What the Tuck? FSU basketball building serious home-court advantage

It doesn't have an iconic nickname like The Dean Dome.

The students aren't right on top of the court the way they are at Cameron Indoor.

You can't cram in crowds of 20,000-plus like at N.C. State, UNC or Louisville, or 30,000-plus like at Syracuse.

But over the last four years, few college basketball arenas in the country have seen more success for the home team than the Donald L. Tucker Center.

When unranked-but-tradition-rich North Carolina steps inside that building tonight (7 p.m., ESPN), the Tar Heels will face a No. 5-ranked Florida State squad that has won 17 consecutive home games -- including 11 straight ACC home games -- dating back to January 2019.

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A large reason for that success, of course, is the fact that Florida State has emerged as one of the premier programs in the country. The Seminoles have earned top-10 rankings at points during three of the last four years, and they are coming off of back-to-back trips to the Sweet 16, with one appearance in the Elite Eight.

But it's more than that.

That level of play, combined with millions of dollars of renovations to the Tucker Center, has resulted in a complete metamorphosis of the Tallahassee game-day experience.

"The enhancements we've made to this arena the last six or seven years ... the building has completely transformed," FSU senior associate athletics director Vanessa Fuchs said. "We've had coaches of opposing teams walk in -- coaches who haven't been here in a few years -- they've come in and asked, 'Is this the same place?' It's been transformative, and it's had an impact."

The last time FSU played at home, Jan. 25 against Notre Dame, the game not only drew a sell-out crowd of 11,500, but fans were tailgating in the parking lot hours beforehand. The student section was full nearly an hour before tip-off.

"That might have been the best crowd we've ever had," redshirt sophomore forward Wyatt Wilkes said.

"It just shows how much things have changed here," senior point guard Trent Forrest said. "You hear about people outside tailgating at the game, and it's like, 'What?' Since I've been here, I've never seen nobody tailgating. But just the atmosphere that we're starting to build around the basketball program, it's just [going] up and up."

More than an overnight success, it has been a steady surge.

During the first decade of Leonard Hamilton's tenure, the head coach seldom brought recruits inside the Tucker Center during official visits. He instead would schedule those trips during home football weekends to allow the prospects to soak up the Doak Campbell Stadium experience.

Back then, not only were the basketball crowds smaller, but the arena was dilapidated. The multi-colored seats were an eyesore, the scoreboards were aging, and little had been done to spruce up the inside of the arena since it was built in 1981.

"The technology -- the screens, the lighting, the music -- none of that was here," said Byron Wells, who played for the Seminoles in the late-1980s and early '90s and has been a regular at home games for years. "I think we had a digital scoreboard that would maybe show points. But I think they've done a good job of bringing it up to speed. When you walk in now, it's an impressive place to look at."

The first step in the overhaul was a decision by the FSU Board of Trustees to buy the facility from the City of Tallahassee and Leon County in 2012. Within two years, all 11,000-plus multi-colored seats had been replaced with garnet ones, a new jumbotron was installed in the middle of the arena, high-tech ribbon boards added life to the walls, the sound system was improved, and even the court was replaced.

Fuchs said there is no denying the enhancements have played a role in the Seminoles' improved recruiting in both men's and women's basketball over the last several years.

"Coach Ham hasn't been shy about saying that prior to the renovations, he wouldn't bring recruits in," said Fuchs, who played basketball at FSU in the late 1990s and early 2000s. "Now we can showcase it. The decision to really invest in basketball has started to pay off."

While Tallahassee has never been known as a "basketball town" -- just like Florida has never been regarded as a "basketball state" -- the combination of a nicer facility and improved talent on the roster has clearly struck the right chord with the fan base.

According to NCAA statistics, FSU's average attendance for home games in 2014 was 6,285. That number has improved every year since, and last season the Seminoles averaged 9,127 fans at their 16 home games.

According to the Seminoles' players, the fans are not just present, they are fully involved. It's part of the reason why FSU has taken to calling the Tucker Center, "The Terror Dome."

"The people that have come to FSU basketball games have always been great fans," Wilkes said, adding that last week's sell-out crowd played a factor in the one-point win over Notre Dame. "They're just delirious at times. They go nuts, and they back up their team. ... I just think we have the greatest fans. I'm so happy to play here."

The Seminoles are expecting the same type of support tonight against a North Carolina team that has struggled this season but saw the return of star guard Cole Anthony this past weekend.

With an overall record of 10-11 and a 3-7 mark in the ACC, North Carolina will be a rare 9.5-point underdog against the Seminoles. Part of that point spread is a testimony to the Tar Heels' struggles this season, and part is a tribute to Florida State's success; the Seminoles are 18-3 overall and 8-2 in the conference.

Another factor is Florida State's dominance at home.

In FSU's last 62 home games, dating back to late in the 2015-16 season, Hamilton's club sports an overall record of 59-3. The 'Noles are 30-3 in ACC games during that stretch.

Wells, who has played and attended games at most ACC venues, admits that the Tucker Center will likely never be considered one of the iconic arenas in college basketball. At the same time, he marvels at how far things have come in just the last few years.

"It's definitely closer [to the rest of the conference]," Wells said. "When you go to some of these arenas in the ACC, they seat 20,000 or 25,000 people, so I don't know if I can even compare to them. But we've definitely gotten closer."

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