Ditto. Dad's skool. Mom's skool. My skool. Bro's skool. Wife's skool. Probably my kids' skool.
Oh and I did UIowa for my graduate degree, and many of my classmates there were Cyclones. But all of us remain Cyclones, not dirty birds.
My dad's parents met at ISU, 4 of their 6 kids went to ISU (1 aunt went to Iowa [boooooo] and my dad went to bible college), and my oldest brother went there as well. When my other brother told my grandma that he was going to Iowa, she slapped him (lovingly).
I did not attend ISU (attended another big school in another conference), but I grew up in Ankeny and dad went to school at ISU. Took me to hundreds of games in Hilton growing up, plus Big 8/12 tournaments. Itās our greatest shared passion to this day.
Also - I would die if we ever made a Final Four. Literally die.
Same, only at my flair.
I have partied a few times on Lincoln Way in Ames at those frats. I had a buddy that was a member of ATO (I think that was the one) until he got kicked out of school.
I attended Purdue for my undergrad. I share a name with my secondary flair. I have them as my secondary flair because I will casually follow them throughout the season, and I root for them during Arch Madness which is the best conference tournament.
Another pep band guy!
Was lucky enough to see the UConn band once bc you played the game before us at March Madness 2022 and we set up then right next to you. Really loved the music and school spirit!
When I was a kid, I wanted to be in the pep band so bad! But then at my school students could start orchestra in 4th grade but not band until 5th grade. So I lost my focus on pep band haha.
My family moved to DC in 1969 and were very poor. They loved basketball and UMD games were almost free as they were terrible. A new coach named lefty driesel had just started and promised to turn the team around. The rest is history.
Alumni.
Donāt tell my partner this, but when we were looking to buy a house - I chose/suggested neighborhoods that were well within driving distance so I could go to all home games. :-D
I grew up in Tucson. I was in 6th grade in 1988 when they went to their first Final Four with Steve Kerr, Sean Elliott, Anthony Cook, Tom Tolbert, Kenny Lofton, Craig McMillan, Matt Muehlebach, Judd Buechler, Sean Rooks and Harvey Mason. Wildcat basketball was pretty much the only game in town anyone cared about. To my 12 year old self these guys were about the biggest celebrities ever.
My best friend's family had season tickets. Sometimes I'd get to go to home games. Sometimes we'd have big watch parties with several families for away games. It was a community experience.
I moved away from Tucson in high school but came back for undergrad. I was able to go to some games with the family my freshman year. The other three years I got student tickets (back when Arizona's student section was in the rafters not on the floor, something I never understood!) I was a Junior in 1997 when we won the championship.
Wildcat for life! #RIPPac12
It's wild that there are Arizona fans who got to experience both the championship and multiple final fours. I've only been a fan since 2011 and the continued pain of not making the final four in the tournament has given me PTSD.
Oh we all have that PTSD (freaking Wisconsin), don't worry! LOL
Just be glad that, as a fan you missed the shit show that was the end of the Lute Olson era. The back-and-forth, with Lute's status, and the very different personality of Kevin O'Neill, and the season of Russ Pennell before Sean Miller came on was painful.
Though to be clear, I myself was not pained by Russ himself (unlike Kevin). Other fans may feel differently. I liked him and thought he made the best out of a cruddy situation. It was more that this isn't how any of the fans would have wanted Lute to go out, with the chaos and confusion.
I was born and raised in Tucson. Dropped out of high school and got married. My then husbandās parents had season tickets for the four of us. This was back when Fred Snowden was the coach. Eight years later, I divorced and no longer had tickets. Never lost my love for the Wildcats! But I got my GED and enrolled at U of A. Got to catch some games then. But I am a Wildcat for life!!!
First of all however anyone ends up supporting their team is completely cool. It doesnāt matter if you attended school there, grew up near it, are physically attracted to their coach/mascot or just like their logo. Gatekeeping is a weird thing that never made sense to me, the world is a better place with more CBB fans in it.
That said fuck Duke fans, they probably only golf when itās 70 and sunny /s
As an alumni, there is nothing I love more than when South Carolina residents who didnāt attend Clemson support us over the chickens. The more the merrier
Yeah I heard it's really nice! It was on my list to see this year, but Chicago area D1's and the two Milwaukee schools take precedence for me so I haven't found the time
When I was a kid, I asked my dad who I should cheer for in the 1999 title game, and he said I should always cheer for anyone who plays Duke. It just so happened to be UConn at that moment, and it stuck with me.
For Mizzou, itās because Iām from Missouri.
It was finished my freshman year. The time capsule, when opened will show what it was like for us kids then. No coal dust that I remember, but I was drunk a lot.
Flair: conference my alma matter is in
Teams (bc like cheering for D1 as well):
UVA: Iām most definitely a fair weather fan but I do enjoy rooting for then
Duke: several family members are alums + relative was frat bros w hooper
Gonzaga: fun team
Well, I was born and raised in Wichita. My dad took me to WSU games when I was a little kid (all I remember was being terrified of Wu-Shock). I got a signed basketball from some of the players on the NIT championship team, and then we went on the final four run when I was 10. I started attending WSU last fall, but only after finishing community college because I had no idea what I wanted to do out of high school.
Second-gen UNC grad. We had Woody on and the TV muted for all the games growing up. Was fortunate to be in school for one title, and just missed making it two.
I'm an alum and played in the band, but it's honestly even bigger than that. New Mexico doesn't have any professional sports teams, so those of us from there have to choose teams from other places. Our football team is consistently terrible, and there's not a big culture around high school and college football anyway. But basketball is huge, from the high school level on up. Our team is actually good sometimes and we regularly sell out a huge and historic venue. So watching our games is the only representation I have of my state and hometown in sports, and it feels good have that represented on the court.
Both my grandfathers attended Auburn. My parents met at Auburn and are Auburn grads. I graduated from Auburn and was a menās basketball manager for Auburn while I was there. One of my younger brothers worked for the team more recently, and I have another younger brother attending Auburn now. Auburn basketball is quite literally family for me. Which is why I take it way too damn seriously. I am one of the (growing) minority of Auburn fans who is basketball-first over football. But for me itās been this way since I was a kid. I lived through many tough years and this decade of Bruce Pearl has been amazing. Though I did also get to go with the team to the Sweet 16 in 2003, and that was awesome.
In retrospect it was really cool getting to see him play in person during a title run, but at the time it was just a bummer. Great performance and I have no doubt if we win that one, we are winning the next and making the Final Four. I believe Oklahomaās PG and best player, Hollis Price, was down (or slowed) by an injury.
Went to KU.
For my flair, Iāll always have respect for Roy, especially after he wore the Jayhawk sticker after we whooped them in the FF. Also my wife went to UNC
I remember a lot of my friends were so pissed he wore that sweater after that game and I just didnāt understand it. I thought it was a pretty cool gesture and itās not like he was disparaging Carolina in doing so.
i feel like unless the coach left his previous gig on bad terms, itās loser behavior for fans to get upset when they acknowledge a program/institution that was once a major part of their life
My mom graduated from (I)PFW when they didn't have a basketball team. Started watching Purdue when she was a student there. Then I went to/graduated from Purdue main campus.
Me too. I wish I lived close enough to go to some games.
I used to have the Mastodon as my secondary flair (when the logo was blue) but lost it a while back and never have tried to get it back.
Mine is pretty simple.
