In its effort to bring you all the comings and goings of the N.C. State men’s basketball team, Technician staff writers have traveled the highways and byways to witness the action firsthand. Today we bring you the ratings of all the campuses, facilities, and, perhaps most importantly, the food the good people of Technician have encountered along the way.
Best Campus
Virginia
Near the Blue Ridge Mountains, the University of Virginia sets the bar high for other ACC schools in terms of natural beauty. The campus is gorgeous yet understated, and it meshes well with the surrounding area. The campus is also easily accessible and subtly hints that blending in with the community is of huge importance.
Runner-up: Maryland
Worst Campus
Georgia Tech
To be fair, Georgia Tech is nestled right off the highway in Atlanta, so that does not lend itself to having much natural beauty. The biggest problem is that most things school-related are lined along a street, so there is not only a lack of open room, but there is much walking required. The school provides parking but, like most things in life, it is not free.
Runner-up: Clemson
Best Arena
Virginia (John Paul Jones Arena)
The John Paul Jones Arena, along with most other things in Charlottesville, blends in perfectly with the community. The seven-year-old arena, like the campus, is understated and, at a capacity of 14,593, is a significant increase over University Hall. The Cavaliers do not always sell out, but the crowd is typically boisterous. The noisy crowd is a big reason why basketball teams who travel to Charlottesville often go home with a loss to show for the trip.
Runner-up: Clemson (Littlejohn Coliseum)
Worst Arena
Wake Forest (Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum)
Entering the middle of the second decade in the 21st century, it is hard to fathom anyone actually operating a motor vehicle indoors. Yet, the Demon Deacon mascot duly enters the arena and rides onto the court on a motorcycle for every home game, while also idling during the announcements for the starting line-ups. The episode seldom gets the supporters who bother to show up worked into frenzy.
In all honesty, it is hard to discern at this point if the listlessness is based on numbness to having seen too many poor displays over the years, complete apathy for head coach Jeff Bzdelik’s program, or a unique combination of the two. Opened in 1989, Joel Coliseum straddles the sad balance of being too young to justify being replaced and being too old to have modern amenities or charm.
Runner-up: Florida State (Tucker Center)
