University Arena

University Arena, more commonly known as The Pit, is a multi-purpose arena in Albuquerque, New Mexico with a capacity of 18,018. It serves primarily as the home of the University of New Mexico Lobo basketball teams. The Pit was built in 1966 after the Lobos outgrew their previous venue, Johnson Gymnasium. Many years ago, when Michael Buffer announced a boxing match there, he added "La casa de los Lobos" which means "The house of the wolves" in Spanish. The Pit is located at the intersection of University Boulevard and Avenida Cesar Chavez in southeast Albuquerque, across the street from University Stadium and Isotopes Park. In 1999, Sports Illustrated ranked the Pit 13th in a list of the top 20 sports venues of the twentieth century. In 2007, the State approved a renovation package that would bring The Pit in line with more modern arenas. This was the result of the NCAA informing the University that it would no longer host the Men's Basketball regionals due to the age and condition of the arena. The proposal includes luxury suites which would be converted out of the second deck seats.

Lobo basketball at the Pit

The Pit has a reputation as one of the most hostile arenas in the country for visiting teams due to dark lighting and the large crowds of raucous Lobo fans seated right up to the edge of the court. Visiting squads are often forced to develop hand signals to communicate over the deafening roar. The Lobo basketball program enjoys a formidable home-court advantage at the Pit which causes many prospective opponents (most notably the Lute Olson coached Arizona Wildcats) to refuse to play a home-and-home series with the Lobos. The Lobo men's basketball team ranked in the top 10 nationally in total attendance every season from the opening of the Pit in 1966 through the 2000-01 season. Although attendance has declined somewhat in recent years, the team has continued to rank in the top 20.^[1]

Tournament Site

The Pit hosted the 1983 NCAA Basketball Tournament Final Four, which was the scene of a memorable championship game upset by North Carolina State over heavily favored Houston. The video clip of NC State coach Jim Valvano running around the court at the end of the game documents one of the most famous moments in NCAA basketball history and is now a staple of Final Four television coverage. The Pit hosted NCAA regionals in 1968, 1978, 1985, 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2005, making it a common venue for NCAA Tournament games. It also hosted the 1987, 1995, and 1996 Western Athletic Conference men's basketball tournaments.

Design and construction

The Pit under construction

The arena's nickname is a reference to its unique subterranean construction. It is literally a large pit, with the arena floor 37 feet (11 m) below grade level. The roof was built first, followed by the excavation of the seating area. The Pit was built at a cost of $1.4 million, which was very low even for the 1960s. The design won international recognition for chief architect Joe Boehning, who still resides in Albuquerque.^[2] By the mid-1970s, the original capacity of 14,831 proved too small for the increasingly popular Lobos. In 1975, a cantilevered deck was added above the original stands, increasing the seating capacity to 17,131. The total capacity of 18,018 includes standing-room tickets. There are no supporting pillars in the seating area of The Pit, so there are no obstructed views. The compact area and proximity of the seats to the floor contributes to the legendary noise level. The basketball playing surface was named Bob King Court in 1992, after the coach who brought Lobo basketball to national prominence in the 1960s.

References

External links

• Profile at official New Mexico athletics site