By BrainFall Staff - Updated: April 30, 2024
If you’ve spent time in Kansas City, you may have passed the College Basketball Hall of Fame. If you haven’t had a chance to check it out, it’s a blast for any fan of NCAA Division I, Division II, or Division III basketball. The NCAA is the governing body of college basketball, and there are 358 teams in Division I. All of them have a core group of fans who root for them each time they play. There are some teams that have a huge amount of school spirit and a ton of fans all over the world. From San Francisco to Little Rock to Greenville to New Orleans to Charleston, there are fans who love their teams.
Basketball teams visit different cities all over the country in order to play their games. Fans travel to those sites and sit in the visitors’ stands to cheer them on. Companies will plant ads in the arena to better support the teams. But even if ads are telling you which teams to root for, you don’t have to be on the same page as them. If you’re trying to figure out which of the NCAA basketball teams to root for, you can figure it out by just answering some questions here.
College Basketball Teams
College basketball teams have huge support from their fanbases. You can check out the website of a team to read up on the coaches, the data and stats, and the interests the rest of the fanbase has in the team. If you're heading to a game, you want to know more about the schools playing. Whether you want to break down offensive systems or are just looking to casually root for a team in your state, there are teams for you. It doesn't matter if you live in Texas, Illinois, California, or Indiana. There are a lot of teams that can fit your preferences.
The effectiveness of a fanbase is hard to measure. But if you want to join a rabid one, there are some great ones all over the nation. Fans serve a purpose that NCAA Division I teams almost struggle to quantify. Division II and NAIA levels of teams all have amazing fans as well. The site for each game is typically decided months before the season begins so fans can plan to go to away games. Another fun way to choose a team to root for is to pick one with a school nickname that you like. Fans are sometimes told to trust the process and follow a team from Houston to Charlotte to St. Louis to Spartanburg to the Conference USA championship game. But true fans enjoy the service that they provide.
Which of the College Basketball Teams Should I Root For?
Choosing a college basketball team to call our own can be as exciting as a buzzer-beater at the NCAA tournament. We're talking about the kind of enthusiasm that has us painting our faces, passionately arguing about statistics, and maybe even shedding a tear when our chosen team loses a heartbreaker. With a storied history, an electric atmosphere, and rivalries that turn even the calmest professor into a face-painting superfan, college basketball isn't just a sport; it's a way of life.
But in the vast sea of college hoops, how do we decide who deserves our utmost loyalty? Sure, we could go by mascots (because who doesn't love a team with an especially fierce or utterly baffling creature leading the charge?), or maybe we pick based on team colors (because they would really bring out the color of our eyes in the fan section). It's a big decision, akin to choosing our favorite pizza topping or the perfect Netflix show for a binge-watching marathon.
Let's face it, whether we're in it for the slam dunks, the Cinderella stories, or just love watching the referees' emphatic gestures, finding "our team" in college basketball is a rite of passage. It's about more than just the game; it's joining a community of fans who share our joy in victory, our agony in defeat, and our love for a cheese dip that's almost as spicy as the on-court action. Ready to jump into the fandom fray? Grab your foam finger and let's find our squad!
Choosing Your Allegiance
Before we jump into the nitty-gritty, let's clear up one thing: choosing a college hoops team is like picking a new family member or, let's be honest, deciding which flavor of ice cream will solemnly define you. It’s kind of a big deal. Whether you’re in it for regional pride or just love a good Cinderella story, this is where your basketball kinship begins.
Regional Pride
We all know that nothing gets the blood pumping like hometown glory. It's about wearing your location with pride on the chest of your jersey. If you're hailing from the South, perhaps an allegiance to the SEC with powerhouses like Kentucky or Alabama could be your jam. Or maybe you're all about the Big East's toughness, where teams like Villanova and Creighton dance the dance.
Live up north? You could be eyeing the Big Ten with the likes of Michigan State or Purdue. Over on the West Coast? UCLA and Arizona might just be waving hello. No matter where you are, there’s a local flavor to savor. Consider it your delicious, dribbling duty to back the home team!
Underdog Enthusiasm
There's something undeniably electric about rooting for the underdog. Maybe it’s because every jump shot feels like a mini-rebellion against the status quo. Or perhaps it’s the inherent drama of an Iowa State making a splash when nobody gave them a second glance in October.
Got a soft spot for the Davids in a world of Goliaths? Watch out for teams like Texas Tech that could swing from low seed to Final Four fame. Or cast your lot with a team like Murray State, where the question isn't "Will they win?" but "Whom will they surprise?" Embrace the suspense of potential national title dreams for schools that aren't the usual suspects – it’s all about the scrappy, heart-pounding chase!
Embracing the Madness
We all feel the electric buzz when March Madness rolls in, don't we? Choosing a team isn't just about the bracket; it's a dance of destiny, laughter, and the occasional roar of the underdog. Let’s dive into two key factors that might just sway your allegiance this NCAA tournament season.
March to the Top
Seton Hall: They've been slicing through the competition with a precision that's nearly surgical. Remember, folks, it’s not just about who makes the buzzer-beaters; it's about the pace that leads every step of the way to those glorious victories. We've seen teams spike from underdogs to front-runners before our very eyes!
The Mascot Metric
What’s in a mascot? Everything! These unsung heroes capture our hearts and, let’s be honest, sometimes haunt our dreams. We've got eagles, tigers, and even a Blue Blob (yeah, look it up). Let's get real: when you're on the edge of your seat, it's that foam-furred friend firing up the fans that can set the whole arena ablaze with excitement.
Embark on the march madness journey and take the quiz to find out which team's fate is interwoven with yours this season!
