Buckeyes Return to Historic St. John Arena – Ohio State Buckeyes
1/7/1993 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
St. John Arena is in its 47th season as a home of Ohio State athletics. This season the historic arena will serve as the home court for two Ohio State women’s basketball games and as the site of the 2004 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship First and Second Rounds.
The 13,276-seat arena was completed in November 1956 and named after former Ohio State basketball coach and athletics director, Lynn W. St. John. It served as the home of the women’s basketball team for 24 years and the men’s basketball team for 42 years before both programs moved to Value City Arena.
The landmark has been the site of many victories and many championship teams. The women’s basketball team recorded eight Big Ten championships, including a remarkable six consecutive conference crowns from 1982-87. St. John Arena was the home of the 1960 men’s basketball national championship team and the national runners-up the next two years. The men’s team captured five consecutive Big Ten titles between 1960 and 1964 – a feat which remains unmatched by any men’s team in the Big Ten.
“St. John Arena, which opened in 1956, was built strictly as a basketball arena and was one of the finest in the country when it was built,” Phyllis Bailey, women’s head coach from 1965-70 and former assistant and associate athletics director, said.
Many famous Buckeyes have left their mark in St. John Arena, including All-Americans Frani Washington, Tracey Hall (twice), Nikita Lowry, Katie Smith (twice), John Havlicek, Jerry Lucas, Gary Bradds, Dennis Hopson and Jim Jackson. Other historic names include Clark Kellogg, Herb Williams, Jim Cleamons and legendary coach Fred Taylor.
“Knowing the people that played in St. John and the history and tradition that revolves around the arena made me feel honored to play there and follow the other players that came before me,” Alysiah Bond, a former women’s basketball player and member of the 1993 Final Four Team, said.
Not only was Bond honored to play in St. John Arena, she made many lasting impressions during her four-year stint. “St. John was a place were so many great memories were made,” Bond, a letterwinner from 1992-95, said. “Anytime I look back on my playing days at Ohio State, St. John is always one of the first memories that comes to mind.”
Not only were memories made, but also many Buckeye victories came in the arena. Its unique construction created an environment where 78 percent of the 278 women’s games hosted resulted in victories for the Buckeyes.
“The spectators feel they are very close to the action,” Bailey said. “When we drew crowds of 8,000, it felt like the whole arena (was full). It was an exciting place to be playing in with good crowd noise.”
Over the years, the capacity of the arena fluctuated. The original mark of 13,491 reached as high as 13,681 and as low as the present figure of 13,276. Prior to the start of the 1987-88 season, a $1.2 million scoreboard, featuring the latest in computer graphics at the time, was installed. At the same time, corner scoreboards and a lighting system were added.
With the most distant seat only 155 feet from the center circle of the court and no posts or obstructions to block the sight lines, St. John Arena remains one of college basketball’s most respected theaters.
“Despite St. John only holding 13,000 fans, if it was filled up it was just as loud as a 20,000-seat arena,” Bond said. “It was one of the best arenas in the Big Ten because of the atmosphere and enthusiasm you could feel in the building. You could feel the crowd. Looking up and seeing the crowd and your family was special.”
The arena currently functions as the home of the Ohio State men’s and women’s volleyball, men’s and women’s gymnastics and wrestling teams.
Women’s basketball returned to the historic arena last season for two games, in which the Buckeyes defeated the Texas Longhorns (Jan. 5), who eventually earned a spot in the 2003 Final Four, and Big Ten rival Michigan (Feb. 27). Last season was the first time many current players ever competed in the arena, but it was not the first time for Ohio State head coach Jim Foster.
Before coming to Ohio State, Foster coached at Vanderbilt for 11 years. During his stint at Vanderbilt, Foster’s team played a two-game series with Ohio State in the 1993 and 1994 seasons. Vanderbilt won the first game, 70-67, Jan. 7, 1993, in Nashville, Tenn. The Commodores traveled to Columbus where they were beaten, 82-80, by the Buckeyes Dec. 1, 1993, in St. John Arena.
“It was a great two-game series with Ohio State,” Foster said. “Both games were close and were decided in the last 10 seconds of the game.”
Foster’s personal record in St. John Arena currently stands at 2-1 overall, and he hopes to improve upon that this season. Ohio State will play two games in St. John Arena again this year – the game tonight vs. Wright State and Feb. 19 against Northwestern.
Foster and many of the current players are excited to play in St. John Arena this year.
“The old historic basketball buildings have a lot of meaning because of the tradition they hold,” Foster said. “It is great these young players are getting the opportunity to play in the venue.”
“It is exciting because all the best players, like Katie Smith, played in St. John Arena,” senior LaToya Turner said. “The environment is great because everyone is into it and it just brings great energy.”
The arena also will serve as the site for the NCAA women’s basketball tournament March 20 and 22.
The players are hoping to advance to the NCAA tournament for the second straight season. Ideally, the group would like to be seeded in Columbus, and if so, they are anticipating a strong home-court advantage.
“A lot of my teammates said they like playing there because it is smaller than the Schott (The Jerome Schottenstein Center) and it is a more intimate place,” freshman Jessica Davenport said. “I am really excited to play in St. John. Hopefully we can earn a spot in the NCAA tournament. I think the fans will come, especially since it is being played in St. John Arena.”
