Thomas Assembly Center

The Samuel M. Thomas Assembly Center is an 8,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Ruston, Louisiana.^[1] The arena, named for its benefactor and businessman Samuel M. Thomas, is home to the Division I NCAA Louisiana Tech University Bulldogs (men) and Lady Techsters (women) basketball teams. The arena also hosts concerts and events.

Samuel Thomas Assembly Center

"The TAC"
Location	1650 West Alabama Avenue Ruston, LA 71272
Coordinates	32.5321°N 92.6584°W / 32.5321; -92.6584
Owner	Louisiana Tech University
Operator	Louisiana Tech University
Capacity	8,000
Record attendance	8,975 (January 22, 1985)
Surface	Maplewood
Construction
Opened	December 4, 1982
Construction cost	$17.5 million
Architect	Morgan, Hill, Sutton & Mitchell Architects, LLC.
Tenants
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs and Lady Techsters (NCAA) (1982–present)

The arena opened in November 1982 just west of Joe Aillet Stadium, 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 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.^[1]

Gallery

• 
  Thomas Assembly Center - Signage
• 
  Thomas Assembly Center - Main Entrance

See also

• List of convention centers in the United States
• List of NCAA Division I basketball arenas

References

1. "Thomas Assembly Center". latechsports.com. Archived from the original on 2018-07-20. Retrieved 2015-06-01.