Everyone, it’s here. Grab the remote, throw on your lucky jersey and get comfortable. March Madness is returning in all its glory in 2022, and students are ready to go.
We surveyed more than 1,100 NCAA basketball fans ahead of the historically tumultuous tournament to get the good, the bad and the ugly deets about student sections. This year, we’re expecting it to be crazier than ever, considering fans will be able to take part in everything since the word coronavirus entered our lives. Games will be held across the US for the first time since 2019, and events like the March Madness Music Festival and the College All-Star Game are back.
Wildest NCAA basketball student sections
If Duke University does as well as it did in this survey, you better bet big on the team this year. The Blue Devils not only ranked first as the wildest and the loudest student section, but people say Duke fans are also the best dressed. The devil does wear Prada, so is anyone really surprised?
The rivalry between Florida State and the University of Florida is alive both on and off the court.
Fans say the Florida Gators (No. 2) will be wilder in the stands than the Florida State Seminoles (No. 4). But when it comes to volume, you’ll need earplugs around Florida State students (No. 2) more than their rivals (No. 8). Oh, and Florida State fans came in second as the best-dressed student section. Gators’ fans better step up their game — just sayin’.
The Arizona Wildcats are ready to let loose this year. The fan base ranked third as the wildest, loudest and best-dressed section. Not too shabby.
Now it appears some basketball fans are planning to preserve their voices this year. Brigham Young University (No. 1), Cornell (No. 2), and Saint Mary’s (No. 3) are all planning to tone it down. Our survey ranked the schools as the top three quietest student sections.
Loyola Chicago is ranked the 11th quietest student section, but does the name Sister Jean ring a bell? The 102-year-old chaplain for the Loyola Ramblers has proved the power of prayer could be the key to a winning team. Last year, the underdogs made it to the Sweet 16 after knocking out the University of Illinois. Amen to that.
Most obnoxious chants in NCAA basketball
The Blue Devils may have clinched this survey, but there is one thing basketball fans do not appreciate about the student section: their cheers. That includes Duke’s coach Mike Krzyzewski. In 2020, Coach K actually yelled “shut up” at the students over a chant about Duke alum-turned-coach Jeff Capel.
Fans would also prefer to wear noise-canceling headphones around Florida (No. 2), Florida State (No. 3), Auburn (No. 4) and Arizona (No. 5).
Best and worst NCAA basketball student section nicknames
Student sections would be nothing without face paint, a dazzling array of school colors and, of course, a nickname to tie it all together with a bow. Unsurprisingly, Duke’s Cameron Crazies took the top spot for the best-named student section.
The Ohio State Nuthouse ranked second and Wisconsin’s Grateful Red ranked third. Rock on.
But not every school is a winner (womp womp). The show’s over for San Diego State University’s student section. Our survey found it was the worst nickname for a student section. It was followed by the Virginia Tech Cassell Guard (No. 2) and the Muss AKA the Mighty Utah Student Section (No. 3).
But hey, we’re not here to judge. Put your bracket together, bet big and may the games be ever in your favor.
Methodology
In February 2022, we surveyed 1,125 respondents about the NCAA Tournament: 49% were female and 51% were male. The average age of the respondents was 35 years old. To determine rankings, respondents selected from a list of 64 teams or every NCAA basketball team that has made an appearance in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament since 2009.
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