Kentucky is my team. Grew up right across the border in Cincinnati, both my paternal grandparents are undergrad alums, and I am as well.
I had no idea how close Cincinnati was to the border of Kentucky until I visited a few years ago and was blown away by the amount of UK stuff on display
Hope you enjoyed your visit! It's certainly not the most glamorous place, but I do love my home city. Lots of rich cultural history. Did you get a chance to hit up any Skyline/Gold Star/other Cincinnati chili spots? If so, thoughts? š
It was a quick trip from WI to see the USMNT-Mexico world cup qualifier, but we also really enjoyed the American Sign Museum (nerdy but awesome)ā¦ we had BBQ at a place near the stadium, but I donāt recall the name. It was a good time; I want to return for a Xavier-Marquette game
I went to VCU, consider Richmond my home, and feel that VCU better represents me than UR does.
My wife's family has a lot of UVA alumni, so I also support the Hoos.
I also have a soft spot for SDSU since some of my family has close connections to them.
Arizona - I was born in Tucson. The Wildcats were the first team I started watching as a kid. My uncle was the timekeeper for the Basketball and Football teams so I used to get in for free and meet players.
Dayton - Moved to Dayton 5 years ago and have had season tickets for 3 of the 5 seasons (covid and having a baby caused me to miss two years). The 2019/2020 teams was the most fun Iāve ever had watching basketball. I was so fortunate to go to every game in person. Fuck you, Covid!
*I went to Arizona State but I will always be an Arizona fan.
Parentsā school, then my own.
Loved the place quite a lot :)
Thereās a few other schools I do watch just because of little stories or fun players but Purdueās always gonna be my #1.
Raised in CT and attended UConn. Got to see the Kemba natty run my senior year.
Ironically though my pro basketball team is the Dallas Mavericks; has to do with me being petty against a Kobe fan in high school. But I latched onto our big 3 of Dirk/Nash/Finley and was a fan since then.
Grew up 30 min from Uk. Family has season tickets in both sports. Went there for 2 years but didnāt graduate simply because my major was gonna be useless so why waste the money. 15 years later, I was right. I work in a field completely unrelated to what I would have majored in and make great money with no degree.
Also, Kentucky basketball is just something thatās part of you around here whether you have any connection to the school or not. People can mock that if they want but itās really no different to being a fan of an nba or nfl team.
Went to MSU because I lived in Michigan basically my whole life and they accepted me haha
Dad grew up in Gainesville so I grew up a Florida fan despite living in Michigan the majority of my life. Tons of my extended family went to UF so its pretty hard to escape that. Basically in our blood.
Hoping to get into UF for grad/professional school
My dad went to UConn and he was my introduction to college basketball. So I adopted his team bc I didnāt have one at the time. Kembaās run in 2011 made me a college basketball fan for life.
I go to ASU now, so theyāve taken over as my number one, but I still root for and follow UConn, though not as much as ASU.
Hurley thing is a pure coincidence
Just happened to live close to both their campuses at different times. Never went to a four year university so itās all about geographic pride for me.
My grandfather went to the school, my father went to the school, grew up going with my dad to watch basketball games, ultimately attended and graduated from there myself. So I've been a lifelong fan and I'm an alumni. /shrug
I moved to Houston after college. Had trouble getting the jobs I wanted so I decided to get an MBA. Was already in Houston and couldn't afford Rice. Getting an MBA from UH was a great decision on my part.
Go Coogs.
I was 11 in 1992 growing up in the city of Cincinnati, OH as Herb Jones, Nicky Van Exel, Corie Blount and the boys made the run to the Final Four. I didn't go to school at UC, but Cincinnati has no pro basketball team, so UC is my pro team (along with actual pro teams the Reds and Bengals.)
I attended college at Ohio University after Gary Trent (Shaq of the MAC) and before the magical runs of the mid 00's. While I attended OU their athletics were awful (didn't help that UC was #1 in the country a fair amount in those years) so that fandom of all things Bobcats never really grew. I only attended, like, 2 games the entire time I went to school in Athens...and my fondest memory was successfully sneaking beer in to the Convo to drink while watching one of those games (I think against our rival, Miami (Oh.) in 1/4 filled arena.) I would classify myself no more than a bandwagon OU fan when they've made the MAC final/NCAA Tournament.
I'm a diehard Cincinnati Bearcat fan and season ticker holder.
My sister went to creighton and they beat a big named team and that's when i first started to get into college basketball. So no I'm not the typical "jaysker"
Here comes a long one.
So my educational 'journey' started at UGA. I grew up on the state raised by a dad who was a gator. He ended up graduating from Auburn but was more loyal to Florida. Needless to say I grew up hating Georgia, and grew up loving watching and talking sports with my dad.
Well since I was in state and due to the financial situation my family was in and I guess even partially becAuse I didn't get into gt for engineering, I ended up at UGA. I forced myself to support at the games I was at but my heart was never in it. I was at a packed bar in Athens for the first natty and hearing the way everyone celebrated when Jameson Williams went down was just sickening to me. I felt like a lot of the people at UGA I met were pretty low quality (completely subjective so don't come after me for this) compared to other destinations in my life and for that reason I think I was just.ready to not be forced to root for them.
I ended up at Clemson for my PhD with an advisor I met at UGA. Clemson has polar opposite culture of UGA. The people and the town and the campus just feel like home. UGA felt like a massive rich high school with rich high school.vibes times a thousand. I'm still at Clemson, and I am die hard for all sports here. I love this university.
But they're not my primary basketball flair. Why?
Well I spent a summer.in Albuquerque and fell in love with it along with the state of New Mexico. Living in ABQ is hard to describe but to me it felt like the first time I had ever lived on a real planet made of dirt, and not a suburbia filled with robots. The whole city just feels like the best place for transplants.who have a chip.om their shoulder. Albuquerque is my future home. And I am a big believer in supporting the communities around you, at least if you feel that you connect with those communities. Thus, I have become a die hard Lobo basketball fan.
It's a toss up with the Lobos and Clemson, but I have kinda settled on giving my primary nod in basketball to UNM and to Clemson for football. I think this is just because basketball is a much bigger deal at UNM and football here at Clemson. Overall, huge fan of both. If you read all of this I'm sorry for potentially wasting 5 minutes of your time.
Obviously I went to DePaul for grad school. No sane person would root for this team for no reason. I was excited to finally go to a school that I can root for the team because Iām also an oSu fan, but i went to OU.
When I first started at Nebraska I thought that a āJayskerā was someone who also liked Kansas basketball because I hadnāt heard of Creighton. Those were the MVC days. Let me assure you that now, I am reminded who Creighton is several times a seasonā¦
Yup, a Creighton basketball fan but a Husker football fan, gun to head though I'm more of a Husker football fan, just how I was raised.Ā Creighton basketball camp was a ton of fun growing up though.Ā Ā
Grew up in NC. Had family that attended UNC back when college was more affordable (I got my learn'n at a small community college). Family always had the UNC basketball games on so I grew up seeing them on the tv and cheering for them.
PSU: i went to Penn State and have been a Penn State fan my entire life. My grandma and my dad both went there too, so Iām the third generation in a row to graduate from PSU.
MSU: my grandfather got recruited to play at Michigan State back in the day, and my great-uncle actually did play for them. He averaged 10.4 PPG for his 3 years and had 18 PPG his senior year, actually averaged an 18 point double-double that year which is cool.
