Ranking all 18 Big Ten basketball arenas from worst to first (2024)

March 10, 2024; Piscataway, New Jersey; Ohio State Buckeyes center Felix Okpara (34) rebounds against Rutgers Scarlet Knights forward Aundre Hyatt (5) during the second half at Jersey Mike’s Arena. Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Capacity: 8,000

This ranking should depend on the criteria used because Jersey Mike’s Arena is an impossible place to play as an opposing team, which is a testament to its environment. But its layout makes it a tough place to watch a basketball game as a fan.

Jan. 13, 2022; Los Angeles, California; A general overall view of an empty Galen Center closed to the general public amid the global coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic during an NCAA basketball game between the Southern California Trojans and the Oregon State Beavers. USC defeated OSU 81-71. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Capacity: 10,258

All indications are this is a mostly nondescript arena. The allure will be a West Coast trip and escaping the Midwest weather during the winter months. It will not be to visit one of the more famous arenas in the sport.

Oregon volleyball plays in front of a record crowd at Matthew Knight Arena Sept. 22, 2023. Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard-USA TODAY NETWORK

Capacity: 12,364

Matthew Knight seems like a great place to watch a basketball game. The court is just challenging to look past. For that reason, it’s at No. 16 on the list.

Feb. 15, 2018; University Park, Pennsylvania; Fans run onto the court after the Penn State Nittany Lions defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes 79-56 at Bryce Jordan Center. Matthew O’Haren-USA TODAY Sports

Capacity: 15,261

The arena opened in 1996 but there hasn’t been much history made within it. It’s too much like the professional model, with the seats set far back from the court and an emphasis on the multi-purpose part of the facility. It isn’t a great basketball arena.

Dec. 15, 2019; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Minnesota Gophers fans rush the court following the victory over the Ohio State Buckeyes at Williams Arena. Harrison Barden-USA TODAY Sports

Capacity: 14,625

Williams Arena gets points for terrific architecture and old-school feel. It’s what great college basketball arenas should look like. The problem: It’s Minnesota, which hasn’t finished a season ranked in the AP Poll since 1997.

Feb. 6, 2024; Columbus, Ohio; Empty seats can be seen behind the first few rows of students prior to the men’s basketball game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Indiana Hoosiers at Value City Arena. Ohio State lost 76-73. Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch-USA TODAY NETWORK

Capacity: 18,809

Value City Arena, or the Schottenstein Center, is the largest in the Big Ten. That doesn’t help for these purposes. I’d argue the arena is too large for college basketball. There’s a sweet spot between being too small and cramped (Rutgers) and being way too large. Ohio State does not fall within that range.

Jan. 28, 2016; Evanston, Illinois; A general view of Welsh-Ryan Arena during the game between the Northwestern Wildcats and the Michigan State Spartans. Caylor Arnold-USA TODAY Sports

Capacity: 7,039

Welsh-Ryan Arena, on the other hand, is the smallest in the Big Ten. That works with Northwestern’s fan base, but it doesn’t work when other Big Ten alumni in the Chicago area want to see a game.

I actually enjoyed my time here, it just isn’t one of the best arenas in the conference.

Jan. 11, 2022; Lincoln, Nebraska; General view of the arena in the game between the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Illinois Fighting Illini in the first half at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports

Capacity: 15,500

Pinnacle Bank Arena is one of the more underrated venues in the conference. It’s a brand-new building and has a professional feel to it, but the Cornhusker fans make it a surprisingly tough place to play.

The only knock: too many luxury boxes.

Jan. 12, 2022; Seattle, Washington; A general view of Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion before a game between the California Bears and Washington Huskies. Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Capacity: 10,000

Alaska Airlines Arena was one of the better venues in the Pac-12 and could quickly rise up the Big Ten rankings. It has the correct overall size and fan intimacy with the court. When Washington is good, look out.

Feb. 2, 2021; College Park, Maryland; A general view of Xfinity Center before the game between the Maryland Terrapins and the Purdue Boilermakers. Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Capacity: 17,950

Maryland is the correct hybrid between a college and professional arena. The student section is loud and apparent and it’s a tough place to play when Maryland is good.

Nov. 29, 2022; Iowa City, Iowa; A general view of Carver-Hawkeye Arena before the game between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

Capacity: 15,500

I will note the entire top eight are fantastic college basketball venues. But when many of the top programs in the nation are confined to the same conference, some venues must finish lower than others.

Iowa might have the most underrated football-basketball stadium-arena combination with Kinnick Stadium and Carver-Hawkeye Arena. This arena has the right feel for big-time basketball with the fans right on top of the action.

Jan. 14, 2021; Los Angeles, California; A general view of an empyt Pauley Pavilion with no fans during and NCAA basketball game between the UCLA Bruins and the Washington State Cougars. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Capacity: 13,800

It’s hard to not rank Pauley Pavilion toward the top given the building’s rich history. It opened in 1965 and quickly played host to numerous championship-winning teams and future NBA Hall of Famers. It is a good hybrid of an old-school arena with new renovations to keep it up-to-date.

Feb. 5, 2013; Ann Arbor, Michigan; General view in the second half during the game between the Michigan Wolverines and the Ohio State Buckeyes at Crisler Center. Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Capacity: 13,609

Crisler Center is one of the several Big Ten arenas to surround part of the court with the student section. It feels extremely new, but also creates a good environment for basketball. Michigan being a terrific program also helps.

Nov. 25, 2020; Champaign, Illinois; A general view is seen during the first half during a game between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the North Carolina A&T Aggies at the State Farm Center. Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports

Capacity: 15,500

The State Farm Center may look like a spaceship on the outside, but inside is one of the nation’s best arenas. The student section surrounds the court, perfectly in view of the television shot. This creates a terrific environment for basketball and gives the Illini one of the best home-court advantages in the conference.

A general view of the court before the game between the Wisconsin Badgers and Bradley Braves at Kohl Center on March 14, 2023 in Madison, Wisconsin. John Fisher/Getty Images

Capacity: 17,287

The Kohl Center is a bit too large and professional-feeling to rank this high. But when it is annually in the top 10 in the country in home attendance, that seems to matter less. There aren’t many better venues for a big game than this one. The quality of the Wisconsin program also helps.

Fans head sit around the arena during a watch party for the NCAA Men’s Basketball Elite Eight game between Purdue and Tennessee, Sunday, March 31, 2024, at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Indiana. Alex Martin/Journal and Courier-USA TODAY NETWORK

Capacity: 14,240

Mackey Arena be somewhat ugly and not entirely up-to-date, but it creates arguably the best home environment in college basketball. More points are given to the environment than the architecture, especially in this case. The place is rocking for every Purdue home game.

Dec. 3, 2019; East Lansing, Michigan; General view of the Breslin Center during the first half of a game between the Michigan State Spartans and the Duke Blue Devils at Breslin Center. Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports

Capacity: 15,000

The Breslin Center allows Michigan State to have one of the best student sections in the country and one of the best home-court advantages in the sport. Not everywhere is 70% of the court directly surrounded by the student section.

This building also has the history necessary to rank this high on the list. Thanks, Tom Izzo.

Texas Tech faces Utah State in a nearly empty venue during the first round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament on Friday, March 19, 2021, at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana. Sam Owens/IndyStar via USA TODAY Sports

Capacity: 17,220

No basketball arena will top Assembly Hall. It’s the ideal combination of a unique feel, a terrific atmosphere and a rich history. There will not be an arena that steals the No. 1 spot for some time.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWireon X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion.