Rutgers Athletic Center
| The Rutgers Athletic Center/RAC | |
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| Former names | Rutgers Athletic Center (1977–1986) |
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| Location | 83 Rockafeller Road Piscataway, New Jersey 08854 |
| Coordinates | 40°31′31″N 74°26′28″W / 40.52528°N 74.44111°WCoordinates: 40°31′31″N 74°26′28″W / 40.52528°N 74.44111°W |
| Owner | Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey |
| Operator | Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey |
| Capacity | 8,000 |
| Surface | Hardwood |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1975 |
| Opened | November 30, 1977 |
| Tenants | |
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Rutgers Scarlet Knights (NCAA) (1977–present) New Jersey Nets (NBA) (1977–1981) |
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The Louis Brown Athletic Center, more commonly known as the RAC (for its original name, the Rutgers Athletic Center), is an 8,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Piscataway, New Jersey on Rutgers University's Livingston Campus. The building is shaped like a truncated tent with trapezoidal sides on the north and south ends. It is home to the men's and women's Rutgers Scarlet Knights basketball teams. Previously, the University used the 3,200-seat College Avenue Gym from 1931 to 1977.
The arena opened on November 30, 1977 with a win against rival Seton Hall.
The arena was known as the Rutgers Athletic Center until 1986, when it was renamed for Louis Brown, a Rutgers graduate and former member of the varsity golf team, who made a large bequest to the University in his will. Despite the name change, the building is still largely referred to as "The RAC" (pronounced "rack") by students, alumni, fans, and players.
The RAC is renowned for being one of the loudest arenas in college basketball when at maximum capacity. The trapezoidal design of the building allows the crowd noise to resonate, creating a deafening environment. The RAC has even been described as being "louder than a 747 at Newark Airport."
ESPN's Jay Bilas has lauded the RAC, saying, "The Scarlet Knights play great there, and the crowd is right on top of you and intimidating."
Former opponents have also extolled the RAC's atmosphere. Former Connecticut Guard Ben Gordon said, "It is very difficult at the RAC. They have a great home crowd. The student body and everybody really comes out to support them. Just the way the gym is shaped, it seems like everybody is on top of you. At times, if you're not focused, you can get lost in the game just by how intense the crowd is."
Former Syracuse forward Hakim Warrick notes that "they (the fans) are definitely some of the best fans on the road that I’ve played against. It's crazy how much they love their team. The way the gym is made, it's just made to keep the noise in. It's loud and crazy down there."
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