The Best NCAA Tournament Fan Bases: South Region Edition
By Glenn Davis
We all love filling out brackets, watching hours upon hours of hoops on the first Thursday and Friday of the tournament, hoping for huge upsets. But none of it matters without the key factor: the passion of the fans. In recognition of their devotion, we’re ranking the best fan bases in each region of the 68-team field. Today, we’re tackling the South region. Let the arguments commence!
1. Duke
Unless you’re a Duke fan, you probably hate seeing their fans in the top spot … which is exactly why they’re here. The Cameron Crazies’ reputation is well-earned (how many students sleep outside in tents when they don’t have to?), but Duke fandom goes far beyond that. Cameron Indoor Stadium is always packed, and that takes more than students. It takes one of the most passionate fan bases in the game.
2. Iowa State
Cyclones fans show up to Hilton Coliseum in droves and make opposing teams miserable. The proof? ISU only dropped one home game this season. Indeed, “Hilton Magic” has been legendary in Ames for more than a quarter century. It’s not just any fan base that can keep coach/hometown hero Fred Hoiberg away from the NBA. And not just any fan base would do this:
3. Gonzaga
Gonzaga has evolved over the last 15 years from heartwarming underdog to one of the top programs in the country, and an elite program needs an elite fanbase. The Zags have one. Good luck ever finding an empty seat in the McCarthey Athletic Center, and the Kennel Club will make sure those filled seats are loud.
4. San Diego State
The Aztecs have developed into one of the best teams on the West Coast in recent years, and the fans cheering them on are just as good. They don’t lack for confidence (the student section refers to itself as “The Show“) or passion (even an opposing coach once complimented them personally). After rapid attendance improvements in recent years, they don’t lack strength in numbers either.
5. Iowa
The Cyclones aren’t the only Iowa program with a top-notch fanbase: Iowa faithful routinely show up in some of the biggest numbers nationally. Now that the Hawkeyes have been to two straight NCAA Tournaments, expect those impressive figures to continue.
6. Davidson
With an enrollment of under 2,000, Davidson is tiny, but it still has enough of a following to regularly pack the John M. Belk arena. Whatever the Wildcats crowd lacks in numbers, the D-Block more than makes up for in enthusiasm. Plus, having Steph Curry as an alum and vocal fan certainly counts for something.
7. Georgetown
Georgetown plays its home games in the Verizon Center, which it shares with the NBA’s Wizards. Although a big NBA arena lacks the intimacy of most on-campus facilities, when the stakes get high, there’s nowhere the Hoyas would rather be. Here’s why:
8. Utah
Utah boasts a rich history complete with 28 NCAA appearances, but most Ute fan traditions seem more closely associated with football. Still, the basketball team has a devoted following, many of whom will do just about anything to get a good seat at the Jon M. Huntsman Center.
9. UCLA
Given that the Bruins are one of the most historically successful programs in any sport, it might be surprising to learn just how often they have trouble selling out Pauley Pavilion. Some alumni say the student section isn’t what it used to be, either. But from the 8 clap to the Frisbee cheer to confetti-throwing, Bruins fandom is packed with time-honored traditions that can only come with loyalty bred by sustained success.
10. St. John’s
New York has a reputation as a pro sports town, but it still turns out to see the Red Storm in great enough numbers that the Johnnies have mostly outgrown on-campus Carnesecca Arena, playing most of their games at Madison Square Garden instead.
11. SMU
SMU is in Texas, where football is king, so even in the words of the local paper “there aren’t a lot of basketball traditions.” But now, with Larry Brown in town and bringing the Mustangs their greatest success in decades, basketball’s taking a back seat to no one. Nothing builds a fan base like winning.
12. UAB
UAB fans love their Blazers. Lately they’ve mostly expressed that by venting their anger at school administration for dropping the football team. Now, they have a chance to rally around something good, and the guess here is they make the most of it.
13. North Florida
Another nothing breeds fandom like success story, the Ospreys are heading to their first NCAA Tournament, and fan support is growing right along with the program itself. It’s all the more impressive considering UNF’s only been in Division I for a decade.
14. Stephen F. Austin
The Lumberjacks generally play in front of modest crowds, though they’ve increased in the last few years in accordance with the team’s tremendous success (two straight NCAA appearances and an upset of VCU last year). Still, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that most of the prominent athletic traditions at a Texas school are football-related.
15. Robert Morris
Pitt will always be No. 1 in Pittsburgh-area college athletics, but Robert Morris fans have had plenty of basketball success to celebrate in recent years … and rest assured, they can do some big-time celebrating.
16. North Dakota State
Odds are you know North Dakota State for its recent four-peat as FCS football champions. But NDSU basketball, which is making its second straight NCAA appearance, is on the rise, too, and you can bet plenty of Bison faithful will make the journey from Fargo to Seattle to cheer NDSU on against Gonzaga.
17. Eastern Washington
Eastern Washington hasn’t had much success in the last decade, so it shouldn’t surprise anyone that their average attendance during that time frame is among the lowest on this list. But as much of the rest of this list proves, nothing creates fans like wins, and EWU did a lot of winning this year.