Duke basketball’s Jon Scheyer, Tyrese Proctor, Caleb Foster at ACC Tipoff
Duke basketball’s Jon Scheyer, Tyrese Proctor and Caleb Foster represented the Blue Devils at ACC Tipoff in Charlotte. Here’s video from their press conferences.
Editor’s Note: This story is the final story of our four-part series highlighting an anonymous poll with ACC basketball players at ACC Tipoff in Charlotte. The Fayetteville Observer/USA TODAY Network broke down underrated players, the best players, top coaches and arenas.
When it comes to the favorite basketball arenas of ACC players, it’s all about Tobacco Road.
During interviews with The Fayetteville Observer/USA TODAY Network, ACC basketball players answered several questions in an anonymous poll at ACC Tipoff in Charlotte. In the final story of our four-part series, we take a look at the ACC arenas players most love to visit/ones they’re excited to play in this season.
Of the 30 votes recorded in the anonymous poll, 24 went to the ACC’s four schools in North Carolina: Duke, N.C. State, UNC and Wake Forest.
ACC COACHES: Anonymous ACC basketball player poll: Which ACC coach would you want to play for?
BEST OF THE BEST: Anonymous ACC basketball player poll: Is UNC’s RJ Davis the best player in the ACC?
UNDERRATED: Anonymous ACC basketball player poll: Who’s the most underrated player?
Here’s a breakdown of the 30 responses.
Duke basketball: Cameron Indoor Stadium
The Blue Devils and Tar Heels were tied at the top of the poll with 10 votes each, because of course they were. With only 9,314 seats, Cameron Indoor Stadium has sold out every Duke home game since 1990. That streak reached 524 games in a row by the end of the 2023-24 season, the longest stretch in college basketball or the NBA. Opened in 1940, Cameron is known for its intense atmosphere, ignited by the Cameron Crazies being courtside. “The fans are right on top of you and the floor shakes,” one player said. “It’s always a live atmosphere.” Cameron is a college basketball cathedral.
UNC basketball: Dean E. Smith Center
UNC basketball’s Hubert Davis, RJ Davis, Seth Trimble at ACC Tipoff
Here’s video of interviews with UNC basketball’s Hubert Davis, RJ Davis and Seth Trimble at ACC Tipoff in Charlotte on Thursday.
Among the 10 players who voted for the “Dean Dome,” one of them highlighted the “massiveness” of the arena and a “sea of blue from top to bottom.” According to the NCAA’s 2024 attendance summary, UNC was No. 1 in average attendance at 20,593 in an arena that has a seating capacity of 21,750. Another player said “UNC fans always bring it for big games and make that place loud.” It’s clear the Smith Center, which was opened in 1986, still mesmerizes visiting players.
NC State basketball: Lenovo Center
Previously known as the Raleigh Entertainment and Sports Arena, the RBC Center, and PNC Arena, the Lenovo Center has been the home of the Wolfpack since 1999. It’s not Reynolds Coliseum, one of the historic basketball venues in the nation, but the Lenovo Center was 19th in attendance last season with an average of 13,491. The arena has a seating capacity of 19,500 for basketball. One player said “N.C. State fans are wild during big games. That big hockey arena is tough when they pack it out.” Two players voted for the Lenovo Center as their favorite road arena/place they like to visit.
Wake Forest basketball: Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum
Like N.C. State, Wake Forest picked up two votes from players. One of those players described Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum, which has a seating capacity of 14,744, as “underrated and tough.” Opened in 1989, “The Joel” has been the home of the Demon Deacons since its inception. The other player said “Wake Forest can be wild because the students are right there near the bench.”
Syracuse’s JMA Wireless Dome, Virginia’s JPJ Arena also among top arenas
Here’s a look at the other arenas that received votes:
- Clemson’s Littlejohn Coliseum
- Pitt’s Petersen Events Center
- Stanford’s Maples Pavilion
- Syracuse’s JMA Wireless Dome
- Virginia’s John Paul Jones Arena
- Virginia Tech’s Cassell Coliseum
Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on X/Twitter.
