While Hofheinz Pavilion is the house that Big E built, Fertitta Center is the house that Kelvin Sampson has built into a tough place to play.
The Cougars are establishing a tradition in a building that has seen many greats.
UH, which is 21-3 overall and a perfect 13-0 at home, hosts Texas on Saturday. The game will provide an interesting look at Cougar faithful.
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With the Longhorns in town, there will be plenty of burnt orange in the sold-out arena for UT’s first visit to Fertitta Center.
RELATED: How Fertitta Center has become one of toughest arenas to play in.
Even during Phi Slama Jama days, the Cougars weren’t regularly selling out Hofheinz Pavilion. That has changed. Routinely packed, the Fertitta Center has become a difficult test for visiting teams.
The venerable Allen Fieldhouse is, and always will be, the gold standard of college basketball arenas.
There just isn’t a better place to watch a game than the home of the Kansas Jayhawks, which opened in 1955, a few months before Wilt Chamberlain enrolled in school.
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James Naismith, yes, the guy who invented the game, was the first coach at Kansas, a half century before Allen was built, but you can feel his presence in a place that has an air of history about it.
“The Phog” is plain and beautiful, with a heartbeat, an aura that you can almost touch before the crowd of 16,300 even arrives.
The most knowledgeable fanbase in the country puts on a fantastic show, concerned with every dribble and roaring from start to finish with a deafening sound that can be heard for miles. I sat next to a TV crew calling a Kansas game one night and never heard a word the announcers said.
They come early, filling the arena well before tipoff. And the Rock Chalk Jayhawk chant is mesmerizing.
Under Bill Self, the Jayhawks have just 13 home losses in 16 seasons, while winning 14 regular season conference championships in that time.
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ALLEN FIELDHOUSE: The 'St. Patrick's Cathedral' of college basketball.
KU’s dominance isn’t just about the building, of course, but the atmosphere helps.
Fertitta Center is different. It has 21st Century energy, lighting, sound. Fans don’t tend to arrive early, but when the Cougars are rolling, it’s like watching a video game come to life.
Buildings don’t score points or block shots, but the intimidation factor of a home crowd can make a significant difference.
UH fans are smart. They cheer as much for defense as they do offense. Sampson loves that.
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Houston, which has been ranked in the top 10 for a school record 34 straight weeks, leads the country in scoring defense (54.7 ppg) and field goal percentage defense (37.1). The Cougars also have the NCAA’s best turnover margin, forcing 7.4 more turnovers than they commit.
In-state rivalry aside, Saturday’s game is a warmup for two bigger contests.
In a couple days, a "Big Monday" game against 10th-ranked Iowa State will be a nice showcase. As will a March 9 date with No. 6 Kansas.
The Cougars lost at Iowa State and Kansas earlier this year. UH fans should be fired up for payback at home, where UH has won 18 straight games. The energy boost is real.
The Fertitta Center will never catch up to Allen Fieldhouse, Kansas has too much tradition, too big of a head start, but the Cougars’ home can rock and should rock with one of the best teams in the country on the court.
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As they chase a Big 12 title, and a NCAA Tournament No. 1 seed, the Cougars are the best show in town.
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