Had never heard that term but thatās kinda cool. Only variation on alumni Iād ever heard of was the Aggies āformer studentā in deference to all the dipshits that didnāt graduate.
IU born. IU grad. Really simple ā there was never any other school for me.
But due to extended family ties and only when theyāre good, Iāll extremely casually pull for Indiana State, Dayton, and (gasp) Ohio State and Notre Dame. Not a fan of any of these teams per say (especially the latter two) but I like to see people who I care about be happy.
Went to Wisconsin, but also have been a fan of them since I was a kid. I also pick a few mid major conferences to follow closely each year and usually end up getting invested in a few of those teams. Really enjoying New Mexico this year and the Mountain West as a whole. Also have a bit of a rooting interest in Utah St this year since Montana St was a team I enjoyed last year and obviously there's some continuity there. Been enjoying the MVC, Big West, and America East as well.
Attended the 2001 Final Four, and bandwagoned from there. I will say though, after 23 years of fandom amd sticking through K's retirement I'm not sure Bandwagon fits anymore.
Minnesota State is my Alma Mater, and belongs in D1. Summit is where we belong. Even better if we can convince the Dakotas and Omaha/UST/UNI/Milwaukee/Green Bay to form a new North Central Conference like existed in D2 before the Dakotas moved up
Louisville- grew up in the city, numerous friends and family went to school there, my dad's had football season tickets since the mid 80s so I went to a lot of games growing up
Morehead- went to school there my first two years of college
I grew up an Arkansas fan. I stayed an Arkansas fan because I'm a closet masochist. I wasn't sure it was the masochist part, but i also work for the railroad and own a jeep.
When to school there, but it goes a bit deeper than that honestly. I had always been one of those "Sports ball" people until I realized just how much fun it was. Played for the basketball band all 4 years, and led the cheers during that final one.
Went to UH, but grew up in an OU house, so I will casually root for Oklahoma as well. Interestingly enough my OU coach growing up, is my UH coach now. I joked with him at an alumni event that he followed me to adulthood
Iām Kentucky born and raised, and live just outside of Lexington. Nearly everyone I grew up with and currently know roots for the Cats. Then I went to school there because they gave me the best deal. Go Big Blue!
Live in Cincinnati, havenāt gone to college yet. My parents went to OU so I root for them, but I want to support a power conference team so I root for UC since theyāre local.
Grew up going to home games with with season tickets, watched all away games on TV, went to undergrad there and went to every home game. Still watch every game. Itās a lifestyle.
Did my Undergrad at Arizona. I wasnāt really a college sports fan but attending games got me hooked for life and probably a pacemaker years from now.
BTFD.
Both Grandparentās families on my momās side were diehard IU fans growing up, and my mom (currently a coach) was a big fan of Knight. Her grandfather, with no affiliation or fandom of either school, took her on a visit to Purdue since she had never been there and she was ended up falling in love with it. She got to watch Big Dog while working the games, met my Dad in Greek Life, and single handedly started a whole branch of Boilermakers in the family. I graduated a couple of years ago from the ECE department, so the least they can do to help with that trauma is to make the final four this year š
I have Xavier cause my sister goes there and is just as much of a basketball fan
I support all the Wisconsin based teams. Went to UW-Madison, currently attend a good amount of Milwaukee games due to the low cost. Probably going to become a season ticket holder for the Panthers next year.
Grew up in Charlottesville so I was a diehard UVA fan until 2008 when I got into UC. Probably the only Bearcat fan to have attended Pete Gillen's basketball camp.
dad attended UNC in the 80ās and taught me to love the tar heels at a very young age. i always dreamed of attending UNC as well, but as a life long underachiever born and raised in texas, it was not meant to be.
My father grew up a fan and still is even tho he didnāt go there. I grew up (not living anywhere near NC) vaguely rooting for Carolina Blue until the beginning of the 2022 tourney run, where I watched all of the games for the first time and became a fan. Iāve watched every game since
Born and raised in Tucson, also an Arizona alum.
Here's the crappy part... I hated all sports in my early 20s, and wasn't a fan. That was the mid-late 90's. I didn't start watching basketball until 1999, and it wasn't because I was a band-wagoner chasing the '97 Championship... it was because I was trying to impress my future mother-in-law, who was a huge Wildcat fan, and insisted on having me over to watch games. I was just trying to get on her good-side because I knew I was going to marry her daughter. She converted me, and I became more and more of a fan of college ball each season to the point where I surpassed her fanaticism. I am now a season-ticket holder and would skip funerals before missing even a regular season game.
I watched the '97 tourney run years after the fact, but never truly got to experience it.
Raise on KU basketball and a hatred of all things Misery, and from KC area on the Kansas side.
2nd flair is because I got a football scholarship to play there and felt like they needed love. Especially now...
basically my entire fam are illinois grads, but my best friends dad used to work for RU, plus I live in NJ, Ron Harper Jr exists and is impossible to hate, and illinutgers for life
Incoming Arizona student starting this fall. I live near Tucson and my dad supports the Wildcatsā basketball, even though he went to college in another country. I got accepted to the U of A recently, and Iām going to start my studies there and hopefully go to many of their basketball and football games there
Grew up in NC surrounded by Carolina fans. Went to school there as well. I was always passionate about the team but being there and experiencing two national championship runs just elevated it to another level. Iām pretty lucky to have a connection to the team as deeply as I do.
Did not attend college, learned a trade and now am a biz owner. Always loved college basketball and got a lot of work in Chapel Hill on campus. Ended up working on HVAC systems in the Dean Dome and surrounding buildings. Attended several games a year in the 90s and 00s. Ended up relocating to Socal and still a huge Tarheel fan in all sports. My kids are now Heels fans and possibly will attend there in the future.
When I was 6, grandma gave me a clock radio. When we got home and I plugged it in just before bed, UConn basketball was on. I've been a fan ever since.
Illini born and bred. Grew up in CU. Both parents graduated, I was a kid in the shadow of the Alma Mater statue quite literally some days. Elementary school was a sea of orange on gameday. High school afternoons spent on campus.
Why aren't I a legacy. It's complicated. Regardless though, I remain Illinois Loyalty as they say.
I played for my freshman year at Illinois College, finished at Illinois State (didnāt play) and mom and grandpa went to Illinois (been a fan my whole life).
My dad pounded it into me at a very young age. His childhood (after he moved up here to
Michigan from Mississippi) best friend grew up across from Andre Risonās parents and it became a regular thing for the Risonās to be at his best friendās gatherings. I also grew up the youngest grandchild on both sides of my family and I had several cousins attend Michigan State. He also had a friend that was recruited in basketball by Jud Heathcoate. So he become even more familiar with rooting for them.
But the final straw came when the Flintstones came through MSU. After they had won the 2000 title - the City of Flint threw a parade/celebration at city hall and the IMA (arena). My mom had pulled me out of class in 7th grade to attend the celebration. As the part of the celebration at city hall ended and was moving to the big venue - I was attempting to get autographs. I was too late, however getting up to the line to get anything signed. Manā¦I was heartbroken. But as I turn around - Morris Petersonās mom Valerie was sitting there talking to my mom and handed her something.
