Also known as "The Pit" or "Mac Court," it was known as one of the most hostile arenas in the nation. The arena is named for Clifton N. (Pat) McArthur, U. S. Congressman and Oregon student-athlete and the school's first student body president.[3]
Its unique and antiquated structure has the fans on top of the court. The maple floor bounces under the weight of the student section that surrounds the court.[4] In 2001 Sporting News named it "best gym in America".[5] For its history, character, and atmosphere, sports writer and arena researcher Bill Kintner named McArthur Court in his top five of college basketball arenas in America. He notes that McArthur Court "is a building that will give you chills even if there is no game being played."[6]
The arena was funded by a $15 fee imposed by the Associated Students of the University of Oregon and the mortgage papers were burned as part of a public ceremony after the building was completely paid for.[7]
Women began playing in 1974 and played their first game at McArthur Court on January 23, 1974 against Southern Oregon University.[8] Mac Court was also home to the OSAA high school Class A-1 state basketball tournament from 1947 to 1965, and the AA, 5A and 6A boys' basketball championships from 1971 to 1996 and 2004 to 2009.
Elvis Presley performed on 11-25-1976 and 11-27-1976. The Grateful Dead played on 01-22-1978 officially released as Dave's Picks Volume 23. The Clash performed on 05-29-1984.
McArthur Court records
Team
Scoring – 116 vs. Villanova (12/23/1974), vs. Portland State (11/12/2006)
Scoring, One Half – 68 vs. Portland State (11/12/2006)
Scoring, Two Teams – 210, UCLA (107) vs. Oregon (103) (2/8/1975)
Scoring, Two Teams, One Half – 121, Oregon (61) vs. UCLA (60) (2/8/1975)
Field Goals Made – 45, UCLA (12/10/1968)
Field Goal Attempts – 109 vs. Idaho (2/14/1947)
Field Goal Percentage – .769, Stanford (30-39) (1/8/1983)
3-Point Field Goals Made – 17 vs. Portland State (11/12/2006)
3-Point Field Goal Attempts – 41, Oral Roberts (12/20/1991)
3-Point Field Goal Percentage – .857 (6-7) vs. Arizona State (1/2/1987), vs. Washington (1/22/1987)
Free Throws Made – 35 vs. Arizona State (12/20/2001)
Free Throw Attempts – 54 vs. Washington (2/10/2005)
Free Throw Percentage – 1.000 vs. Washington State (19-19), 1-21-2003
Rebounds – 77 vs. Brigham Young, 1-28-1955
Fouls – 41, Cal State Northridge vs. Portland State, 11-10-2006 (40, Oregon vs. Oregon State, 3-1-1947)
Fouls, Two Teams – 68, Oregon (36) vs. Washington (32), 2-28-1975; Cal State Northridge (41) vs. Portland State (27), 11-10-2006
Individual
Scoring – 44, John Block, USC, 2-18-1966 (42, Luke Jackson vs. Arizona, 2-19-2004)
Field Goals Made – 18, John Block, USC, 2-18-1966 (17, Stan Love vs. California, 2-13-1970)
Field Goal Attempts – 33, Nick Jones vs. Washington, 1-13-1967
3-Point Field Goals Made – 10, Tajuan Porter vs. Portland State, 11-12-2006
3-Point Field Goal Attempts – 17, Kevin Franklin, Nevada, 12-16-1989 (15, James Davis vs. Arizona State, 2-21-2004)
Free Throws Made – 18, Chuck Rask vs. Oregon State, 3-5-1960
Free Throw Attempts – 20, Brian Rison, Washington State, 1-19-1980 (19, Max Anderson vs. Oregon State, 3-9-1957 and Chuck Rask vs. Oregon State, 3-5-1960)
Rebounds – 32, Jim Loscutoff vs. Brigham Young, 1-28-1955
