Thomas Assembly Center

Thomas Assembly Center
"The TAC"
Location	Stadium Blvd, Ruston, LA 71272
Opened	December 4, 1982
Owner	Louisiana Tech University
Operator	Louisiana Tech University
Surface	Maplewood
Construction cost	$17.5 million
Architect	Morgan, Hill, Sutton & Mitchell Architects, LLC.
Capacity	8,098
Tenants
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (NCAA) (1982–present) Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters

The Samuel M. Thomas Assembly Center is an 8,098-seat multi-purpose arena in Ruston, Louisiana. 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 opened in November of 1982 just west of Joe Aillet Stadium, and replaced the then-thirty 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 TAC in 1985 and 1987, and three NIT games, in 1986 and two games in 2002. 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 Woman's Volleyball since the program's inception in 1987.

NBA greats such as Karl Malone, P.J. Brown, Randy White and Paul Millsap have all called the Thomas Assembly Center home during their collegiate careers. [1]