• Fifth Third Arena Photo Gallery

Cincinnati has enjoyed a tremendous homecourt advantage for the past 20 years in the 13,176-seat Fifth Third Arena. The building was renamed in 2004 to recognize Fifth Third Bank's generous support of the athletic facilities improvement campaign.

The arena was originally completed in 1989. The volleyball Bearcats beat Toledo on Sept. 12 in the first organized athletic event in the new $32-million facility. Since that initial event, the arena has been the site of 230 volleyball matches and 611 basketball games.

The Bearcats are 628-214 at home in basketball and volleyball since the arena's opening for an outstanding .746 winning percentage. Over the last 10 years they have been even better, going 372-99 for an .790 percentage.

Moreover, it has brought out Bearcat fans in droves. Attendance records were set in five of the last 14 men's basketball seasons. In 1999-2000, every Bearcat home game was a complete sellout as the team established a new attendance record with per-game crowd of 13,176.

And when the UC fans get rocking, it gets WILD!

The festive arena, with 16 private executive suites, new Daktronics video boards and restaurant and lounge area overlooking the court, is as good as any college facility in the nation.

A new portable playing surface, the All-Star Plus which is used by several NBA teams, was installed for the 2003-04 season.

UC's proud history and tradition are well-represented in the Fifth Third Arena. The playing surface is named Ed Jucker Court in honor of the coach who directed the Bearcats to two men's basketball national championships. UC's All-Americans are recognized by photo banners hanging in the concourses.

The south wall of the arena is decorated with the numerous men's basketball championship banners and the retired jerseys of Bearcat greats Robertson, Jack Twyman and Kenyon Martin. The north wall recognizes volleyball and women's basketball championships, as well as UC's All-Americans.

In its proud history, Fifth Third Arena has served as host of the 1994 Great Midwest Men's and Women's Basketball Tournament, the 1998 Conference USA Men's Basketball Tournament, the 1998 Conference USA Volleyball Tournament, the 1999 NCAA Mideast Women's Basketball Regional, the 2003 NCAA Women's Basketball West Sub-Regional, and the 2006 BIG EAST Volleyball Tournament.

Fifth Third Arena stands at the center of the newly completed Richard E. Lindner Varsity Village. It is connected to the Lindner Athletic Center, which allows convenient access to the Bearcats' new state-of-the-art sports medicine and strength & conditioning centers, as well as all administrative and coaching offices and the Nancy Hamant Academic Center.