UConn Star Hints at Allen Fieldhouse Atmosphere Ahead of Kansas Matchup

There is a lot of hype surrounding Tuesday's matchup between Kansas and UConn. Inside the historic Allen Fieldhouse, two programs that account for three of the past four NCAA national championships will square off after encouraging starts to the season.

While UConn is generally viewed as the better team at this point, Bill Self's squad will have a massive advantage simply because KU will be hosting its first marquee home game of the year.

UConn freshman center Eric Reibe — a former recruiting target of Self's — is well aware of just how loud the Phog gets during big games like this. He said on Friday that his team was going to have to learn sign language for its plays, suggesting they won't be able to hear a thing due to the crowd noise.

Eric Reibe on the upcoming trip to Kansas: "We've got to start learning some sign language now."
— Sam Calhoun (@_samcalhoun) November 28, 2025

The German big man was once a recruiting priority for Kansas, which held him on an official visit in August 2024 before he ultimately committed to the Huskies. The Fieldhouse's environment was undoubtedly part of the Jayhawks' recruiting pitch.

Reibe might be a bushy-tailed freshman who has only appeared in seven collegiate games, but that is a veteran's answer right there.

Oct 28, 2025; Hartford, CT, USA; Connecticut Huskies forward Jayden Ross (23) and Connecticut Huskies center Eric Reibe (12) react to a call during the second half against the Michigan State Spartans at PeoplesBank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark Smith-Imagn Images | Mark Smith-Imagn Images

Allen Fieldhouse is best known for recording a crowd roar of 130.4 decibels during a game in 2017, breaking the Guinness World Record for loudest indoor venue in sports history. It is one of the most historic arenas in the sport, opening in 1955 and has since been dubbed the mecca of college basketball.

Furthermore, the Jayhawks haven't truly hosted a top opponent at home yet this season. The only schools KU has played inside The Phog are Green Bay, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, and Princeton, none of which particularly riled the crowd up.

Head coach Dan Hurley is also aware of the noise his group will hear on Tuesday. The Jayhawks defeated UConn 69-65 in 2023 as part of the Big East-Big 12 Battle.

That year, the Huskies would go on to win it all, and Kansas was subpar for its standard, which shows just how much a difference being at home makes.

Rowdy college students have been waiting months to put on their craziest display as fans, and the UConn game is the perfect opportunity for it. There will be hundreds of students camping outside the venue ahead of the contest.

The Huskies will likely need to jump out to an early lead on Tuesday because, as Reibe noted, UConn could have a very difficult time climbing its way back if the KU student section gets into it early.

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