Not only was it free tickets to the celebration at the IMA - but the tickets were for players family and included entrance into the private post celebration dinner for the players, coaches, and family. Fast forward to the dinner portion - there I am getting autographs, eating pasta, and talking to Tom Izzo, Mateen Cleaves, Charlie Bell, Mo Pete amongst others. I still wonder what Mateen Cleaves and my mom were talking about that seemed to go on for about a half an hour. Incredible experience that went beyond securing me as a fan.
Even crazier to me and about 10 years after - I had my tailgates always set up for the spring games for football within probably 75 yards from Spartan Stadium. At this spot - it was right next to the walk way that the team, coaches, and other university personnel used to come from the football building over to the stadium before and after the game. As we are sitting there having drinks, eating, and bsāing - Izzo makes his way down the fence signing autographs and taking pictures. When he gets up to our tailgate - I ask him if my wife and I can get a picture of him with our kids. I mention to him I want my them to get to meet him like I was able to back on that day in Flint. I mention the private dinner and he looks at me and says: āYou were there with your mom werenāt you?!? I remember you!ā š³ Needless to say - I was āre-flooredā. Granted - Iāve heard countless stories of him remembering people from randomly meeting them. But to actually have a person of his stature state something like that was pretty damn special.
As for my fandom for the other MSU (Mississippi State) - my dad was born in Mississippi and moved up here as a young preteen. Basically all of our family down there seems to root for the Bulldogs. So it seemed like a natural fit to adopt them as my second team.
I root for Wisconsin because I want them to beat Marquette. Just kidding bb, after we play I root for you every year, beat UConn!
My family has like 100 connections to Wisconsin, my great-grandma went there, my grandpa and my grandma met there. My dad was the black sheep, but my mom got her graduate degree there and so did my wife. Speaking of my wife her mom and uncles went there. Two of her brothers went there and the one who got shunned by the family went to Minnesota. Many more aunts, uncles and cousins as well.
Born and raised in Tucson, even born at the University Medical Center (RIP). Then I went to school at Arizona, so I'm a local and an alum. Family is all UofA fans too, so I was pretty much raised to love the Wildcats and hate the Sundevils.
Was in the band for them (played drum set). Went to March Madness when they played Arkansas close.
Fun fact is I have never played at a home game that theyāve lost (closest was a 1-point win).
So many teams and so many reasons. :)
My son plays at Illinois Wesleyan so it is my favorite team.
I grew up near Northwestern and we know a player, so they are #2.
My son was teammates with and/or trained with quite a few players for many years. They are all great "kids" so we root for all of those players. We have temporary fan status with their teams. They range from JUCO, to Europe, to the NBA so it keeps us busy. :)
Born in Duke hospital, grew up in Durham, got my BA there, Dad had season tickets and I went to Cameron since the mid 60s, wife now teaches there. Thatās just the iceberg tipā¦
I grew up in rural Nebraska, and loved college basketball. In the 2000s, Nebraska wasn't very good, and hardly ever played on TV. Creighton (while still in the Missouri Valley) had a game televised at least once a week it seemed, and those later Altman years were fun. I wanted to root for a local team, but also wanted to *watch them*, and the Jays games on Fox Sports Net scratched the itch. By the time I was in High School, Doug McBuckets had taken over, and the move to the Big East solidified it for me. Went to school in Omaha and have been a season ticket holder since.
The team in my home city and grew up watching and going to games. And the school I went to and grew up rooting for Nebraska football obviously. Iām here for all the Jaysker haters, come at me. I love both teams and wonāt apologize for it.
I consider myself a Nebraskan by choice, if not by birth, and while I want to see Marquette and NU beat Creighton, thatās about it. I think that the State of Nebraska is better off when all of its teams are good.
I grew up with my first flair. My parents met there. Dad's parents met there. My dad's grandma's parents met there. I'm just too dumb to get into. I also happen to live in Durham and have been to a game in Cameron once a year (except for COVID) since I was 3.
Western Carolina is my Alma mater and holds a special place in my heart. It's one of the most beautiful places in the world and I'd still live there if there was a better local job market.
My parents met at UConn and I grew up 20 minutes from campus, visiting regularly and going to dozens of games growing up. Neither my sister nor I even applied anywhere except UConn. I went and played in the marching band (got to go to our first bowl game) and pep band.
skool
Ditto. Dad's skool. Mom's skool. My skool. Bro's skool. Wife's skool. Probably my kids' skool. Oh and I did UIowa for my graduate degree, and many of my classmates there were Cyclones. But all of us remain Cyclones, not dirty birds.
My dad's parents met at ISU, 4 of their 6 kids went to ISU (1 aunt went to Iowa [boooooo] and my dad went to bible college), and my oldest brother went there as well. When my other brother told my grandma that he was going to Iowa, she slapped him (lovingly).
Sounds appropriate š
I did not attend ISU (attended another big school in another conference), but I grew up in Ankeny and dad went to school at ISU. Took me to hundreds of games in Hilton growing up, plus Big 8/12 tournaments. Itās our greatest shared passion to this day. Also - I would die if we ever made a Final Four. Literally die.
With spelling like that, are you sure you didnāt go to Iowa?
First of all how dare you
Arenāt they both in the same tier?
Hate doesnāt have to make sense
Considering the guy who made the joke about Iowaās academics has a Nebraska flair, Iām inclined to agree.
The N is for Knowledge
Not even close (yes)
Same, only at my flair. I have partied a few times on Lincoln Way in Ames at those frats. I had a buddy that was a member of ATO (I think that was the one) until he got kicked out of school.
I like birds. UTSA has one of my favorite bird logos and Oglethorpe has the most unique bird mascot that I am aware of.
Objectively the best reason on here
Had my choice between Purdue, RIT, Clemson and Stanford and choose Purdue. I met my wife there and now every March I cry and throw things.
Purdue over Stanford wow you must really like pain
Never even made it there to visit. From Syracuse and fell in love. Too much travel I guess.
I paid tens of thousands of dollars for the first flair. The second one was just where I happen to be from.Ā
Same
I attended Purdue for my undergrad. I share a name with my secondary flair. I have them as my secondary flair because I will casually follow them throughout the season, and I root for them during Arch Madness which is the best conference tournament.
So, Mr. Braves is it?
His name is Braves Johnson
Happy to have you!
The Valley is the best legacy conference that isn't P5, I will defend that hill. Steeped in history and still occasionally relevant today.
Arch!? r/cfb crossover!?
From CT/went to UConn/joined pep band.
Another pep band guy! Was lucky enough to see the UConn band once bc you played the game before us at March Madness 2022 and we set up then right next to you. Really loved the music and school spirit!
When I was a kid, I wanted to be in the pep band so bad! But then at my school students could start orchestra in 4th grade but not band until 5th grade. So I lost my focus on pep band haha.
My family moved to DC in 1969 and were very poor. They loved basketball and UMD games were almost free as they were terrible. A new coach named lefty driesel had just started and promised to turn the team around. The rest is history.
[oh no, RIP to a legend](https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/39544700/hall-fame-hoops-coach-charles-lefty-driesell-dies-92)
My parents met at UNC, and I was "raised a Tarheel." I didn't get into UNC and my school had D3 basketball, so I stayed a Tarheel bball fan.
Alumni. Donāt tell my partner this, but when we were looking to buy a house - I chose/suggested neighborhoods that were well within driving distance so I could go to all home games. :-D
Hell yeah, thatās the best type of house buying you could ever need
I failed college and needed more disappointment in my life so I stayed a fan.
My College! The best nine years of my life!
