Carver-Hawkeye Arena’s entrances are at the top of the building. The Arena is built into the ground, so from the outside, it doesn’t seem that big, but entering from the top gives you a true appreciation for how large the oval-shaped structure, which holds over 15,000 fans, truly is.
Entering from the top of the stadium gives a different perspective of the court, too. Everything looks shrunken. Minuscule, even. This is where we find the savior of Northwestern basketball, shooting in the then mostly-vacant, absolutely cavernous Iowa City gym. Every clang of the ball off the rim, every swish of the nylon, every pound of the ball on the court echoes.