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The University of Florida's Stephen C. O'Connell Center has a
reputation around the country - enthusiastic and friendly if you're
a Gator�noisy, deafening and menacing if you're the opposition.
Florida's student section, dubbed the "Rowdy Reptiles", has
made the O'Connell Center one of the toughest places to play in
the nation. In fact, ESPN The Magazine dubbed it the "Scariest
Place to Play in the Country" in its 1999-00 college basketball
preseason issue.

In recent years, a trip to the O'Connell Center hasn't meant a
pleasant and fun-filled stay in sunny Florida for visiting clubs. UF
is 81-11 (.880) in the O'Connell Center during the last six
seasons, with an average margin of victory of 23.4 ppg during
that stretch. UF's last 38 Southeastern Conference home wins
have come by an average margin of 16.9 ppg Billy Donovan is
100-21 (.826) in the building during his eight years in Gainesville
and UF is 49-2 against non-conference opponents in the O'Dome
including a 40-game non-conference winning streak that last from
1998-2003.

Between Feb. 2, 2002 through Feb. 25, 2003, Florida won 19
straight games at the O'Connell Center to record its longest
winning streak on its home hardwood. Under Donovan, UF has
put together winning streaks of 19, 15, 13, 12 and 11 in the
O'Connell Center.

Built at a cost of $14 million, the O'Connell Center - named for
former UF President Stephen C. O'Connell (1967-73) - has
become the showplace for college basketball in the state of
Florida. For the fifth consecutive year, UF sold out of season
tickets before the first game of the 2003-04 season. Florida
averaged a school record 11,047 fans in 2003-04, the first time
UF ever averaged over 11,000 fans per game for an entire
season. Overall attendance is up by over 4,500 since Donovan's
arrival on campus. UF has attracted 11,000-plus fans in 45 of
their last 46 SEC home games, including a school record 12,581
fans on March 8, 2003 in the regular season finale against
Kentucky.

The O'Connell Center had an $10 million facelift in the summer
of 1998 to replace the teflon coated roof with a permanent
structure. The project also upgraded the sound and lighting
system to give the Gators a state-of-the-art capability for pre-
game and in-game activities. Another $2.5 million project
upgraded concessions, restrooms and entrance ways in the
summer of 1999, while a pair of state-of-the-art Daktronics
Scoreboards were installed in the fall of 1999.

While the O'Connell Center has a reputation as an imposing
basketball arena for visiting opponents with its 12,000 seats, the
Center is also part of a centrally-located athletic complex. The
facilities surrounding the O'Dome include Ben Hill Griffin
Stadium at Florida Field, McKethan Stadium at Perry Field,
James G. Pressly Stadium, the Scott Linder Tennis Stadium
and the University Golf Course with the Bostick Clubhouse.

Inside the O'Connell Center is the main arena, an indoor track
and field facility, one of the fastest swimming pools in the world,
a gymnastics area, dance studio, martial arts room, basketball
practice courts and strength and conditioning facilities.

The Gator basketball game day locker room features a video
area with a wide screen TV and recording and satellite
equipment, a locker room featuring private dressing areas for
each player, a training room complete with the latest equipment
and player meeting areas.

The O'Connell Center also is the site of more than just Gator
sports events. It brings people together for many other sporting,
entertainment, academic and business activities. Over the years,
the facility has housed concerts, Disney shows, conventions,
business exhibits, conferences, banquets, university and high
school commencements, SEC and NCAA championship events
and has served as a first and second round site for the National
Invitation Tournament in 1986 and as a first round NIT site in
1992 and 1998.