The McKenzie Arena
Directions to The McKenzie Arena | Men's Basketball Seating Chart | Women's Basketball Chart | Will Call | Player Pass | Student Tickets
The McKenzie Arena, originally named the UTC Arena, was officially dedicated in December, 1982. Its construction is the result of a cooperative venture between the City of Chattanooga, Hamilton County, The University of Tennessee System and the State of Tennessee.
The 210,000-square-foot, $15.5 million multi-purpose complex is home to the Chattanooga Mocs basketball teams. It also houses sports medicine facilities, athletic administrative offices, coaches offices and locker rooms for football and men's and women's basketball.
The UTC Arena was re-named The McKenzie Arena on Feb. 21, 2000 after a generous donation from supporters Toby McKenzie and Brenda Lawson of Cleveland, Tenn. The arena's long-time nickname "The Roundhouse" came about because of the facility's round shape, but also because of the railroad tradition in the city. The building that housed the mechanism to turn locomotives around when it reached the terminal was known as the roundhouse.
The 10,995-seat arena has two state-of-the-art video boards that enhance the fan experience at every men's and women's basketball home game. Expanded courtside seating and the "Gold Circle" provide fans with an excellent vantage point to catch all of the action on the court.
It has also supplied some major entertainment acts for the city of Chattanooga. In addition to ice shows, rodeos and circuses, the arena also set a stage for such performers as Elton John, Barry Manilow, Cher, Billy Joel and Alabama. Kenny Rogers was the building's first event, performing for a crowd of 12,000 on Oct. 8, 1982.
The arena's most recent events have been concerts by Elton John, Aerosmith, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Shania Twain, Maroon 5, Carrie Underwood and many other national acts.
McKenzie Arena served as the host location for the 2005, 2009 and 2011 Southern Conference Men's and Women's Basketball Tournaments. It has twice hosted NCAA Women's Basketball First & Second Round games in 2004 and 2009.
Men's Basketball has a Rich Tradition in the McKenzie Arena
The first game in the Roundhouse was a visit from the Tennessee Vols men's basketball team on Dec. 1, 1982. A sellout crowd of 11,218 was on hand out to watch the Vols defeat the Mocs 56-49. The game turned out to be a showdown of two future NBA players. Tennessee's Dale Ellis led the Vols with 17 points, while UTC's Gerald Wilkins paced his squad with a game-high 20.
The Mocs enter the 2016-17 season having compiled an overall record of 407-111 in home games at the Arena, a winning percentage of .786. The record is 40-5 (.889) over the last three campaigns. Throughout its history, McKenzie Arena has seen crowds average around the 5,000-range for its 518 Mocs games. Chattanooga topped the 10,000-mark 11 times, including a sellout of 11,221 against Tennessee on Dec. 4, 2007.
Defending National Champion North Carolina also visited the arena during the inaugural 1982-83 season. The Tar Heels, which boasted such players as Brad Daugherty, Sam Perkins and a sophomore named Michael Jordan, managed a seven-point victory, 73-66. UTC's Willie White, who would also go on to play professionally, netted 26 points. Jordan finished with 27.
The arena has had many other future NBA stars on its court, including current NBA players Stephen Curry (Davidson), Derrick Favors (Georgia Tech) and Jason Smith (Colorado State). The NBA's Atlanta Hawks held their mini-camp in the arena for two summers.
