Fansided

15 best home-court advantages in college basketball

By Mike Phillips

EAST LANSING, MI - MARCH 09: Matt McQuaid #20 of the Michigan State Spartans kisses the logo after defeating the Michigan Wolverines 75-63 at Breslin Center on March 9, 2019 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI - MARCH 09: Matt McQuaid #20 of the Michigan State Spartans kisses the logo after defeating the Michigan Wolverines 75-63 at Breslin Center on March 9, 2019 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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SYRACUSE, NY – MARCH 25: The Syracuse Orange Pep Band cheers while performing prior to the first half of the game between the South Dakota State Jackrabbits and the Syracuse Orange on March 25,2019, at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, NY. (Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
SYRACUSE, NY – MARCH 25: The Syracuse Orange Pep Band cheers while performing prior to the first half of the game between the South Dakota State Jackrabbits and the Syracuse Orange on March 25,2019, at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, NY. (Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

6. Syracuse

  • Venue: Carrier Dome
  • Location: Syracuse, NY
  • Opened: 9/12/80
  • Capacity: 35,642
  • Home Record Since 2000:  311-72 (.812 Winning Percentage)

The overall home record since 2000 may not explain why Syracuse is this high on our home court advantage list, but the Orange are definitely never fun to play at the Carrier Dome. The arena first opened in 1980, and is the only one on this list to be a true dual-purpose facility since it also hosts the Syracuse football team.

As a result, the Carrier Dome can hold over 35,000 fans for basketball games, making it a very intimidating atmosphere for visitors. The building’s unique acoustics also create a cacophony of noise inside the dome, which makes it tough for opponents to get used to.

The dome’s construction is also a bigger building than most players are used to for basketball, and having to get used to the height of the ceiling can make things interesting for jump shooters. That doesn’t even factor in the Orange’s patented 2-3 zone, which won’t help any adjustment process.

The Orange haven’t posted truly elite home records since moving to the ACC in 2013, but that is largely a result of the more advanced competition they have to play on a regular basis. Nobody ever wants to go play in the Carrier Dome, and that atmosphere is among the most difficult in college sports to play in.