Holding Court

TOUGHEST IN THE NATION

Basketball arenas that give schools the best home-court advantage:

1. Cameron Indoor Stadium, Duke. The standard-bearer in hoop-it-up home courts, Cameron was allegedly conceived on the back of a matchbook cover in 1935 by Eddie Cameron and Wallace Wade. Renovated in the mid-1980s, Cameron is still a sweat box with a seating capacity of 9,314, but as raucous as ever. Since Mike Krzyzewski took over in 1980-81, Duke’s home record is 247-43. Duke is 11-1 at home this year. Ask North Carolina about the “one.”

2. 2. The Pit, University of New Mexico. Technically, it’s called University Arena, but opposing coaches can tell why “pit” fits. Located a mile above sea level, but 37 feet below ground, the 18,018-seat arena has consumed 494 opponents since 1966, including 41 consecutive in one stretch. Noise levels have reached 125 decibels. The pain threshold for the human ear is 130.

3. Breslin Center, Michigan State. The combination of Coach Tom Izzo’s terrific teams and courtside coziness has turned this place into a loss trap. The Spartans have won a nation-leading 41 consecutive games at Breslin, its students-breathing-down-your-neck ambience patterned after Cameron’s seating charts. For $75,000, Michigan State purchased the RCA Dome floor on which it won last year’s national title and had it moved to Breslin. Just to keep the memories fresh.

4. James H. Hilton Coliseum, Iowa State. The Raleigh (N.C) News and Observer, no stranger to reporting on fanatic college basketball fans, went out of state and once named Hilton as the toughest place to play in the nation. The Cyclones have won 33 consecutive home games, second only to Michigan State’s 41 on the active list. The streak gets put to a serious test Saturday when No. 6 Kansas invades.

5. Reilly Center, St. Bonaventure. Snow-plowing your way to this remote school, located outside Buffalo--way outside--is only half the headache. While the Bonnies are not a traditional college basketball powerhouse, they have taken down nine top-25 schools at the Reilly Center, capacity 6,000, and posted a 322-118 record since 1966. ESPN’s Jay Bilas has called it one of the five most hostile home arenas in the nation.