10,000 Men's Basketball Crowds at The McKenzie Arena
| Date |
Attendance |
Opponent |
Result |
| Dec. 4, 2007 |
11,221 |
Tennessee |
L, 70-76 |
| Dec. 1, 1982 |
11,218 |
Tennessee |
L, 49-55 |
| Dec. 21, 1982 |
11,218 |
North Carolina |
L, 66-73 |
| Dec. 3, 1994 |
11,103 |
Michigan |
L, 71-83 |
| Feb. 15, 1992 |
10,915 |
East Tennessee State |
L, 67-83 |
| Feb. 16, 1987 |
10,727 |
Marshall |
W, 82-78 |
| Feb. 4, 1984 |
10,491 |
Marshall |
L, 67-75 |
| Feb. 22, 1996 |
10,343 |
Memphis |
L, 55-63 |
| Feb. 5, 1994 |
10,205 |
East Tennessee State |
W, 86-84 |
| March 14, 1984 |
10,132 |
Georgia |
W, 74-69 |
| Jan. 21, 1991 |
10,121 |
East Tennessee State |
W, 76-74 |
Women's Basketball Dominance in the McKenzie Arena
The first game for the Mocs in McKenzie Arena was an 74-66 win over Tennessee Tech on December 3, 1983. Overall, UTC has posted an amazing 246-46 (.842) record in the Roundhouse with seven undefeated seasons in its friendly confines. Even more impressive is the .854 winning percentage (182-31) posted by the Mocs during the 15 years of the Wes Moore era. With the arrival of Hall of Fame head coach Jim Foster the Mocs have won 40 of its last 45 games at the Roundhouse and defeated such foes as #4 Tennessee and #7 Stanford.
Chattanooga women's basketball started playing all of its home games in the arena in the 1999-2000 season. Since then they have had crowds of 4,000 11 times, including a school-record 10,051 against Tennessee on Nov. 19, 2004. UTC has played host to such women's basketball powerhouses as UConn, Louisville, the Lady Vols and Vanderbilt. Kentucky, Rutgers and Harvard have also played on the hardwood of the Roundhouse.
The Mocs have led the Southern Conference in average home attendance each year since moving to the McKenzie Arena. In 2004-05, they averaged 2,247 fans per game, and ranked 51st in the nation.
The McKenzie Arena has twice hosted the first and second rounds of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament. The Lady Mocs knocked off Rutgers in the first round of the 2004 tournament on their home floor. Over 6,000 fans saw one of the biggest wins in school history and Chattanooga also served as a host site for the 2009 tournament.
4,000 Women's Basketball Crowds at the McKenzie Arena
| Date |
Attendance |
Opponent |
Result |
| Nov. 19, 2004 |
10,051 |
Tennessee |
L, 34-68 |
| Nov. 16, 2001 |
9,113 |
Tennessee |
L, 57-97 |
| Nov. 9, 2012 |
8,468 |
Tennessee |
W, 80-71 |
| March 22, 2004 |
7,541 |
Vanderbilt |
L, 44-60 |
| Nov. 21, 2008 |
7,008 |
Tennessee |
L, 63-66 |
| March 20, 2004 |
6,391 |
Rutgers |
W, 74-69 |
| Nov. 30, 2016 |
6,104 |
UConn |
L, 31-79 |
| Jan. 21, 2006 |
4,512 |
Coll. of Charleston |
W, 89-41 |
| Nov. 26, 2014 |
4,160 |
Tennessee |
W, 67-63 |
| Nov. 22, 2002 |
4,073 |
Georgia |
L, 58-79 |
| Nov. 19, 2009 |
4,004 |
Georgia |
L, 57-74 |
Will Call
Will Call is located at Gate 1 of McKenzie Arena, located off of Mabel St. on the campus of UTC. It is important to note Will Call opens 2 hours prior to tipoff and will remain open to pick up your ticket(s) until halftime. A valid ID must be shown to receive your ticket(s).
Player Pass
Player will call is located at Gate A to the left/under Gate 1 and just off of Mabel St. Tickets can begin being picked up 60 minutes prior to all home contests. A valid ID must be shown to receive your ticket.
Student Ticket Information
All currently enrolled students receive free admission to home Mocs events during the regular season. If the Mocs are hosting a postseason event for the Southern Conference or NCAA, students may be charged a small fee for those ticketed events. That is decided on a case-by-case basis for each postseason event. Students may purchase one (1) additional guest ticket at a student discounted rate.
Chattanooga Athletics has implemented an online ticket reservation process for students for select sports. This allows the athletics department to better prepare for anticipated crowds and provide the best game day experience for all fans. Students need to reserve tickets for any home football, men's basketball, and women's basketball games they choose to attend. To learn more about the student ticketing process, please
click here.
Students do not need to reserve tickets for any other sports. When attending any other home regular season event, please make sure to have your Mocs ID with you.
