Thomas Assembly Center
1650 W Alabama Ave
Ruston, LA 71270 [Map it!]
The Thomas Assembly Center has been home to the Louisiana Tech Bulldog and Lady Techster basketball teams since it opened in November of 1982.
It has also served as the home arena for the Lady Techster volleyball program since the program's inception in 1987.
The 8,000-seat Thomas Assembly Center received a new state-of-the-art Maplewood floor in the summer of 2007 thanks to the generous donation of Bulldog legend Karl Malone. Aptly named Karl Malone Court, the hardwood is made of the same material that all NBA practice facilities boast.
In a continuing effort to improve the game-day atmosphere, a high definition video display board -- known as Paul Millsap Vision presented by Origin Bank -- was installed by Daktronics in the fall of 2013. The $1.2 million project also included four LED center hung video displays (7.3 by 11.4), two LED ribbon board displays (2 x 45.8 and 2 x 61.4), four new corner courtside displays (2 video displays, 2 standard scoreboard displays with messaging centers), a customized sound system and a video board control room which is utilized for both basketball and football.
The Thomas Assembly Center recently celebrated its 35-year anniversary and has continually proven to be one of the toughest arenas in the country for opposing collegiate teams to play in.
The Lady Techster volleyball team has also called the Assembly Center home since 1987 as Tech has played nearly every season in the Thomas Assembly Center. The TAC has seen the Lady Techsters go on to have seven separate winning seasons including a school best 29-10 season in 1992.
Now entering its third decade, the Techster volleyball program is led by Amber McCray.
The Lady Techsters aren't the only program to have dominated in the Assembly Center as the Bulldog basketball team has had its share of winning tradition at home.
Since 1982, numerous Bulldog basketball teams have seen success on the hardwood from Andy Russo's early-1980s Dunkin' Dogs featuring NBA Hall of Famer Karl Malone all the way through the new millennium under Michael White and now current head coach Eric Konkol.
Tech has posted a remarkable 356-97 mark in the Thomas Assembly Center for an impressive winning percentage of 79 after posting a 15-2 mark during the 2016-17 season. LA Tech has recorded 32 (out of 35) winning seasons at home since 1982.
NBA greats such as Malone, P.J. Brown, Randy White and Paul Millsap have all called the Thomas Assembly Center home during their collegiate careers.
Lady Techster legends such as Katie Dow Kahmann, Jamie Shanks, Courtney Ziegenbien, Sharla Richardson and even more recently in Christinne Sant'anna and Shannon Phillips have all called the Thomas Assembly Center home for their college careers.
Memorial Gym
564 Tech Drive
Ruston, LA 71270 [Map it!]
After almost 60 years of existence, including four decades of enduring the bounce of a ball and the scuff of athletic shoes, Louisiana Tech fans gathered on Oct. 20, 2012 for a dedication ceremony for the completed Scotty Robertson Court located in Memorial Gymnasium.
The new state-of-the-art floor was designed to honor the late Louisiana Tech basketball coaching legend Robert "Scotty" Robertson, who was an eight-time hall of famer, and which will be used as a practice facility for the Bulldog and Lady Techster basketball teams as well as by the health and physical education department.
The renovations began three months prior and were performed by Sports Floors Inc. of Memphis, Tenn., and beginning with a team of workers spending an entire week tearing out the nailed down pecan floor which came with the facility that was constructed in the 1950s.
After leaving part of the subfloor that was original to the building, a new subfloor was placed on top of that. Then the top maple floor was brought in and had to sit for about three weeks in order to acclimate to the moisture level before being nailed down.
A crew then came in to sand the floor, and a seal was put on before the artist came in and painted out all of the artwork which took two days. The final step was adding three coats of varnish and then allowing the floor to sit for an additional four days before any activity could begin on it.
Along with the new floor, new backboards, rims and padding have been installed as well as repair to the bleachers.
Robertson, who passed away in August of 2011, coached the Bulldogs from 1964 to 1974 and recorded a 161-86 mark while leading LA Tech to its first ever NCAA Tournament appearance. He also spent time in the NBA, serving as the head coach for three organizations and assistant coach for six more.
The Bulldogs shined on the history-rich floor from its inception, winning the first game 107-49 over Henderson State, marking the first time a Bulldog team broke the century mark in a single game against a college opponent.
All-Americans Jackie Moreland, Ray Germany, Mike Green and Mike McConathy would go on to lace up their sneakers and make Bulldog history on the same court, followed soon thereafter by the upstart Lady Techsters.
The Lady Techsters played their first game in program history in Memorial Gym on Jan. 7, 1975 when they lost to Southeastern Louisiana. They posted the program's first ever win a few weeks later over LSU. Few losses followed for the team as they registered an all-time mark of 84-6 on the floor thanks to the likes of Lady Techster greats Elinor Griffin, Pam Kelly, Kim Mulkey and Angela Turner and the coaching combination of Sonja Hogg and Leon Barmore.
Contributions from former players, coaches, friends and colleagues of Robertson, as well as other Louisiana Tech supporters, made the court renovation possible.