Would someone please explain....

[Iwastherein1969]

the need of a practice facility ? Is it for recruiting or does a practice facility serve some higher purpose for the coach and the team ?  Seems to me that shooting on familiar goals every day would make your home-court rims an easier score, especially from the perimeter. Just asking. Is having a new practice facility serving as a recruiting tool or is it a necessity that helps the coaching staff teach better ?

[PoormansRobbyHampton]

No practice facility and cancers on the team are the reason Pal hasn't won here. Also, he doesn't have his players on campus.

[Ham Ham Pigelow]

The practice facility also has recreation room, lounges, etc for the players. It also gives the players a chance to play pickup anytime of the day without dealing with the student body or events going on in the main arena.

[Iwastherein1969]

No practice facility and cancers on the team are the reason Pal hasn't won here. Also, he doesn't have his players on campus.

Pel couldn't win if they brought the Taj Mahal and made it into a basketball practice facility.

[Iwastherein1969]

The practice facility also has recreation room, lounges, etc for the players. It also gives the players a chance to play pickup anytime of the day without dealing with the student body or events going on in the main arena.

so it serves sort of a dual purpose ?  more on the recruiting side and less on the teaching side...right ?

[Ham Ham Pigelow]

so it serves sort of a dual purpose ?  more on the recruiting side and less on the teaching side...right ?

Pretty much. Oh, and everyone else is doing it.

[PoormansRobbyHampton]

Pel couldn't win if they brought the Taj Mahal and made it into a basketball practice facility.

Pel hasn't had the depth and experience to compete in the SEC to this point and I blame that on Stan Heath.

[nextlevel]

so it serves sort of a dual purpose ?  more on the recruiting side and less on the teaching side...right ?

It helps with recruiting, arguably.

The main advantage is with women's basketball. It allows their athletes flexibility in scheduling classes as the practices can be held "in prime hours" just like the men's team allowing their athletes to schedule classes leading to graduations in expected time frames. As of now, if a women's team member needs a class that conflicts with the time available for practice, they can not enroll in that class. The men's practice times have no conflict with scheduling of classes...

[Sed76]

UALR has a pretty nice one at their gym but it hasn't exactly helped them win. They were a better team when they played at that hell hole known as Barton Coliseum.

[Iwastherein1969]

It helps with recruiting, arguably.

The main advantage is with women's basketball. It allows their athletes flexibility in scheduling classes as the practices can be held "in prime hours" just like the men's team allowing their athletes to schedule classes leading to graduations in expected time frames. As of now, if a women's team member needs a class that conflicts with the time available for practice, they can not enroll in that class. The men's practice times have no conflict with scheduling of classes...

makes sense....honestly, as much sarcasm as I put out along with everyone else because its better to have fun than to be at one another's throats all the time, I didn't know the answer to this question

[HF#1]

I guess there is something taboo about practicing in a 19,000 seat arena.   If you do anything, spiff that thing up a little.  Add on to it and stuff.  Make it a complex like the football stuff.

[nextlevel]

makes sense....honestly, as much sarcasm as I put out along with everyone else because its better to have fun than to be at one another's throats all the time, I didn't know the answer to this question

Yeah, basically all you here is they are "needed" for men's teams, but the reality is outside of lounges/study area's the actual use would be by the women's team as even with it I would imagine most coaches would prefer to practice where they play. Having the practice facility is the only way both basketball teams can practice at the same time.

[RockChalkJayhawk]

It's an absolute necessity and there is no excuse for not having one.  From a pure coaching perspective, the practice facility's functionality is the most vital ingredient, allowing players to work out around the clock, which is key for individual work-outs in pre and post-season.  It allows the coach to schedule practice when he wants to, which is important when juggling main-facility schedules, class schedules, travel schedules, and event calendars. It also helps you juggle schedules with the women's team.

It's a necessity, for obvious reasons, if you think you are going to recruit on a national level.  Some excellent comments regarding Clemson's new digs, that sum up the rationale pretty well:

http://www.orangeandwhite.com/news/2011/feb/04/new-practice-facility-Clemson-Brownell-Coleman/

And what the heck, let's just get with the program shall we .....

Ole Miss ....
http://www.olemiss.edu/news2/practicefacility/facility.htm

Va Tech.....
http://www2.wsls.com/sports/2008/may/14/construction_begins_in_earnest_on_vt_basketball_pr-ar-404981/

Iowa State, of all places...
http://www.cyclones.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=10700&ATCLID=1506746

UK ... bigtime
http://www.ukathletics.com/athletic-dept/craft-center.html

Kansas .....
http://www2.kusports.com/photos/galleries/2009/aug/26/kansas-basketball-practice-facility/

Baylor....
http://www.baylor.edu/athletics/facilities/index.php?id=42869

Kansas State...
http://www.kstatesports.com/trainingfacility/

Alabama....
http://blog.al.com/bamabeat/2010/04/final_stage_of_contruction_on.html

Florida....
http://www.gatorzone.com/facilities/?venue=oconn&sport=baskw&page=practice

Auburn.....
http://auburntigers.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/062907aab.html

Mississippi State.....
http://www.mstateathletics.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=16800&ATCLID=204780085

LSU ....
http://www.lsusports.net/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=5200&ATCLID=1602681

.... you get the idea ... 

[RockChalkJayhawk]

No practice facility and cancers on the team are the reason Pal hasn't won here. Also, he doesn't have his players on campus.

