As we mentioned earlier, Villanova opened up the new Finneran Pavilion this afternoon ahead of tonight's Hoops Mania. We provided our first impressions already, and now we'll share some pics from inside.

Let's start with the entryway.

Here we see the beautiful new entryway loaded with homages to Nova's past and the recent success. It will be a great way for fans to relive some of the programs greatest moments and reflect on Villanova's great players and storied history.

In addition we see the court from the 2016 national title game incorporated into a club area on the lower level. The school also has the court from the 2018 title, and is considering how best to incorporate it into the arena.

On the outer walls of the main concourse we have a Hall of Fame section with hardware won by the program over the years.

And finally we have a look at the actually playing area. Everything from the seats to the scoreboards and lighting has been upgraded.

The biggest takeaway here is that students will now be seated behind both baskets, instead of just one. In addition, risers have been added to the corners, giving the student section more of a "U" shape as opposed to the more vertical orientation in the old building. The students will be right on top of the action and should be able to create an incredible atmosphere.

Phil Booth talked with reporters about the new digs, and he's pleased. "It looks great," he said. Booth said the team has practiced in the new building three times this week, and there have been no issues with the sightlines. "It feels good. There's not much of a backdrop in the background, it's pretty comfortable shooting." Booth is excited about having students behind both baskets. "It's gonna be new, it's gonna be different, it's gonna be more rowdy, I think it's gonna be really good." Booth also said he had been popping in during construction to check on the progress, but noted that he was very careful.

In addition Booth talked about how the team learned how to deal with the aftermath of winning a championship, and that he's telling his younger teammates to "just lock in, when you come to practice and when you're in the gym, just focus on your teammates and focus on each other and just block out all distractions and just worry about seeing how good we can be."

Booth is also excited about the players lounge connected to the locker room, loaded up with TVs, video games, couches, refrigerators, and a "pop-a-shot" basketball game.

Everyone from AD Mark Jackson down to the players seem very pleased with the results and excited to start playing in the renovated arena. The building already has a much better ambiance than it had previously, and I expect an improved game day experience for both the players and the fans, and the new digs should help on the recruiting trail as well.