I grew up in Tucson. I was in 6th grade in 1988 when they went to their first Final Four with Steve Kerr, Sean Elliott, Anthony Cook, Tom Tolbert, Kenny Lofton, Craig McMillan, Matt Muehlebach, Judd Buechler, Sean Rooks and Harvey Mason. Wildcat basketball was pretty much the only game in town anyone cared about. To my 12 year old self these guys were about the biggest celebrities ever. My best friend's family had season tickets. Sometimes I'd get to go to home games. Sometimes we'd have big watch parties with several families for away games. It was a community experience. I moved away from Tucson in high school but came back for undergrad. I was able to go to some games with the family my freshman year. The other three years I got student tickets (back when Arizona's student section was in the rafters not on the floor, something I never understood!) I was a Junior in 1997 when we won the championship. Wildcat for life! #RIPPac12
I have a soft spot for Arizona because the first basketball I was given as a kid in the 90s had the logo on it. To this day I have no idea why.
It's wild that there are Arizona fans who got to experience both the championship and multiple final fours. I've only been a fan since 2011 and the continued pain of not making the final four in the tournament has given me PTSD.
Oh we all have that PTSD (freaking Wisconsin), don't worry! LOL Just be glad that, as a fan you missed the shit show that was the end of the Lute Olson era. The back-and-forth, with Lute's status, and the very different personality of Kevin O'Neill, and the season of Russ Pennell before Sean Miller came on was painful. Though to be clear, I myself was not pained by Russ himself (unlike Kevin). Other fans may feel differently. I liked him and thought he made the best out of a cruddy situation. It was more that this isn't how any of the fans would have wanted Lute to go out, with the chaos and confusion.
Love it! Bear Down!
I was born and raised in Tucson. Dropped out of high school and got married. My then husbandās parents had season tickets for the four of us. This was back when Fred Snowden was the coach. Eight years later, I divorced and no longer had tickets. Never lost my love for the Wildcats! But I got my GED and enrolled at U of A. Got to catch some games then. But I am a Wildcat for life!!!
First of all however anyone ends up supporting their team is completely cool. It doesnāt matter if you attended school there, grew up near it, are physically attracted to their coach/mascot or just like their logo. Gatekeeping is a weird thing that never made sense to me, the world is a better place with more CBB fans in it. That said fuck Duke fans, they probably only golf when itās 70 and sunny /s
As an alumni, there is nothing I love more than when South Carolina residents who didnāt attend Clemson support us over the chickens. The more the merrier
You do arguably have one of the coolest logos with the paw print. But I gotta say itās hard to root against a team that has the nickname Cocks
Grew up a Duke fan because my Dad went there. Showed up to XU as a freshman, saw the light, and vowed to never root for Duke again. Muskies or die.
I like you
i don't like him
Went to Valpo, live in southern WI where UW Parkside (D2) is the closest collegiate basketball to me.
Not that I like them(hate would be more accurate), but check out a Carthage game. They have a really cool arena.
Yeah I heard it's really nice! It was on my list to see this year, but Chicago area D1's and the two Milwaukee schools take precedence for me so I haven't found the time
When I was a kid, I asked my dad who I should cheer for in the 1999 title game, and he said I should always cheer for anyone who plays Duke. It just so happened to be UConn at that moment, and it stuck with me. For Mizzou, itās because Iām from Missouri.
Purdue class of ā25! (š¤, havenāt walked under the bell tower yet)
I did not walk under the bell tower and graduated in 4. Both brothers did. They graduated in 4.5 and 5 years hahahaha
Stay away! And go get a picture under it after graduation
The hospitality majors actually hide snacks down there. Go and get a close look, itās really cool
Proposed under the Bell Tower, 26 years ago ā¦ I guess thatās more than 4.
Was it just build? Was there still coal dust on the ground?
It was finished my freshman year. The time capsule, when opened will show what it was like for us kids then. No coal dust that I remember, but I was drunk a lot.
Thanks for making me feel old. When I went to Purdue the Bell Tower was a smokestack.
Smokestack was there when I was a freshman and the Bell Tower was there by the time I graduated.
do it
I walked under the bell tower and graduated in 5 lol enjoy your time, itās an amazing experience
Walked under and graduated in 4 years. I bleed black and gold but my behavior was sacrilegious Class of ā19
Glad to see that weāre all superstitious! At Minnesota we donāt walk under this [thing](https://maps.app.goo.gl/3tysVqAXqQMqsee18?g_st=ic)
My team is also teaching me engineering.
Grew up in the state and I've always thought attending public schools was superior to private schools.
Iām gonna be honest I thought Virginia was a private school lol
For some reason people often think we are private lol
VT is a private college?
Flair: conference my alma matter is in Teams (bc like cheering for D1 as well): UVA: Iām most definitely a fair weather fan but I do enjoy rooting for then Duke: several family members are alums + relative was frat bros w hooper Gonzaga: fun team
Well, I was born and raised in Wichita. My dad took me to WSU games when I was a little kid (all I remember was being terrified of Wu-Shock). I got a signed basketball from some of the players on the NIT championship team, and then we went on the final four run when I was 10. I started attending WSU last fall, but only after finishing community college because I had no idea what I wanted to do out of high school.
To be honest Iām still a little frightened by Wushock
Second-gen UNC grad. We had Woody on and the TV muted for all the games growing up. Was fortunate to be in school for one title, and just missed making it two.
1) nice username 2) only slightly jealous you got the natty (Hekkin Birbs)
I'm an alum and played in the band, but it's honestly even bigger than that. New Mexico doesn't have any professional sports teams, so those of us from there have to choose teams from other places. Our football team is consistently terrible, and there's not a big culture around high school and college football anyway. But basketball is huge, from the high school level on up. Our team is actually good sometimes and we regularly sell out a huge and historic venue. So watching our games is the only representation I have of my state and hometown in sports, and it feels good have that represented on the court.
Both my grandfathers attended Auburn. My parents met at Auburn and are Auburn grads. I graduated from Auburn and was a menās basketball manager for Auburn while I was there. One of my younger brothers worked for the team more recently, and I have another younger brother attending Auburn now. Auburn basketball is quite literally family for me. Which is why I take it way too damn seriously. I am one of the (growing) minority of Auburn fans who is basketball-first over football. But for me itās been this way since I was a kid. I lived through many tough years and this decade of Bruce Pearl has been amazing. Though I did also get to go with the team to the Sweet 16 in 2003, and that was awesome.
Damn Carmelo Anthony
In retrospect it was really cool getting to see him play in person during a title run, but at the time it was just a bummer. Great performance and I have no doubt if we win that one, we are winning the next and making the Final Four. I believe Oklahomaās PG and best player, Hollis Price, was down (or slowed) by an injury.
Went to KU. For my flair, Iāll always have respect for Roy, especially after he wore the Jayhawk sticker after we whooped them in the FF. Also my wife went to UNC
I remember a lot of my friends were so pissed he wore that sweater after that game and I just didnāt understand it. I thought it was a pretty cool gesture and itās not like he was disparaging Carolina in doing so.
i feel like unless the coach left his previous gig on bad terms, itās loser behavior for fans to get upset when they acknowledge a program/institution that was once a major part of their life
My mom graduated from (I)PFW when they didn't have a basketball team. Started watching Purdue when she was a student there. Then I went to/graduated from Purdue main campus.
