The Arena Pulse: No. 7-Gallagher-Iba Arena (Oklahoma State)

It’s never easy to go on the road in college basketball. This is a top 25 breakdown of some of the toughest and most intimidating venues in college basketball.

Venue: Gallagher-Iba Arena

School Name: Oklahoma State

Location: Stillwater, Oklahoma

Capacity: 13,611

They will do it to you every single year. It does not matter if it is considered a down year for Oklahoma State. Nor does it matter if a top-five team comes to Stillwater. Call it what you want, but big wins at home are just some of the reasons why Oklahoma State fans love their basketball.

Just last March, the Cowboys made their first NCAA Tournament since 2005. Although, there were a couple disappointing years in between, fans at Gallagher-Iba Arena continued to show their support.

No matter what their record is, each season they will catch at least one team in Stillwater. With over 13,000 screaming fans, there is nothing better than upsetting a ranked Big 12 rival on their home court. And the Cowboys continue to make it happen.

A few years ago, led by the nation’s top player in Kevin Durant, the Texas Longhorns came into Stillwater as a favorite to win. But, led by a roaring crowd and an offensive show, Oklahoma State’s Mario Boggan nailed a three with 3.2 seconds remaining in triple overtime to send Gallagher-Iba into an absolute frenzy and give the Cowboys the upset victory.

It was only last year when Oklahoma State nipped Texas again in a home game; Texas was No. 25 in the nation at the time.

Texas will be back in Stillwater again this season, along with visits from Oklahoma and what potentially could be the biggest match-up of the season when Kansas comes to town. Looked at as a top-three team going into this season, the Jayhawks have had some off-the-court issues and some are not too sure if their heads are completely focused. Hopefully the Jayhawks are focused when the time comes to visit Oklahoma State, because if not Gallagher-Iba Arena and its fans will be the first to remind them.

It has been dubbed as the “Madison Square Garden of the Plains” and the rich tradition of basketball is something Oklahoma State fans are very passionate about. Eddie Sutton is one of the winningest coaches in NCAA history and although he has retired, the excitement still sits inside Gallagher-Iba Arena each season. As one of the more intimidating venues in the country, it is well known that visiting opponents should never tread lightly in Stillwater. They will provide one of the best atmospheres in college basketball and with another season approaching quickly, Cowboys fans could not be happier.