Duke has a basketball practice facility opened within the last five years.
So does Virginia Tech.
SEE RELATED:
Ditto Georgia Tech.
N.C. State has one that opened in 2005.
Florida State‘s is less than 10 years old.
Then there’s this modern gem out at Texas A&M, the former home of new Maryland basketball coach Mark Turgeon.
That set up a logical question —- will Turgeon ask for a practice facility at his new gig?
“I think I will, but we have to win first,” Turgeon said. “I think if we can win and win at a high level, that will come. We have great facilities. We do have a practice gym. Volleyball plays their games in there and practices in there, so it’s not totally ours, but we have a lot of space for it. If we’re winning, I know we’ll have enough money for it. It’s keeping up with the Joneses. There’s a lot of tremendous facilities out there around the country, so it’s something we’ll have to do. I’m not going to ask for that until we recruit well and play at a high level.”
It was a wise reply. Such a request will fall on more receptive ears coming off, say, a regional semifinal appearance.
Still, with nearly half the ACC owning their own separate practice facilities (and Virginia enjoying plush and relatively new digs inside John Paul Jones Arena), it’s only a matter of time before this subject becomes a more common topic in College Park —- regardless of when Turgeon opts to ask for it.
—- Patrick Stevens
