Top 10 Most Underrated College Basketball Arenas

The Carrier Dome is the only stadium that hosts both college football and basketball. Syracuse calls it home for both sports, with a capacity of around 50,000 for football and an impressive 35,000 for basketball. It's the largest college basketball venue in the country, and it's not even close, with more than 11,000 seats separating it from the second-largest arena.

Granted, when Syracuse is struggling, there may be some bare spots. But when they were good under Jim Boeheim, the Carrier Dome was rocking. The Orange faithful know how to show up and have been known to have one of the best home environments in college basketball.

When discussing home court advantages, Utah State and the Aggies may come as a surprise. The Smith Spectrum, Utah State's home arena, has been known for its rowdiness since it opened for the 1970-71 season. They boast a home record of 621-147.

The arena accommodates approximately 10,200 people and is all on one level, ensuring that even the furthest rows are not too far from the action. From 2007 to 2009, the Aggies had a 37-game winning streak at home, which at the time was one of the longest in college basketball. Additionally, the "Winning Team, Losing Team" chant deserves mention. It is one of the most iconic chants in college basketball, and the students at Utah State are among the loudest in the country.

The Palestra is one of the most historic buildings in college basketball, dubbed as the "most storied gymnasium in the history of collegiate athletics." It has hosted the most college basketball games of any building since its inception in 1927. The Palestra seats approximately 8,700 and has an intimate and historic feeling that very few places can match.

It was one of the first steel-and-concrete arenas in the United States and also one of the first to be constructed without interior pillars blocking the view. The Palestra is like taking a step backward in time when the game was a lot simpler.

Gallagher-Iba Arena has been the home of the Oklahoma State Cowboys since 1938. Named after two of the greatest coaches - legendary basketball coach Henry Iba and legendary wrestling coach Hank Gallagher - it is one of the most structurally unique venues. Back in its heyday, it was undoubtedly a top-20 arena in college basketball, and OSU had one of the premier venues in the Big 12 conference. The Cowboys were always a tough out in Stillwater. It earned the nickname "The Madison Square Garden of the Plains." Recently, however, it's fallen off due to the lack of a winning basketball culture.

Bud Walton Arena, named after the co-founder of Walmart, has always been one of the top basketball venues in the SEC ever since its opening. With a capacity of over 19,300 seats, it's definitely on the larger side of the spectrum. Back in the Nolan Richardson days, Bud Walton was rocking and a tough place for anybody not named Arkansas to play.

Since 1993, when it opened, the Razorbacks have a 332-74 record at home. Thanks to Eric Musselman, Arkansas is back, and Bud Walton Arena is rocking again.

Charles Koch Arena, often referred to as the Roundhouse, has always been a notoriously difficult venue for opponents, especially during the early 2010s when Wichita State was a prominent team in college basketball. They were nearly unbeatable at home. The arena consistently packs in over 10,000 fans, creating a rowdy atmosphere.

The students may not have many sections dedicated to them, but the older crowd is very vocal and enthusiastic. Even though the program's prominence has waned, the fanbase remains passionate, contributing to a formidable home crowd.

University of Dayton Arena, or UD Arena for short, is the home of the Dayton Flyers. It may not be the most flashy arena, but that doesn't mean it doesn't get loud. It's a great venue overall and is significant in college basketball as it's hosted the most NCAA Tournament games - over 125! Usually, it's the site for the First Four Play-In Games, and it can draw a decent crowd for those games. However, it's on a completely different level when Dayton plays there. The Dayton faithful know how to show up and bring the energy. This isn't a run-of-the-mill mid-major venue.

The home crowd for the Mountaineers is one of the most devoted of any fanbase in the country. As any opponent can tell you, the trip to Morgantown, West Virginia is never a fun one, especially since it's a long trip for most of the other Big 12 teams.

Mountaineer fans are notoriously rowdy, especially the student section known as the "Mountaineer Maniacs," who are usually very prominent and will make life difficult for any visiting team. When the Mountaineers are good, they are an extremely tough team to beat on their home floor, especially during their "Press Virginia" days. This is one of those venues where records do not matter at all. Whenever you play West Virginia, you know it's going to be a tough game.

Vanderbilt might not be the best team in college basketball, but the Commodores have arguably the most unique arena. Memorial Gym has team benches on the baseline facing each other, as opposed to on the sideline at every other gym. It also features an expanded court area. Visiting teams will likely agree that Memorial Gym can be more intimidating than it appears, especially when it's at full capacity. The uniqueness of the facility does a good job of containing the crowd noise.

Dreamstyle Arena, more commonly known as "The Pit," is the home of the New Mexico Lobos and has a very unique design. The atmosphere is almost always rocking, averaging around 15,400 fans in attendance. It has earned its reputation amongst the elite home court atmospheres in college basketball.

What makes The Pit so unique is the fact that the playing surface is actually 37 feet below street level, yet it sits nearly 5,100 feet above sea level. The crowds at The Pit can get pretty loud too, reaching up to 125 decibels. It's also a historic place in college basketball history, hosting the 1983 National Championship game where N.C. State famously upset the Houston Cougars in what is still considered one of the biggest upsets in college basketball history. After that game, Coach Jim Valvano was seen running frantically looking for someone to hug.