Good Morning, Illini Nation: An updated Big Ten basketball arena ranking
· Yahoo Sports
Jul. 7—The calendar flipping to July means I have to start thinking about football. Big Ten media days is later this month in Chicago where I'll be making more than a few references to "The Fugitive" given the location of the annual event. Then training camp will start for Illinois.
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The 2026 Illini football season will see me mark five new Big Ten football stadiums off my list and get me to 16 total. New this fall? That would be trips to Ohio Stadium, Spartan Stadium, SECU Stadium, the Rose Bowl and rebuilt and seriously renovated Ryan Field. That makes the Los Angeles Coliseum and Michigan Stadium the only two I haven't seen.
I've hit every Big Ten basketball venue, though, after making the two-game Los Angeles swing this past February. Now that I've seen them all, it's time for an updated ranking:
1. Mackey Arena
Keaton Wagler took a bit of luster off Purdue's once seemingly unstoppable home court advantage when he dropped 46 points on the Boilermakers. The sheer number of students they pack in there, however, remains a marvel.
2. Breslin Center
Michigan State's home court will, at some point, face the same question as the program itself. Is it only elite because of Tom Izzo? For the time being, it's hard to top the raucous green-and-white atmosphere.
3. State Farm Center
Sellouts. Sellouts. Sellouts. The place is almost always full — even for the ho-hum nonconference cupcakes. That's new to the Brad Underwood era, but it still takes a special showdown to get the Farm at its consistent peak decibel level.
4. Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall
Two sheer walls of fans give the last remaining Assembly Hall in the Big Ten its most unique trait. Every fan seems to be on top of the action. Now if they just had a better basketball team to root for like they used to.
5. Pauley Pavilion
Was I little underwhelmed by my first trip to the house that John Wooden built? Yeah, kind of. It was ... fine. Lots of history for sure. Great weather in February. It just didn't totally live up to the image I'd built in my head.
6. Pinnacle Bank Arena
The idea one does not simply walk into Pinnacle Bank has changed. It's still a terrific home venue with a real advantage because fans show up. (What else are they going to do in Lincoln in the winter?) But Nebraska isn't unbeatable there.
7. The Barn by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota
Don't love the official name change, but I understand it. Keep getting them checks, Gophers. What was once Williams Arena, though, has maintained its historic charm. There's not another building like it in the Big Ten.
8. XFINITY Center
When this place is full and students fill their full section on the south side of the arena, the home of Maryland hoops is tough to beat. A literal wall of sound. The only issue? That number of students showing up has become a rarity.
9. Jersey Mike's Arena
The "Trapezoid of Terror" was really earning its name when Steve Pikiell had Rutgers cooking. What should have been three straight NCAA tournament appearances filled the arena with a rabid fan base. Will they come back?
10. Carver-Hawkeye Arena
Existing as a giant bowl makes Iowa's home court stand out in the Big Ten. That the actual court just put down this offseason was the same one the Hawkeyes lost to Illinois on at the Elite Eight was ... a choice.
11. Kohl Center
This starts the run of fairly soulless, NBA-style arenas that are, thankfully, not too prevalent in the Big Ten. There's nothing wrong with Wisconsin's venue. It's just not memorable for a program that competes in the top half of the league.
12. Value City Arena at The Schottenstein Center
Too big. Too empty. Ohio State's home court was fine when Greg Oden and Mike Conley Jr. were leading the Buckeyes to a title game. Or when Evan Turner was the national player of the year. But not now.
13. Crisler Center
The furthest seats from the court feel very far in Ann Arbor, Mich., and I've never been there when the place has been full. You'd think that wouldn't be a problem now that the Wolverines are the reigning NCAA champions.
14. Welsh-Ryan Arena
Northwestern did yeoman's work turning a gray, depressing arena — where some corners gave off true dungeon vibes — into a more modern venue. It just can't be ranked very high when your rival fills more seats every year.
15. Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion
Not quite as historic as Williams Arena in Minneapolis, the Big Ten's other major metropolitan program does have a nearly 100-year-old home venue. Washington's made some improvements, but nothing that truly stands out.
16. Matthew Knight Arena
Context matters. While Oregon revamped its tree-forward court, lightening up the too dark first iteration, I saw it in person for the first time with no one in the stands. Most Ducks fans were still in Pasadena, Calif., for the Rose Bowl.
17. Galen Center
The highlight of my first trip to USC's campus? Seeing Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams at the game. The arena itself is sort of bland. Kind of dark, too. Nothing about it screams big time basketball.
18. Bryce Jordan Center
You know that old chestnut that if you don't have anything nice to say then just don't say anything at all? That's me when it comes Penn State's basketball home. Maybe the Nittany Lions should just move back to Rec Hall permanently.