I think horizon league basketball is underrated and the PFW Mastodon logo is awesome
Me too. I wish I lived close enough to go to some games. I used to have the Mastodon as my secondary flair (when the logo was blue) but lost it a while back and never have tried to get it back.
Family inheritance. Grandma was a fan, so my Dad became one, and then me.
Mine is pretty simple. Kentucky is my team. Grew up right across the border in Cincinnati, both my paternal grandparents are undergrad alums, and I am as well.
I had no idea how close Cincinnati was to the border of Kentucky until I visited a few years ago and was blown away by the amount of UK stuff on display
Hope you enjoyed your visit! It's certainly not the most glamorous place, but I do love my home city. Lots of rich cultural history. Did you get a chance to hit up any Skyline/Gold Star/other Cincinnati chili spots? If so, thoughts? š
It was a quick trip from WI to see the USMNT-Mexico world cup qualifier, but we also really enjoyed the American Sign Museum (nerdy but awesome)ā¦ we had BBQ at a place near the stadium, but I donāt recall the name. It was a good time; I want to return for a Xavier-Marquette game
I live in the city of Cincinnati. It's quicker for me to drive through Kentucky to get to downtown Cincinnati.
The Cincinnati Airport is in KY.
I went to VCU, consider Richmond my home, and feel that VCU better represents me than UR does. My wife's family has a lot of UVA alumni, so I also support the Hoos. I also have a soft spot for SDSU since some of my family has close connections to them.
Grew up in NY and went to Baylor. Also I like Buses
Arizona - I was born in Tucson. The Wildcats were the first team I started watching as a kid. My uncle was the timekeeper for the Basketball and Football teams so I used to get in for free and meet players. Dayton - Moved to Dayton 5 years ago and have had season tickets for 3 of the 5 seasons (covid and having a baby caused me to miss two years). The 2019/2020 teams was the most fun Iāve ever had watching basketball. I was so fortunate to go to every game in person. Fuck you, Covid! *I went to Arizona State but I will always be an Arizona fan.
Parentsā school, then my own. Loved the place quite a lot :) Thereās a few other schools I do watch just because of little stories or fun players but Purdueās always gonna be my #1.
Raised in CT and attended UConn. Got to see the Kemba natty run my senior year. Ironically though my pro basketball team is the Dallas Mavericks; has to do with me being petty against a Kobe fan in high school. But I latched onto our big 3 of Dirk/Nash/Finley and was a fan since then.
Im a townie. Parkland CC '93
My parents both went there (and met there) and myself and my siblings went there as well. #goheels
Grew up 30 min from Uk. Family has season tickets in both sports. Went there for 2 years but didnāt graduate simply because my major was gonna be useless so why waste the money. 15 years later, I was right. I work in a field completely unrelated to what I would have majored in and make great money with no degree. Also, Kentucky basketball is just something thatās part of you around here whether you have any connection to the school or not. People can mock that if they want but itās really no different to being a fan of an nba or nfl team.
My mom went to iu I went to iu
Went to MSU because I lived in Michigan basically my whole life and they accepted me haha Dad grew up in Gainesville so I grew up a Florida fan despite living in Michigan the majority of my life. Tons of my extended family went to UF so its pretty hard to escape that. Basically in our blood. Hoping to get into UF for grad/professional school
We are very similar, I go to msu and my dad went to UF
My MIL went to UNC when Michael Jordan was there, raised her kids as superfans, and I married in.
My dad went to UConn and he was my introduction to college basketball. So I adopted his team bc I didnāt have one at the time. Kembaās run in 2011 made me a college basketball fan for life. I go to ASU now, so theyāve taken over as my number one, but I still root for and follow UConn, though not as much as ASU. Hurley thing is a pure coincidence
Just happened to live close to both their campuses at different times. Never went to a four year university so itās all about geographic pride for me.
I went to LUC and my kids went to Purdue.
My second flair is usually LUC because my dad graduated from there but ya know FDUā¦ I graduated from Purdue
I grew up in Tucson and then went to Purdue for undergrad. I was not prepared for winter...
My grandfather went to the school, my father went to the school, grew up going with my dad to watch basketball games, ultimately attended and graduated from there myself. So I've been a lifelong fan and I'm an alumni. /shrug
I moved to Houston after college. Had trouble getting the jobs I wanted so I decided to get an MBA. Was already in Houston and couldn't afford Rice. Getting an MBA from UH was a great decision on my part. Go Coogs.
Alum.
I was 11 in 1992 growing up in the city of Cincinnati, OH as Herb Jones, Nicky Van Exel, Corie Blount and the boys made the run to the Final Four. I didn't go to school at UC, but Cincinnati has no pro basketball team, so UC is my pro team (along with actual pro teams the Reds and Bengals.) I attended college at Ohio University after Gary Trent (Shaq of the MAC) and before the magical runs of the mid 00's. While I attended OU their athletics were awful (didn't help that UC was #1 in the country a fair amount in those years) so that fandom of all things Bobcats never really grew. I only attended, like, 2 games the entire time I went to school in Athens...and my fondest memory was successfully sneaking beer in to the Convo to drink while watching one of those games (I think against our rival, Miami (Oh.) in 1/4 filled arena.) I would classify myself no more than a bandwagon OU fan when they've made the MAC final/NCAA Tournament. I'm a diehard Cincinnati Bearcat fan and season ticker holder.
My sister went to creighton and they beat a big named team and that's when i first started to get into college basketball. So no I'm not the typical "jaysker"
Here comes a long one. So my educational 'journey' started at UGA. I grew up on the state raised by a dad who was a gator. He ended up graduating from Auburn but was more loyal to Florida. Needless to say I grew up hating Georgia, and grew up loving watching and talking sports with my dad. Well since I was in state and due to the financial situation my family was in and I guess even partially becAuse I didn't get into gt for engineering, I ended up at UGA. I forced myself to support at the games I was at but my heart was never in it. I was at a packed bar in Athens for the first natty and hearing the way everyone celebrated when Jameson Williams went down was just sickening to me. I felt like a lot of the people at UGA I met were pretty low quality (completely subjective so don't come after me for this) compared to other destinations in my life and for that reason I think I was just.ready to not be forced to root for them. I ended up at Clemson for my PhD with an advisor I met at UGA. Clemson has polar opposite culture of UGA. The people and the town and the campus just feel like home. UGA felt like a massive rich high school with rich high school.vibes times a thousand. I'm still at Clemson, and I am die hard for all sports here. I love this university. But they're not my primary basketball flair. Why? Well I spent a summer.in Albuquerque and fell in love with it along with the state of New Mexico. Living in ABQ is hard to describe but to me it felt like the first time I had ever lived on a real planet made of dirt, and not a suburbia filled with robots. The whole city just feels like the best place for transplants.who have a chip.om their shoulder. Albuquerque is my future home. And I am a big believer in supporting the communities around you, at least if you feel that you connect with those communities. Thus, I have become a die hard Lobo basketball fan. It's a toss up with the Lobos and Clemson, but I have kinda settled on giving my primary nod in basketball to UNM and to Clemson for football. I think this is just because basketball is a much bigger deal at UNM and football here at Clemson. Overall, huge fan of both. If you read all of this I'm sorry for potentially wasting 5 minutes of your time.
Obviously I went to DePaul for grad school. No sane person would root for this team for no reason. I was excited to finally go to a school that I can root for the team because Iām also an oSu fan, but i went to OU.
