NCAA BASKETBALL
Year: Conferences: Teams:
Seasons Conferences Arenas All Tournaments NCAA Tournament Admin
Wisconsin Center Arena
400 W Kilbourn Ave
Milwaukee, WI 53203
Opened: April 9, 1950
Wisconsin Center Arena, originally known as Milwaukee Arena, then both the Milwaukee Exposition, Convention Center and Arena or the MECCA and also the U.S. Cellular Arena, now called UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena, is an indoor arena located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The arena, which seats as many as 12,700 people and offers 41,700 square feet of floor space, is part of a larger downtown campus, that includes the Milwaukee Theatre and Wisconsin Center.

It currently serves as the home to the American Hockey League's Milwaukee Admirals, NCAA Division I Milwaukee Panthers men's basketball team, and Major Arena Soccer League's Milwaukee Wave. It was formerly home to the Milwaukee Hawks (1951-55) and Milwaukee Bucks of the NBA (1968-1988), and hosted the 1977 NBA All-Star Game. The venue was also home to Marquette University's men's basketball team from 1974 to 1988.

The arena opened in 1950 and was one of the first to accommodate the needs of broadcast television. It was folded into MECCA (The Milwaukee Exposition, Convention Center and Arena) when the complex opened in 1974. It is also known for its former, uniquely painted basketball court by Robert Indiana in 1978, with large orange 'M's taking up both half-courts representing Milwaukee. The Indiana floor was purchased by a fan in the early 2010s and is currently in storage at a storage facility in Milwaukee.

The arena has been the home of the Milwaukee Panthers men's basketball team at three different times, first from 1993 to 1998, then from 2003 to 2012, and since 2013. The Panthers played their 2012-2013 home games at the 3,500 seat Klotsche Center on UWM's east side campus. The move generated complaints from some Panthers fans and attendance lagged as the team had its worst record since the 1990s. After Amanda Braun was named UWM's athletic director in March 2013, she said she would re-examine the decision to move games from the U.S. Cellular Arena. In July 2013, UWM officials reached a 5-year contract with the Wisconsin Center District that was set to run through 2018 before the 2014 naming rights deal extended the partnership through at least 2024.
Last 10 Games
Date Opponents Result
Feb 21, 1998Wright State @ Milwaukee 75 - 65
Feb 9, 1998Butler @ Milwaukee 71 - 56
Jan 31, 1998Cleveland State @ Milwaukee 78 - 81
Jan 29, 1998Detroit @ Milwaukee 83 - 68
Jan 17, 1998Loyola Chicago @ Milwaukee 63 - 57
Jan 15, 1998UIC @ Milwaukee 72 - 63
Jan 10, 1998Green Bay @ Milwaukee 68 - 51
Dec 30, 1997UTSA @ Milwaukee 78 - 77
Dec 27, 1997Utah @ Milwaukee 66 - 51
Dec 9, 1997Indiana State @ Milwaukee 74 - 62