The Samuel M. Thomas Assembly Center is an 8,000-seat multi-purpose

arena An arena is a large enclosed platform, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectato ...

Ruston, Louisiana Ruston is a small city and the parish seat of Lincoln Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is the largest city in the Eastern Ark-La-Tex region. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 21,859, reflecting an increase of 6.4 percen ...

. The arena, named for its benefactor and businessman Samuel M. Thomas, is home to the Division I

NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges and ...

Louisiana Tech University Louisiana Tech University (Louisiana Tech, La. Tech, or simply Tech) is a public research university in Ruston, Louisiana. It is part of the University of Louisiana System and classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activ ...

Bulldogs The Bulldog is a British breed of dog of mastiff type. It may also be known as the English Bulldog or British Bulldog. It is of medium size, a muscular, hefty dog with a wrinkled face and a distinctive pushed-in nose.Lady Techsters The Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters basketball team represents Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, Louisiana. The team currently competes in Conference USA. The current head coach of the Lady Techsters is Brooke Stoehr. Louisiana Tech has won th ...

(women)

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...

teams. The arena also hosts concerts and events. The arena opened in November 1982 just west of

Joe Aillet Stadium Joe Aillet Stadium (formerly Louisiana Tech Stadium) is a college football stadium in Ruston, Louisiana and the home field of the Louisiana Tech University Bulldogs football team, which competes in Conference USA. The football stadium replaced th ...

, and replaced the then-30-year-old Memorial Gymnasium on the corner of Tech Drive and Railroad Avenue. The men's basketball team hosted the

Southland Conference The Southland Conference, abbreviated as SLC, is a collegiate athletic conference which operates in the South Central United States (specifically Texas and Louisiana). It participates in the NCAA's Division I for all sports; for football, it ...

tournament in the STAC in 1985 and 1987, and four NIT games, one in 1986, two games in 2002, and one in 2015. The women's team has hosted the first, second and regional rounds of the NCAA Women's Basketball tournament nineteen times, most recently in 2003. The TAC also serves as the home of the Louisiana Tech Women's Volleyball team since the program's inception in 1987. NBA greats including Karl Malone, P.J. Brown, Randy White and Paul Millsap have called the Samuel Thomas Assembly Center home during their collegiate careers.http://www.latechsports.com/facilities/latc-tac.html

References

{{Music venues of Louisiana Indoor arenas in Louisiana College basketball venues in the United States College volleyball venues in the United States Convention centers in Louisiana Louisiana Tech Bulldogs and Lady Techsters basketball Sports venues in Ruston, Louisiana Sports venues in Louisiana Basketball venues in Louisiana Volleyball venues in Louisiana Louisiana Tech University Music venues in Louisiana Buildings and structures in Lincoln Parish, Louisiana Sports venues completed in 1982 1982 establishments in Louisiana

See also

References