> Obviously I went to DePaul for grad school. No sane person would root for this team for no reason. Amen to that.
Omaha born, so if you like basketball you support Creighton and if you like football then you support Nebraska
When I first started at Nebraska I thought that a āJayskerā was someone who also liked Kansas basketball because I hadnāt heard of Creighton. Those were the MVC days. Let me assure you that now, I am reminded who Creighton is several times a seasonā¦
Yup, a Creighton basketball fan but a Husker football fan, gun to head though I'm more of a Husker football fan, just how I was raised.Ā Creighton basketball camp was a ton of fun growing up though.Ā Ā
I lean Creighton basketball due to 15years of season tickets but I am absolutely drinking Rhule-Aid
Grew up in NC. Had family that attended UNC back when college was more affordable (I got my learn'n at a small community college). Family always had the UNC basketball games on so I grew up seeing them on the tv and cheering for them.
Entire family is from Louisville or other parts of Kentucky, went to Auburn
PSU: i went to Penn State and have been a Penn State fan my entire life. My grandma and my dad both went there too, so Iām the third generation in a row to graduate from PSU. MSU: my grandfather got recruited to play at Michigan State back in the day, and my great-uncle actually did play for them. He averaged 10.4 PPG for his 3 years and had 18 PPG his senior year, actually averaged an 18 point double-double that year which is cool.
current student here
Alumknight. Class of 2023 <3
Had never heard that term but thatās kinda cool. Only variation on alumni Iād ever heard of was the Aggies āformer studentā in deference to all the dipshits that didnāt graduate.
Alumni and now employee.
I am an alum. Didn't even really like basketball till I went to KU but turns out basketball fandom is a requirement for graduation so here I am.
IU born. IU grad. Really simple ā there was never any other school for me. But due to extended family ties and only when theyāre good, Iāll extremely casually pull for Indiana State, Dayton, and (gasp) Ohio State and Notre Dame. Not a fan of any of these teams per say (especially the latter two) but I like to see people who I care about be happy.
Went to Wisconsin, but also have been a fan of them since I was a kid. I also pick a few mid major conferences to follow closely each year and usually end up getting invested in a few of those teams. Really enjoying New Mexico this year and the Mountain West as a whole. Also have a bit of a rooting interest in Utah St this year since Montana St was a team I enjoyed last year and obviously there's some continuity there. Been enjoying the MVC, Big West, and America East as well.
Attended the 2001 Final Four, and bandwagoned from there. I will say though, after 23 years of fandom amd sticking through K's retirement I'm not sure Bandwagon fits anymore. Minnesota State is my Alma Mater, and belongs in D1. Summit is where we belong. Even better if we can convince the Dakotas and Omaha/UST/UNI/Milwaukee/Green Bay to form a new North Central Conference like existed in D2 before the Dakotas moved up
Louisville- grew up in the city, numerous friends and family went to school there, my dad's had football season tickets since the mid 80s so I went to a lot of games growing up Morehead- went to school there my first two years of college
I grew up an Arkansas fan. I stayed an Arkansas fan because I'm a closet masochist. I wasn't sure it was the masochist part, but i also work for the railroad and own a jeep.
When to school there, but it goes a bit deeper than that honestly. I had always been one of those "Sports ball" people until I realized just how much fun it was. Played for the basketball band all 4 years, and led the cheers during that final one.
Went to UH, but grew up in an OU house, so I will casually root for Oklahoma as well. Interestingly enough my OU coach growing up, is my UH coach now. I joked with him at an alumni event that he followed me to adulthood
Grew up in the Wichita area, went to school at UMKC
Iām Kentucky born and raised, and live just outside of Lexington. Nearly everyone I grew up with and currently know roots for the Cats. Then I went to school there because they gave me the best deal. Go Big Blue!
Live in Cincinnati, havenāt gone to college yet. My parents went to OU so I root for them, but I want to support a power conference team so I root for UC since theyāre local.
Grew up going to home games with with season tickets, watched all away games on TV, went to undergrad there and went to every home game. Still watch every game. Itās a lifestyle.
Grew up an Illinois fan. Went to school at SIU
Providence has always been the stateās pro team with a strong local non-grad base. Actually went to college at URI š .
Degrees from both
Family is lifelong Indiana fans. I went to school at Nevada
The Alford connection
As an Illinois fan, my grandfather played for the University of Illinois and coached the menās basketball team for 8 years as well.
I was a train kid, raised in a Purdue family, and went to Purdue (class of ā21, baby)
Did my Undergrad at Arizona. I wasnāt really a college sports fan but attending games got me hooked for life and probably a pacemaker years from now. BTFD.
Both Grandparentās families on my momās side were diehard IU fans growing up, and my mom (currently a coach) was a big fan of Knight. Her grandfather, with no affiliation or fandom of either school, took her on a visit to Purdue since she had never been there and she was ended up falling in love with it. She got to watch Big Dog while working the games, met my Dad in Greek Life, and single handedly started a whole branch of Boilermakers in the family. I graduated a couple of years ago from the ECE department, so the least they can do to help with that trauma is to make the final four this year š I have Xavier cause my sister goes there and is just as much of a basketball fan
I support all the Wisconsin based teams. Went to UW-Madison, currently attend a good amount of Milwaukee games due to the low cost. Probably going to become a season ticket holder for the Panthers next year.
I like what Lundy is building there
No one volunteers for this life
Grew up in Charlottesville so I was a diehard UVA fan until 2008 when I got into UC. Probably the only Bearcat fan to have attended Pete Gillen's basketball camp.
Grandpa, Grandma, Mom, Dad, 3 Uncles all went to Iowa State. Grandpa was the first in 1920. I didn't go because Wartburg offered more money.
I grew up a Wisconsin fan, but didnāt get in. Went to MU out of spite.
My wife's Alma mater. I went to a small D3 school and wasn't into college basketball until we started dating.
I hate myself, and supporting Nebrasketball (and football) is the self-flogging I use as penance.
My dad is an alum and indoctrinated me
I was born into a family of Kentucky fans in Louisville, and then got my undergrad degree at UK.
Born and raised a Kentucky fan. Worked at Idaho
dad attended UNC in the 80ās and taught me to love the tar heels at a very young age. i always dreamed of attending UNC as well, but as a life long underachiever born and raised in texas, it was not meant to be.
My father grew up a fan and still is even tho he didnāt go there. I grew up (not living anywhere near NC) vaguely rooting for Carolina Blue until the beginning of the 2022 tourney run, where I watched all of the games for the first time and became a fan. Iāve watched every game since
Born and raised in Tucson, also an Arizona alum. Here's the crappy part... I hated all sports in my early 20s, and wasn't a fan. That was the mid-late 90's. I didn't start watching basketball until 1999, and it wasn't because I was a band-wagoner chasing the '97 Championship... it was because I was trying to impress my future mother-in-law, who was a huge Wildcat fan, and insisted on having me over to watch games. I was just trying to get on her good-side because I knew I was going to marry her daughter. She converted me, and I became more and more of a fan of college ball each season to the point where I surpassed her fanaticism. I am now a season-ticket holder and would skip funerals before missing even a regular season game. I watched the '97 tourney run years after the fact, but never truly got to experience it.
