NCAA Basketball: 5 smallest arenas entering 2019-20 season

By Erik Mauro | Nov 5, 2019

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - MARCH 16: A general view as the Vanderbilt Commodores play the Northwestern Wildcats during the first round of the 2017 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Vivint Smart Home Arena on March 16, 2017 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images) /

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WACO, TX – DECEMBER 17: Jodd Maxey #24 and Mario Blessing #31 of the USC Upstate Spartans box out A.J. Walton #22 of the Baylor University Bears on December 17, 2012 at the Ferrell Center in Waco, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images) /

1. GB Hodge Center, USC Upstate – Capacity: 878

The two smallest arenas in the country belong to teams from the Big South, but the smallest belongs to the University of South Carolina Upstate Spartans.

It’s no surprise that the Spartans have yet to reach the NCAA Tournament since jumping up to Division I back in 2007. Eddie Payne coached the Spartans through 2017 and only had four winning seasons at the DI level, resulting in only four CIT appearances.

Dave Dickerson took over the Spartans last year and led them to only six wins. Dickerson also left much to be desired as a head coach at Tulane years ago. The good news is there is no way to go for him but up.

For having 878 seats, the arena still gets filled up. Home games last year averaged well over 600 fans, with the high total being 833. In a small arena, all the noise from anybody can make it a decent enough place to play.

Next. Can't-miss players for 2019-20 season. dark

Now, think if the team was good, how much louder it would be in there. If the Spartans improve this year, which is very likely, all 878 seats may get filled. A school like that would love to see their tiny arena filled and give them any advantage possible. College basketball is college basketball.

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