As a handicapper, you need to know a thing or two about venue. Specifically, you need to know how venue can change the way a team plays. Some teams out there are just too good when they play at home. Perhaps this has something to do with the team. It might also have something to do with the fact that many arenas are just death traps for opposing teams. So which are the top college basketball venues that bettors need to know about?

The Kohl Center

If you go to Wisconsin, you will see a team that rarely loses at home. The Kohl Center is home to the Badgers, and they have consistently crushed good opponents in that building. They seem to shoot the ball better there, and the crowd is worth mentioning, too. This is an arena that does not get enough love from the national media, and it remains one of the most difficult places to play if you are an opposing road team.

John Paul Jones Arena

The University of Virginia plays in a relatively new arena, but they bring their old-school A-game when they’re there. UVA crushes people at home, winning games by huge margins. Why are they so good there? It has a lot to do with comfort level. UVA seems to shoot very well at home, but this does not explain everything. In addition to just shooting well, the Cavs bring better energy there. The crowd gets into games at the John Paul Jones, but the real explanation has more to do with the players themselves.

Mizzou Arena

The arena in Columbia, Missouri does not have a fancy name. But the team that plays there can really bring it. Missouri is one of those teams that plays great at home, while struggling on the road. Why is this the case? It is mostly because Mizzou Arena has great energy. Missouri feeds off of that, and they force a lot of turnovers at home. They pick up the pace and they hit a lot of long shots. Over the last five years, the Tigers have shown an ability to beat just anyone in this arena. If you are making your college basketball picks, you should know about what Missouri does to people there.