcher under 21 to strike out 10 or more since Felix Hernandez with Seattle in 2007. "Hes similar to Felix when he was younger," two-time Cy Young Award winner Roy Halladay said. "He has that presence and that kind of stuff. If he continues to develop, he could be one of those guys." Fernandez smiles when such praise is relayed to him, but then he smiles much of the time, mindful of how far he has come. The 90 miles from Cuba to Florida is a long way. "It has been pretty hard for me to get here -- not to the big leagues, but to the United States," he said. "Living in Cuba for 15 years taught me a lot. Life over there is pretty tough. Im incredibly blessed to be in the United States." Fernandezs first three attempts to defect were foiled, and the youngster spent several months in prison. Finally he escaped the island by boat with his mother, and when she fell into the Yucatan Channel, he jumped in and pulled her out. They made it to Mexico and eventually reuniited in Tampa, Fla.dddddddddddd with his father, who had escaped from Cuba two years earlier. At Tampa Alonso High School, Fernandez began hearing he was destined for greatness. He learned to speak fluent English while contemplating stardom and plotting a persona. "Its great to be humble," he said, sounding like a country song. "People will love you more in the long run. I dont want to be just a good pitcher. I want to be a great example on the field." The hype about Fernandez has been justified. He went 30-3 in three prep seasons, helped his team win two state titles and was taken by the Marlins with the 14th overall pick in the 2011 draft. He went 14-2 with a 2.02 ERA in 27 minor-league starts, none above Single-A, and cracked the Marlins rotation with a strong spring. "He has the ability to execute pitches like only a handful of guys Ive ever seen," Miami manager Mike Redmond said. At 6-foot-2 and 242 pounds, Fernandez is physically mature for his age, and his repertoire is also advanced. Many of his strikeouts come on a slider or curve, which hell throw even on a 3-2 count, and this year he added an effective changeup to go with his fastball, which is consistently in the mid-90s and peaks at 98 mph. "Hes so polished for a young pitcher," Redmond said. "Its amazing how good his secondary pitches are." The Marlins have been careful with the youngsters workload, and theyll likely limit him to no more than 170 innings this year. But he wants to be a workhorse and was pleased to throw a career-high 107 pitches to beat the high-scoring Cardinals in his most recent start, especially after giving up two runs in the first inning. "I compete my butt off," he said. "It doesnt matter who Im facing. It could be the best hitter in the world; it could be my mom. I compete and compete and compete and compete, and thats what everybody is going to get out of me every time." Was it a thrill to beat the Cardinals? Heck, it was a thrill just to meet them. "One of the special moments in the game: The first time I went up to hit, Yadier Molina was catching," Fernandez said. "I look up to that guy. When they won the World Series, I saw him catch and I said, Man, I wish one day I could shake his hand. "So I said, Man, its a pleasure to be playing against you. He said, No, its my pleasure. It was great to get to pitch against him." And perhaps someday Molina will tell his grandkids about the first time he met Jose Fernandez. ' ' '