North Carolina State Wolfpack Basketball Tickets
The William Neal Reynolds Coliseum, home of North Carolina State basketball, is one of the largest on-campus facilities in the nation. NC State’s arena is one of the most tradition-filled and exciting places in America for collegiate basketball. NC State Wolfpack tickets The 12,400-seat complex is known as the "House That Case Built," and for good reason. It was Coach Everett Case who brought big-time basketball to NC State, as well as the Atlantic Coast Conference and the entire South.
And, in fact, he is highly responsible for the construction of the building itself.
The foundation work on the tremendous building began in 1942 and the structural steel support system was completed in 1943. But World War II interrupted the construction progress late that year.
A steel skeleton of an arena sat alone on the campus as war ravaged Europe and several years after as college officials devoted their attention and money to providing housing and classrooms for students who overflow the campus.
Authorization to resume construction was received in September of 1948 and a year later, the Wolfpack had a new home, named for the late William Neal Reynolds of Winston-Salem, N.C.
The first game was played on Friday, December 2, 1949, as the Wolfpack men’s team defeated Washington & Lee, 67-47. The first women’s game took place 25 years later on December 7, 1974, when the Pack women downed Virginia 57-45. The honors of attempting the first shot, grabbing the first rebound and scoring the first basket in the building all go to Vic Bubas. Bubas, who played at NC State from 1948-51 seasons, later coached at Duke and then became the Commissioner of the Sun Belt Conference.
Genie Jordan of Mt. Gilead, N.C. was the first State women’s player to swish the nets. The younger sister of former North Carolina Lt. Governor Bob Jordan ‘54, she played for the Wolfpack for one season, 1974-75.
The first women’s three-point basket made in Reynolds Coliseum was credited to Lori Phillips, when she drained a bomb from the three-point line on December 12, 1987, in a 69-56 win over UNC-Asheville.
Since that time, the men's basketball team has moved off campus to compete in the Raleigh Entertainment and Sports Arena. The Wolfpack Women are now the sole basketball tenants of Reynolds and enjoy having a facility to call their own. From the ACC Championship banners hanging in the rafters, to the Wolfpack Women logo on the court, Reynolds Coliseum is truly the home of the Wolfpack Women.
The largest crowd ever to witness a women’s game in Reynolds Coliseum was 11,520 fans for the January 12, 1991, conference showdown between the Wolfpack women and Virginia. Believed to be one of the greatest women’s games ever played, the record crowd witnessed the first league triple overtime women’s game. The contest set a NCAA record for the highest combined score in a women’s game which stood until the 1996-97 season, as NC State lost to the Cavaliers, 123-120. Virginia’s victory ended the Wolfpack’s 13 game winning streak at Reynolds Coliseum.
Earlier that season, a crowd of 7,340 attended the Wolfpack’s contest against Tennessee in Reynolds Coliseum. State entered the game ranked seventh in the nation, and defeated the eventual national champions, 90-77.
Before the 1990-91 season, the largest crowd ever to witness a women’s game in Reynolds Coliseum was 6,800 fans for a 1979 encounter with UCLA. The Wolfpack thrilled the audience with a 90-69 win over the Lady Bruins, who came to Raleigh ranked fifth and were the defending AIAW National Champions.
During the 1989-90 season, 6,535 fans turned out for a game between NC State and Maryland. Andrea Stinson canned a 16-foot jumpshot with nine seconds left to give the Pack a 77-76 win, much to the delight of the fans in attendance and a national television audience over ESPN.
A crowd of 6,500 turned out for a 1978 showdown between No. 4 ranked NC State and No. 1 Wayland Baptist and again the home team was victorious, 98-86.
In the 26 seasons that the Wolfpack Women have played in historic Reynolds Coliseum, fans have cheered them on to a 277-65 overall record. More people have watched college basketball in Reynolds Coliseum than any other on-campus facility in the country.
Reynolds has been the site of numerous postseason competitions for women’s basketball. The ACC Women’s Tournament was played there in 1979 and 1982. Reynolds was also the site for the Women’s NCAA East Regional in 1982. In 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1998 and 2001 the facility hosted an NCAA first or second-round game.
According to Wolfpack head coach Kay Yow, playing in Reynolds is a plus for her team. "You can always feel the excitement from the crowd in Reynolds and sense their enthusiasm. The fans are very close to the court, making it a very effective home court advantage. The Coliseum is old, but it serves our purpose well. It’s our home arena and each time we walk the steps to the court it gives us a lift."
It’s obvious Reynolds is a grand, old home to the Wolfpack. It has won 81 percent (277-65) of the games played there. During a stretch of three seasons the Wolfpack won 24 straight in Reynolds Coliseum, setting the longest winning streak on record. NC State won six home games at the end of the 1976-1977 season, 12 straight in the 1977-78 season, and six more at the beginning of the 1978-79 season to set the standard. The Wolfpack’s longest losing streak at home is just three games.
Another home court for the Wolfpack was Carmichael Gymnasium in the early years of the program. During the first two years of women’s basketball at NC State, the Wolfpack played a total of five games in the physical education building, compiling a 4-1 record. The NC State women moved all its games to legendary Reynolds for good during the 1976-77 season.
Reynolds Coliseum, which cost more than three million dollars to build, is also used for civic events, commencement exercises, summer conferences and camps, concerts, dances, student gatherings.
The building is one of the largest in the South. It is 371 feet long and 180 feet wide (66,700 sq. ft.). The inside dimensions are 312 feet by 108 feet. A feature of the building is that it has a basement the entire length and width of the building which makes it much easier to convert the seating arrangement from basketball to concerts.
An on-going renovation program has included installation of new cushioned bleachers on the main floor, new lighting and seats in the upper arena painted Wolfpack Red. Dressing, training, and weight rooms are located in the lower level of the Coliseum.
The men’s basketball team moved to the new Entertainment and Sports Arena beginning with the 1999-2000 season, making Reynolds Coliseum the home of the Wolfpack Women. Along with the new floor displaying the Wolfpack Women logo, new banners will hang from the rafters of Reynolds illustrating the rich tradition of the NC State women’s basketball program.
Standing as one of the grandest basketball arenas in the country, venerable Reynolds Coliseum has meant a lot to Wolfpack basketball. It is a symbol of tradition to a program of greatness.