CT Hoops Havens: Yale's Gym A Hallowed Hall Of Basketball History

Editor's Note: Patch Field Editor Michael Lemanski, a 1992 University of Connecticut graduate, and his daughter Samantha Lemanski, 14, are both major UConn men's and women's basketball fans. But Connecticut's college hoops scene is more than just the Huskies, who are a state and national powerhouse. There are five other Division I programs in Connecticut: Central Connecticut State University; Quinnipiac University; Fairfield University; Sacred Heart University; and Yale University. This winter, the duo has set out to try and visit as many Connecticut Division I basketball facilities as possible to see what they have to offer. This is the third of an occasional series.

Saturday, Feb. 3: Yale University

NEW HAVEN, CT — I think of all the stops on Michael and Samantha's Connecticut college basketball odyssey this winter, the place I was most looking forward to visiting was Yale University.

While known as an elite Ivy League school that has educated more than its fair share of famous American presidents, there's also a nice little hoops tradition there.

And it all starts at the John J. Lee Amphitheater in the heart of Yale's New Haven city campus.

On this evening, my daughter and I journeyed to this bastion of academic prowess for their matchup against the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pa. (Known by all as simply, 'Penn.')

The game wasn't nearly as memorable as the visit to "JLA," with the Bulldogs cruising past the Penn Quakers, 74-58, maintaining their undefeated Ivy League status at the time.

Leading the way was Yale sophomore center Danny Wolf, a 7-footer with an uncanny resemblance to 1970s Boston Celtics legend Dave Cowens. Wolf scored 24 points with 12 rebounds.

He was everywhere and did everything, hitting three-pointers, blocking shots, crashing the boards, and even bringing the ball upcourt.

Danny Hurley, you might want to think about him as a potential grad transfer in a couple of years for the University of Connecticut (which lost to Yale the last time they played in 2014.)

But the real star this night was the gym itself, which is part lecture hall, part church, and functions as a highly historic Connecticut Hoops Haven.

The first game there tipped off in December 1932, with Herbert Hoover in office and shortly after Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected to get us out of the Great Depression.

In actuality, the JLA is merely one portion of the massive Payne Whitney Gymnasium, which is home to Yale's varsity, club, and recreational sports programs.

It is a gigantic building that features a jaw-dropping 12 acres of indoor recreation space, with the JLA having enough seating for 2,800 fans rooting on the Bulldogs (Attendance this night was 1,784).

The building exterior is Gothic, with my daughter remarking that it reminded her of Hogwarts (of Harry Potter fame).

She's not that far off.

The exterior looks like a large cathedral and the interior practically has America's past oozing from the ornate ceilings. (I swear, when it was quiet before the game, I could hear ghostly whispers of "carpe diem.")

The gameday experience was purely enjoyable as well, with staff members from security to concessions helpers displaying pleasant dispositions, treating the fans as guests and with respect.

There was a diverse and well-stocked merchandise stand inside and a small concession area featured movie theater snacks, but not with movie theater prices and with a look out of the 1950s.

As for most of the seats, they had chairbacks, were made of wood, and had a general feel of an old lecture hall. I half expected the ushers to be donning tweed sports jackets with elbow patches.

Even better, the seats were wide enough to accommodate someone the size of famous Yale alum William Howard Taft, who in addition to being a U.S. president, also taught at Yale before his Supreme Court appointment.

The ride down was surprisingly simple, with the facility a couple of turns past Interstate 91's Exit 3. Just listen to your GPS.

As for parking, the nearest lot was free, and by "near" I'm talking 100 yards away. Just pay attention to the Yale athletics website for parking and ticket information. It's accurate and helpful.

Despite being the basketball team for one of the country's most exclusive and expensive universities, ticket prices were affordable. Our seats were $15 each with no online service fees.

The sight lines? Perfect, with plenty of room in the arena to get close and take pictures.

One issue to note is Yale has a very strict bag policy, with the allowed maximum size bags being among the smallest in the area when it comes to sports venues.

We had to return my daughter's purse to the car despite us thinking it was more than small enough.

The security personnel, however, were extremely pleasant and were doing their job with a smile. No hard feelings.

When you go to a game at Yale, you're not seeing just basketball. Far from it.

You're rubbing elbows with the echoes of a bygone era, where academic excellence is just as important as athletic intestinal fortitude, where the past isn't forgotten.

Even if, like me, you never had the grades, wealth, or family background to attend Yale, you can still enjoy a night out with the family at Connecticut's oldest "Hoops Haven."

And I bet you'll want to return. I know we do.

To purchase tickets for Yale University men's basketball, click on this link. Women's basketball tickets are also easy to get.

From Feb. 29: 'CT Hoops Havens: State College Basketball More Than Just UConn'

From Feb. 26: 'CT Hoops Havens: Best Yet To Come At Sacred Heart's Gym'

From Feb. 6: 'CT Hoops Havens: Fairfield's New Arena Offers Fan-Friendly Perfection'

From Jan. 23: 'CT Hoops Havens: Quinnipiac's M&T Arena A Gem On The Hill'

From Jan. 17: 'CT Hoops Havens: CCSU Is Definitely Worth A Visit'