Gopher Basketball at Williams Arena

Gopher Basketball has been rocking lately, have you made it to a game? Williams Arena has been packed with fans coming to watch the gophers destroy on the court. Make plans to visit Williams Arena soon!

Williams Arena Address

The Williams Arena address is: 1925 University Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN

Williams Arena Parking

In the vicinity of Williams Arena includes street parking, ramp parking, and surface lots. The arena is on the west end of the campus off of University Avenue, next to TCF Bank Stadium. When TCF opened, it took some Williams Arena Parking away. It didn't take all of it however. The parking lot just a block north followed by a ramp two blocks west of the rink. The ramp is fairly easy to find a spot, but it's getting out of the ramp that tends to take a little longer.

If you'd prefer to park on the street, Washington and Oak Street provide meters if there are avaliable ones. If those aren't open, the next best bet is to look for a meter on University Avenue headed towards St. Paul. The last resort would be looking for several smaller lots around the arena that can charge anywhere from $8 to $20.

Norwood Teague U of M Athletic Director

Norwood Teague is the new athletic director for the University of Minnesota Gophers. Welcome Norwood Teague!

We are excited to have Teague and hope he provides great support and leadership for the Gophers basketball team.

Marvin Taylor Dies at 60

Marvin “Corky” Taylor, who played basketball for the Gophers from 1970-1973 and was a member of their 1972 Big Ten title team, died Thursday due to complications from lung cancer.

He was 60.

Taylor wrapped up his career averages 3.3 points and 3.7 rebounds.

Taylor is often remembered for his role in the infamous Gophers/Ohio State brawl in 1972, which started when Taylor kneed Ohio State's Luke Witte in the groin.

Tubby Smith Receives Contract Extension

Tubby Smith had his Gophers basketball contract extended for three years with a relatively small salary increase. Smith's overall compensation with the new deal will depend primarily on incentive bonuses based on his and the team's performance.

Smith has two seasons remaining on his current contract. The new deal will run through the 2016-17 season.

Smith's current annual compensation is a bit over the $2 million mark. Salary has not been an issue during negotiations relative to buyout compensation should Smith be terminated before the end of the contract.

New Williams Arena Gophers Basketball Scoreboard

The University of Minnesota announced recently plans to make improvements at Williams Arena before the start of the 2012-12 season. Mariucci Arena will receive upgrades as well.

The Gophers are installing new center-hung LED scoreboards, LED fascia boards and sound systems. All improvements should be completed in time for the new seasons.

The main board at Williams will be 11 feet, 7 inches tall by 13 feet, 8 inches wide.

See those new scoreboards in person! Buy Williams Arena tickets and check out the Gopher basketball team. Start saving money now!

Williams Arena Photos

I recently was assigned a task to go around Minneapolis, St. Paul and suburbs and take pictures of all of the gorgeous venues! I think there were 24 total venues I snapped photos of. We sure are lucky to live in Minnesota where sports, concerts and theater are extremely popular hobbies!

Take a peak at my Williams Arena photos:

Gopher Basketball Player Profile: Austin Hollins

Meet Austin Hollins, a guard for the Minnesota Gophers.

Austin Hollins is from Germantown, Tennessee. Austin Hollins is a graduate of Germantown High School in Tennessee. He averaged 18.9 points per game as a senior and helped Germantown to a 24-9 record. His team advanced to the Region 8-AAA quarterfinals and was named to Best of the Preps Class AAA Team by the Memphis Commercial-Appeal.

Austin Hollins has continued his strong performance with the Minnesota Gophers Men's basketball team. Hollins has already scored over 400 career points and dished out over 100 career assists.

Purchase your Minnesota Gopher tickets today to check out Austin Hollins!

Gopher Basketball Player Profile: Andre Hollins

Meet Andre Hollins, a guard for the Minnesota Gophers.

Andre Hollins is a graduate of White Station High School in Memphis, Tennessee.

As a high school senior, Hollins was the 2011 Tennesse Mr. Basketball and an ESPN Top 100 recruit, as well as the 2011 Pepsi Best of Preps Player of the Year. Hollins averaged 23.5 points per game and captained his team to a 30-7 record and state-semifinal appearance.

Join Andre Hollins and the Minnesota Gophers this basketball season!

Trevor Mbakwe 2012-13

Trevor Mbakwe is Minnesota-native who has always known he wanted to play basketball. Standing at 6 feet 7 inches tall, Trevor Mbakwe has also always had the size of a basketball player.

Trevor Mbakwe started his basketball career at Henry Sibley Senior High School in Mendota Heights, Minnesota. He also played on the Howard Pulley AAU team. After he graduated high school in 2007, Trevor Mbakwe went to Miami-Dade junior college. He transferred to the University of Minnesota in 2009 however and was added to the Golden Gophers Basketball roster that same year.

Mbakwe will be returning for another season with the Gophers in 2012-2013. Yay!

Check out Trevor Mbakwe and the rest of the Minnesota Gophers at Williams Arena.

Williams Arena: Home of the Gophers Basketball Teams

Home of the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers Men's and Women's basketball team, Williams Arena is affectionately referred to as "The Barn." Williams Arena is located at 1925 University Avenue Southeast in Minneapolis.

Construction of Williams Arena building began in 1927 and was completed in 1928, when it was dedicated as the University of Minnesota Field House. The building features a barrel-vaulted roof, maximizing the number of seats in the arena. The original building housed basketball and winter football practice facilities.

"The Barn" is ranked in the top five of College Basketball Arenas in the country by Inside Sports writers and it is one of just six 1920's era collegiate basketball arenas still in use. The raised floor, one of only a handful in the country, and the deafening roar of 14,000-plus Williams Arena fans unquestionably has something to do with it. Minnesota basketball fans love Williams Arena!

Trevor Mbakwe Sixth Season of Eligibility

Minnesota's Trevor Mbakwe got the sixth season of eligibility he wanted. Mbakwe said he's strongly considering returning, but also continued that he has not ruled out the NBA.

If Mbakwe would return to the Gophers, the U of M would have to find a scholarship for him. Minnesota is at the NCAA maximum of 13 scholarship players.

The deadline for declaring the draft is April 29.

Minnesota faces off against Washington in the NIT semifinals on Tuesday.

Gopher Basketball Regular Season Game

This is it. The final regular season game at Williams Arena. Join me for the Minnesota Golden Gophers v Nebraska Cornhuskers game on March 3 at 11:30am.

Gophers v Cornhuskers

3/3 @ 11:30am

Don't miss this great Gophers game!

Gophers Down Illini

The Gophers men's basketball team made a statement in the final minutes of the Minnesota-Illinois basketball game - they are not the same team that they were in the Big Ten opener. The message was heard loud and clear by Illinois.

The Gophers showed their might by tying the score on a last-second three-point play and finishing off Illinois in overtime to grab their fourth victory in five games. The Gophers won 77-72 at Williams Arena.

Austin Hollins, with the Gophers down by three, drove to the basket, hitting the layup. The big error by Illinois came as Meyers Leonard fouled Hollins, who they hit the free throw to send the game into overtime.