The Blue Devil's Home

I'm looking forward to seeing Cameron Indoor Stadium tonight. It's reputed to be one of college basketball's toughest environments, where Duke's non-conference opponents almost never win. Only four non-ACC teams have beat the [women] Blue Devils on their home court in the past eight years.

It was officially opened in 1940. This is the architect's rendering of the design: It was so grand that local city officials at its dedication were said to be speechless. Except one, who said, "It is so colossal and so wonderful ... This building will not only be an asset to the university but to the entire community as well ... There are no superlatives for it."

It was renovated in the late 1980s, and looks like this today --outside from the front: and inside: It seats 9,314. So far this season, the average attendance for women's basketball has averaged 5,626. But the stadium may be full tonight -- playing #3 Stanford is a big deal for the Blue Devils.

Folding bleachers on the floor are designated for the exclusive use of undergraduates, the Cameron Crazies, who have made a name for themselves as Duke's exceptional "sixth man": and here is the Blue Devil himself: Attendance figures have changed since 1988 when the Stanford and Duke first met at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Tara remembers that, "they had, like, 15 people at the game."

Stanford won. Let's all hope that history repeats itself.