Chill's Roadmap To The Best Games Just South Of The Border

Attending an American college basketball game should be on every sporting fan’s bucket list. Nothing compares to the energy, passion and intensity when school pride is on the line. With no free agency, salary caps or trade deadlines, it begins and ends with the student athlete. The crazed fans, pep bands, cheerleaders, fight songs, chants and rampant school spirit all create the electricity for those anything-can-happen, storm-the-court type moments – that’s why they call it “March Madness.” 

So if you’re unable to make it to New Orleans for the NCAA Basketball Championship this year, don’t despair. Chill has a list of schools that aren’t too far away, that you can expect to see competing for one of those coveted Final Four spots. Choose one, or all of the destinations on Chill’s college basketball crawl for a worthwhile road trip and have one less thing to worry about on your bucket list.

School: Michigan Wolverines

Record: 1580-1037

Home Court: Crisler Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan

National Titles: 1

Final Four Appearances: 6

Tournament Appearances: 22

Distance from Toronto: 4 hours, 59 minutes (454 km)

The last time that the Wolverines made it to the Final Four (1993), The Fab Five were not only playing, but were instrumental in their success. Well, now, even without the Fab Five, they have gone undefeated at home, going 15-0. While Head Coach John Beilien has only gone 83-72 in his previous three seasons, he has an impressive 20-7 record this year.

Inside the Crisler Center, it doesn’t take long to figure out where the student section is located. The Maize Rage are right behind the team benches and the crazed students often engage in “maize outs,” wearing all yellow for specific games and chanting ridiculous chants to opposing teams like, “You wear Ugg boots!”

Record: 1498-993School: Ohio State Buckeyes

Home Court: Jerome Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio

National Titles: 1

Final Four Appearances: 10

Tournament Appearances: 28

Distance from Toronto: 7, hours 11 minutes (694 km)

Head Coach Thad Matta took over in 2004 and is 212-61 to date. OSU has already won four conference titles, three conference championships and has five NCAA tournament appearances – including the championship game in 2007 – during his tenure.

“The Schott” accommodates 19,500 fans for a basketball game, and the Buckeye Nuthouse is the loudest part of the arena. The first 10 rows behind the benches and scorer’s table are filled with 800 screaming students who have chanted, screamed and willed the Buckeyes to a 17-1 home record this season.

School: Syracuse Orange

Record: 1810-818

Home Court: Carrier Dome, Syracuse, New York

National Titles: 1

Final Four Appearances: 10

Tournament Appearances: 34

Distance from Toronto: 4 hours, 27 minutes (396 km)

Syracuse is the fifth winningest men’s division basketball team of all-time, largely thanks to Hall of Fame Head Coach Jim Boeheim, who has manned the helm since 1976 with an 882–302 record. The Orange were ranked number one in the nation for stretches this season and have a sterling 20-game win streak at home.

The Carrier Dome is the largest on-campus basketball arena in America and has seen crowds in excess of 34,000 for a basketball game. Add “The number one Basketball Pep Band in the Land,” The Sour Sitrus, and it makes for an incredibly loud atmosphere.

NOTE: Syracuse leading scorer, forward Kris Joseph, is a native of Montreal, QC.

School: Connecticut Huskies

Record: 1549-864

Home Court: Harry A. Gampel Pavilion/XL Center, Hartford, Connecticut

National Titles: 3

Final Four Appearances: 4

Tournament Appearances: 24

Distance from Toronto: 8 hours, 42 minutes (791 km)

Hall of Fame Head Coach Jim Calhoun has been at UConn since 1986, racking up a 618-233 record and guiding them to all three of their national championships. In 2004, the University of Connecticut became the first school in NCAA Division I history to have its men’s and women’s basketball programs win the national title in the same year.

The student section has been loyal to its Huskies, who have gone 11-2 at home this season, doing whatever they can to help their team get an edge. During pre-game introductions for the visiting team, students turn their backs on the court and yell “Sucks!” after each player’s name is announced.

NOTE: The XL Center was home to former NHL franchise, the Hartford Whalers.