By: Amani Teshome, student, Boston College
What makes a college basketball program great is contingent on several characteristics. The best programs have a rich tradition, a history of winning, die-hard fans, and above all infamy that supersedes all other programs. When considering the best schools for fans in the country, it is hard to stray away from the stellar six that have been heralded as THE college basketball programs for some time.
Of course, I am talking about: University of North Carolina, Duke University, Kansas University, UCLA, Indiana University and U of Kentucky. These programs boast the best teams and send many of their players to the NBA. Similarly, you are sure to get a great education from the majority of them (see UNC, Duke, and UCLA). As for the other schools on the list, they too are successful teams that boast winning teams, obnoxiously lovable fans, and an atmosphere that is hard to beat. If you love college basketball, see the month of March as a religious experience and fill out multiple brackets, then these are the schools for you.
In no particular order:
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Location: Chapel Hill, NC
Students enrolled: 19,776
Tuition: $5,128 in state / $24,953 out of state
NCAA Championships:5
Team wins: 2,000
University of Kansas
Location: Lawrence, KS
Students enrolled: 22,369
Tuition: $7,611 in state / $19,500 out of state
NCAA Championships: 3
Longest home court-win record
Duke University
Location: Durham, NC
Students enrolled: 7,277
Tuition: $40,665 in state / $40,665 out of state
NCAA Championships: 4
Home fans called “Cameron Crazies”Syracuse University
Location: Syracuse, NY
Students enrolled: 24,399
Tuition: $36,300 in state / $36,300 out of state
NCAA Championships: 1
39 consecutive winning seasons and the 5th most wings among Division I basketball programs
University of Connecticut
Location: Storrs, CT
Students enrolled: 18,461
Tuition: $8,256 in state / $25,152 out of state
NCAA Men’s Championships: 2
NCAA Women’s Championships: 7
Indiana University, Bloomington
Location: Bloomington, IN
Students enrolled: 35,946
Tuition: $8,433 in state / $28,449 out of state
NCAA Championships: 5
Gonzaga University
Location: Spokane, WA
Students enrolled: 5,077
Tuition: $31,730 in state / $31,730 out of state
Multiple Elite Eight and Sweet Sixteen appearances and boast the rowdiest fans in all of Washington
University of Kentucky
Location: Lexington, KY
Students enrolled: 21,549
Tuition: $8,122 in state / $17,734 out of state
NCAA Championships: 7
Huge rivalry with other state powerhouses
University of Louisville
Location: Louisville, KY
Students enrolled: 17,897
Tuition: $8,930 in state / $21,650 out of state
NCAA Championships: 3
UCLA
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Students enrolled: 28,379
Tuition: $11,220 in state / $34,098 out of state
NCAA Championships: 10
Sells out every home game
