The USA Is the Best Home-Court Advantage in College Basketball
When I say the United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock is the best home-court advantage in college basketball, it might sound like hyperbole, but it's not.
It's just a fact.
The only argument I'll listen to is that Gonzaga might have a better advantage after winning 67 games in a row at home, but they're playing Texas Tech's non-conference as conference games every year. It's not incredibly difficult for Gonzaga to win regardless.
You can give me Duke's Cameron Indoor or Phog Allen in Kansas, but my answer remains; give me the USA over anyone else. Texas Tech's 18 wins at home are more than anyone else in the country this season. Kentucky is right behind with 17 of their own.
It's not always been like this. In fact, I think the USA has hit a brand new level this year after being incredible over the span of the last four seasons. What's better than incredible? I don't know. Stupendous? That's what the Texas Tech home court has been in 2022.
That led the team to a perfect 18-0 record at home where they outscored their opponents 1,397 to 1,058. The perfect record includes nine Big 12 games, the toughest conference in the country, where Texas Tech outscored conference foes 684 to 565. That means the average margin of victory in home conference games was 13.2 points per game.
Across the entire schedule at the USA, Texas Tech's average margin of victory at home was 17.8 points per game. The closest game all season within the chaotic walls of the home arena was the latest five-point victory over Kansas State.
The Senior Night victory for Texas Tech completed the perfect home slate for Texas Tech, the first in the history of the USA. Texas Tech has run through a home record undefeated. They did it in back-to-back seasons in 1995 and 1996, going a perfect 26-0 across that time frame at the Lubbock Municipal Coliseum. They also did it three straight seasons in 1954-57, which predates even the LMC.
Two seniors showed out especially large last night in the 73-68 win over Kansas State.
Davion Warren had his best game as a Red Raider so far, scoring six of the last eight points for Texas Tech and finishing the game with a season-high 23 points. Bryson Williams also reached double figures for the 16th time in Big 12 play with 19 of his own.
Adonis Arms, another senior, added 10 of his own along with a team-high six assists.