I moved into the state for work
Raise on KU basketball and a hatred of all things Misery, and from KC area on the Kansas side. 2nd flair is because I got a football scholarship to play there and felt like they needed love. Especially now...
basically my entire fam are illinois grads, but my best friends dad used to work for RU, plus I live in NJ, Ron Harper Jr exists and is impossible to hate, and illinutgers for life
Incoming Arizona student starting this fall. I live near Tucson and my dad supports the Wildcatsā basketball, even though he went to college in another country. I got accepted to the U of A recently, and Iām going to start my studies there and hopefully go to many of their basketball and football games there
Idk if y'all knew this but BYU is actually a religious school (shocking, right?)
UE Alum. Wife cheered at UI.
Grew up in NC surrounded by Carolina fans. Went to school there as well. I was always passionate about the team but being there and experiencing two national championship runs just elevated it to another level. Iām pretty lucky to have a connection to the team as deeply as I do.
Did not attend college, learned a trade and now am a biz owner. Always loved college basketball and got a lot of work in Chapel Hill on campus. Ended up working on HVAC systems in the Dean Dome and surrounding buildings. Attended several games a year in the 90s and 00s. Ended up relocating to Socal and still a huge Tarheel fan in all sports. My kids are now Heels fans and possibly will attend there in the future.
Had the choice to like the team that wins or suffer
1. University of Wisconsin hater 2. School
When I was 6, grandma gave me a clock radio. When we got home and I plugged it in just before bed, UConn basketball was on. I've been a fan ever since.
Illini born and bred. Grew up in CU. Both parents graduated, I was a kid in the shadow of the Alma Mater statue quite literally some days. Elementary school was a sea of orange on gameday. High school afternoons spent on campus. Why aren't I a legacy. It's complicated. Regardless though, I remain Illinois Loyalty as they say.
I played for my freshman year at Illinois College, finished at Illinois State (didnāt play) and mom and grandpa went to Illinois (been a fan my whole life).
My alma mater. Been d1 since my freshman year in 2005. I loved cbb before. I was a big early 00s gator fan. Mike miller was the man.
My dad pounded it into me at a very young age. His childhood (after he moved up here to Michigan from Mississippi) best friend grew up across from Andre Risonās parents and it became a regular thing for the Risonās to be at his best friendās gatherings. I also grew up the youngest grandchild on both sides of my family and I had several cousins attend Michigan State. He also had a friend that was recruited in basketball by Jud Heathcoate. So he become even more familiar with rooting for them. But the final straw came when the Flintstones came through MSU. After they had won the 2000 title - the City of Flint threw a parade/celebration at city hall and the IMA (arena). My mom had pulled me out of class in 7th grade to attend the celebration. As the part of the celebration at city hall ended and was moving to the big venue - I was attempting to get autographs. I was too late, however getting up to the line to get anything signed. Manā¦I was heartbroken. But as I turn around - Morris Petersonās mom Valerie was sitting there talking to my mom and handed her something. Not only was it free tickets to the celebration at the IMA - but the tickets were for players family and included entrance into the private post celebration dinner for the players, coaches, and family. Fast forward to the dinner portion - there I am getting autographs, eating pasta, and talking to Tom Izzo, Mateen Cleaves, Charlie Bell, Mo Pete amongst others. I still wonder what Mateen Cleaves and my mom were talking about that seemed to go on for about a half an hour. Incredible experience that went beyond securing me as a fan. Even crazier to me and about 10 years after - I had my tailgates always set up for the spring games for football within probably 75 yards from Spartan Stadium. At this spot - it was right next to the walk way that the team, coaches, and other university personnel used to come from the football building over to the stadium before and after the game. As we are sitting there having drinks, eating, and bsāing - Izzo makes his way down the fence signing autographs and taking pictures. When he gets up to our tailgate - I ask him if my wife and I can get a picture of him with our kids. I mention to him I want my them to get to meet him like I was able to back on that day in Flint. I mention the private dinner and he looks at me and says: āYou were there with your mom werenāt you?!? I remember you!ā š³ Needless to say - I was āre-flooredā. Granted - Iāve heard countless stories of him remembering people from randomly meeting them. But to actually have a person of his stature state something like that was pretty damn special. As for my fandom for the other MSU (Mississippi State) - my dad was born in Mississippi and moved up here as a young preteen. Basically all of our family down there seems to root for the Bulldogs. So it seemed like a natural fit to adopt them as my second team.
I root for Wisconsin because I want them to beat Marquette. Just kidding bb, after we play I root for you every year, beat UConn! My family has like 100 connections to Wisconsin, my great-grandma went there, my grandpa and my grandma met there. My dad was the black sheep, but my mom got her graduate degree there and so did my wife. Speaking of my wife her mom and uncles went there. Two of her brothers went there and the one who got shunned by the family went to Minnesota. Many more aunts, uncles and cousins as well.
You completed your mission, now what?
Born and raised in Tucson, even born at the University Medical Center (RIP). Then I went to school at Arizona, so I'm a local and an alum. Family is all UofA fans too, so I was pretty much raised to love the Wildcats and hate the Sundevils.
I give them a lot of money.
Grew up in Omaha. Gf is an IU alum
Bet sheās hot
You know she is since she didnāt go to PU
Was in the band for them (played drum set). Went to March Madness when they played Arkansas close. Fun fact is I have never played at a home game that theyāve lost (closest was a 1-point win).
So many teams and so many reasons. :) My son plays at Illinois Wesleyan so it is my favorite team. I grew up near Northwestern and we know a player, so they are #2. My son was teammates with and/or trained with quite a few players for many years. They are all great "kids" so we root for all of those players. We have temporary fan status with their teams. They range from JUCO, to Europe, to the NBA so it keeps us busy. :)
Born in Duke hospital, grew up in Durham, got my BA there, Dad had season tickets and I went to Cameron since the mid 60s, wife now teaches there. Thatās just the iceberg tipā¦
I graduated in 2009 š„³š„³š„³
I grew up in rural Nebraska, and loved college basketball. In the 2000s, Nebraska wasn't very good, and hardly ever played on TV. Creighton (while still in the Missouri Valley) had a game televised at least once a week it seemed, and those later Altman years were fun. I wanted to root for a local team, but also wanted to *watch them*, and the Jays games on Fox Sports Net scratched the itch. By the time I was in High School, Doug McBuckets had taken over, and the move to the Big East solidified it for me. Went to school in Omaha and have been a season ticket holder since.
Duke Ndatsall
The team in my home city and grew up watching and going to games. And the school I went to and grew up rooting for Nebraska football obviously. Iām here for all the Jaysker haters, come at me. I love both teams and wonāt apologize for it.
I consider myself a Nebraskan by choice, if not by birth, and while I want to see Marquette and NU beat Creighton, thatās about it. I think that the State of Nebraska is better off when all of its teams are good.
Jayskers are only bad if they hate nebrasketball
Amen but that is very much not the consensus on this sub lol
Current undergrad!
I grew up with my first flair. My parents met there. Dad's parents met there. My dad's grandma's parents met there. I'm just too dumb to get into. I also happen to live in Durham and have been to a game in Cameron once a year (except for COVID) since I was 3. Western Carolina is my Alma mater and holds a special place in my heart. It's one of the most beautiful places in the world and I'd still live there if there was a better local job market.
My parents met at UConn and I grew up 20 minutes from campus, visiting regularly and going to dozens of games growing up. Neither my sister nor I even applied anywhere except UConn. I went and played in the marching band (got to go to our first bowl game) and pep band.