NCAA analyst Andy Katz has ranked Gonzaga’s student section as the fifth best in college basketball in his top 10 list. The approximately 1,200 students in the lower bowl of the McCarthey Athletic Center have played a crucial role in establishing a strong home-court advantage for the Gonzaga men’s basketball team over the past twenty years.
The Bulldogs boast the highest home winning percentage in the nation over the last six seasons, with a remarkable record of 90-3 at The Kennel, including a stretch of 75 consecutive wins from 2018 to 2023.
While the talent and coaching are evident, the student section, known as the Kennel Club, also contributes by energizing the atmosphere through vibrant pregame rituals, sometimes joined by players. This lively energy was showcased during ESPN’s College Gameday, which visited Spokane in February 2023 for a top-25 matchup against Saint Mary’s.
In Katz’s pre-season rankings for the 2024-25 season, the Kennel Club secured the No. 5 spot, just ahead of student sections like UConn’s The Pack and Auburn’s The Jungle. The top ranking went to Duke’s Cameron Crazies, followed closely by Kansas and Michigan State’s Izzozone at No. 3 and No. 4, respectively.
Despite Gonzaga’s impressive road winning percentage over the past 15 years, they have struggled in true road games against the teams featured in Katz’s top 10, holding a 0-4 record against them, including two losses in the 1998-99 season.
With the increasing popularity of neutral-site games, on-campus matchups among top 25 teams are becoming less frequent. Gonzaga will face one of Katz’s ranked student sections on Nov. 18, when they battle San Diego State at Viejas Arena, where they previously suffered a loss in 2017.
When Gonzaga plays the back-to-back national champion UConn at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 14, a raucous atmosphere is expected, as Huskies fans will have easy access to the venue.
Currently, Gonzaga’s home opener is set for Nov. 10 against Arizona State, with fans getting an early preview of the 2024-25 roster at the Kraziness in the Kennel event on Oct. 5.
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