PMRH, don't think I don't kinda enjoy your schtick, because I do, but my question is:  with Pel on the way out, what are you going to do for new material?  You will have to restructure your entire act ... I'll miss your overachieving bit, but look forward to creative, new material you shall produce!   

[PigDaddyKane]

As was mentioned above a big part of it is recruiting.  There are non court items usually in these facilities.  Meeting rooms, player lounge, etc.  Some of the same type of items that CBP wants in the football operations facilities.  Also tied into this argument is the "everyone else has one".

As was also mentioned it also helps with scheduling.  You don't have to worry as much about BW being tied up with the other team, concerts, WMT meetings, etc.

The other argument is that it lets players work on their own time on their game.  If they have their own access to the facility they can shoot at 2 in the morning if they so desired.

[cobra kai]

For players wanting to play on their own outside of scheduled practice it is huge.  They don't always have access to BWA, and this is why you see players at the HPER and the All-star arena in Springdale. 

Plus each week BWA has to be prepared for men's & women's games, so they don't always have the option of pushing back the lower bleachers to open up the floor for multiple full court drills.  Apart from that, yes it is also a huge recruiting tool.  Practice facilities are becoming more and more the norm each year, with most of the big time programs using them. 

Just imagine bringing a recruit for a campus visit and then showing him a sweet basketball facility with a practice gym, lounge, meeting rooms, etc that he has access to at all times of the day.  It is a HUGE recruiting tool. 

[RazorCraft]

The practice facility also has recreation room, lounges, etc for the players. It also gives the players a chance to play pickup anytime of the day without dealing with the student body or events going on in the main arena.

The players have a state of the art film room, with xbox and ps3, pool tables, and a really nice locker room in BWA.  It is more of a benefit to shoot and practice on the goals you play on.  A practice facility is essential at schools that share the arena.  We do not share the arena with the exception of the women.  Our players have full access to the arena any time they want it. 

The only reason to build one is to say that we have one.  We dont need to waste the money on one. We have the finest facility in the nation.  Our players should feel priveleged to get to pracitce and play in BWA.

[Lando Calrissian]

The players have a state of the art film room, with xbox and ps3, pool tables, and a really nice locker room in BWA.  It is more of a benefit to shoot and practice on the goals you play on.  A practice facility is essential at schools that share the arena.  We do not share the arena with the exception of the women.  Our players have full access to the arena any time they want it. 

The only reason to build one is to say that we have one.  We dont need to waste the money on one. We have the finest facility in the nation.  Our players should feel priveleged to get to pracitce and play in BWA.

Exactly.  They aren't having to schedule practices around rock concerts,gun shows, etc.

[earshot]

Exactly.  They aren't having to schedule practices around rock concerts,gun shows, etc.

Or gymnastic and volleyball. We are probably one of the only schools that has a 20,000k seat arena that only has men's & women's basketball.

[Inhogswetrust]

Pel hasn't had the depth and experience to compete in the SEC to this point and I blame that on Stan Heath.

I think blame should go to the coach before Van Eman. 

[Boarford T. Justice]

I think blame should go to the coach before Van Eman. 

That dadgum Glen Rose should never have been hired the second time.  He has really set the program back and we're still paying for the mess he left himself from his first tenure.

[Boarford T. Justice]

Exactly.  They aren't having to schedule practices around rock concerts,gun shows, etc.

Those gun shows can be pesky.  You have that cute/trashy girl cocking the gun on the commercials and the traffic can really be disruptive.

[RockChalkJayhawk]

For players wanting to play on their own outside of scheduled practice it is huge.  They don't always have access to BWA, and this is why you see players at the HPER and the All-star arena in Springdale. 

Plus each week BWA has to be prepared for men's & women's games, so they don't always have the option of pushing back the lower bleachers to open up the floor for multiple full court drills.  Apart from that, yes it is also a huge recruiting tool.  Practice facilities are becoming more and more the norm each year, with most of the big time programs using them. 

Just imagine bringing a recruit for a campus visit and then showing him a sweet basketball facility with a practice gym, lounge, meeting rooms, etc that he has access to at all times of the day.  It is a HUGE recruiting tool.

Excellent analysis, well stated. 

[PoormansRobbyHampton]

PMRH, don't think I don't kinda enjoy your schtick, because I do, but my question is:  with Pel on the way out, what are you going to do for new material?  You will have to restructure your entire act ... I'll miss your overachieving bit, but look forward to creative, new material you shall produce!   

See here's the thing, I know there's been a lot of smoke around concerning Pel's job security, but it seems too good to be true. I still fully expect him to be back next year. I don't know why, I just get that feeling.

If Pel is shown the door, and the next coach showns some competency, I won't have anything to be sarcastic about. Contrary to popular belief, I actually do enjoy discussions about basketball, I just get tired of Pro-pellers coming around after we whip North Carolina A&T and telling us how improved we are.

[Kenny Dowell Loggains]

Big part of recruiting.  Gives the kids a place that they feel is "their own".  It gives them a place to relax after practice and hang out.  Very relaxed atmosphere and is good for team chemistry and building team friendships.  ALL NBA teams do it, and as you can see from an earlier post, tons of schools (even those with hardly any basketball tradition) are jumping on board with this idea.

[TrueBlue]

I can't help but think that the Ole Miss Basketball Practice facility looks more like a funeral home: