It's basically cadets but with a southern drawl to it. Nebraska coach and former Iowa State sharpshooter Fred Hoiberg, a 40% college 3-point shooter who thrived from distance during a 10-year NBA career, says a basketball brand can affect a game, which is why he'd like to see a permanent change. Kansas, for example, keeps a rack of 15 basketballs representing the five or six basketball brands the team will use throughout the season. Duke derived its nickname from a celebrated group of World War I French troops who were dubbed "Les Diables Bleu.". The fact that penguins live almost exclusively in the southern hemisphere shouldn't discourage this theory. 1,208 times. Originally the "Wheatshockers," the Wichita State Shockers have a name and mascot that are representative of wheat harvesting in Kansas. That name sounds a bit risque, don't you think? Yet that's exactly what the nickname is. Trying to draw meaning from looking back at a basketball game . Played. "But I always said that every goal is 10 feet high. I remember from years ago when I went to a college recruitment fair at my high school. But whatever the basketball that's used for the NCAA tournament, they should use that for games.". A Hoosier is a native of Indiana, so Indiana University's team name is fitting and distinct. Their current mascot is a wolf, but I guess the "St. Bonaventure Wolves" doesn't exactly roll off the tongue. Chanticleers are roosters, but as you can see from the logo, a Coastal Carolina Chanticleer is much more than that. But why purple of all colors? It's why you shouldn't suck the liquid out of thermometers or build your house on top of the smokestack of a coal power plant. Ones that, at first glance, make you wonder, "How the heck did they come up with that?". "It can get weird sometimes, just making the adjustment," Michigan State All-America guard Cassius Winston said before the season. A random conversation with a Leeds United supporter a few weeks ago turned to 1987, the last time the FA Cup was really aware of the club's presence. I had absolutely no idea what a Hoya was until I asked one of myroommates, whose brother goes to Georgetown. The consensus: Coaches and players dislike it. There's no doubt about it. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. Though Kent State has yet to win anything at the national level, they've done very well in the Mid-American Conference since joining it in 1951. Feeling intimidated? Yes, debate. social issues in business and finance. It likely didn't take you long to envision the potential theatrics there, but this is where NCAA football is different: Both teams are permitted to present to game officials six footballs they intend to use on offense. Apparantly, this univesity in Indiana thought that just being called the Aces wasn't enough, they had to incorporate a color with it. Why is the mighty North Carolina program called the "Tar Heels"? Northwestern and Maryland use balls provided by Under Armour, their apparel manufacturer. The 12 most-used names of four-year college teams (including names with attached adjectives such as "Blue", "Golden", "Flying" or "Fighting"): Eagles (118), Hawks (106), Tigers (72), Lions (65), Bulldogs (58), Cougars (58), Panthers (55), Bears (54), Knights (50), Wildcats (42), Warriors (41), and Pioneers (36). Chanticleer is a rooster in the Nun's Priest's Tale of Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales. As for athletic performances, Iona has been a top men's cross country team in the nation over the last decade. Let's find out, as we take a look at the 25 wackiest names and mascots in college basketball. This assumption, though, would be wrong. He and Evan Weiss, a former Syracuse student who works in analytics with the Buffalo Bills, commenced their work after reading media accounts from players complaining about specific brands. The Men's Basketball team at Stanford made $7,768,928 in revenue, while incurring $6,480,368 in expenses. "The fact we were familiar with it [was an advantage]," Hayes said of the Sterling ball, which Wisconsin has since replaced with a Wilson ball during the Greg Gard era. "The Rock," Baylor's Scott Drew said. by OtisBushtail. In the NBA, I believe, there is a standard. Granted, buckeyes are not edible, so the label is a bit more effective than other possibilities like the Ohio State Cashews or Ohio State Macadamias. Apparently, the name dates back to a 1904 poster for a football game. East Los Angeles. Nevertheless, Tulsa did a good job with the mascot, and the lightning bolt is a nice touch. Did opposing teams go cold because of the defense they encountered -- or the basketball? If they keep it up, the 2011 NIT champions will have an opportunity to harvest a few wins in the NCAA Tournament this spring. 1. The logo and the mascot, however, are about as unimaginative as it gets. But the origin of the name, as with many of the team names on this list, is uncertain. "But it seemingly was dismissed because of all the contracts and sponsorships in place. UNH and Maine have the longest running rivalry in all of college basketball (excluding Ivy League schools). 2 seed Villanova and advanced into the Sweet Sixteen), and have been in both ESPN and the Associated Press' Top 25 polls. There's a reason why the M.I.T. It's been a battle this university has faced for years. Well, back in the 1910s, the university's football coach, John R. Bender (who not only coached at Washington State, Kansas State and Tennessee, but also coached multiple sports; football, basketball, and baseball) was said by local sportswriters to look like a billiken. "It's hard to get used to the different sizes of them because they all have different feels, different ripples in the ball. Alabama ranks among the top South Central universities, and it competes in the NCAASoutheastern Conference (SEC). The word vandalize comes from a fifth-century East Germanic tribe, the Vandals, who, in early history, were portrayed as barbarians who sacked Rome. The biggest supporter of the name was Ralph Englestad, a North Dakota alumni who independently owed casinos in Las Vegas. Theres no better way to get a quick sense of how a basketballteam is playing and what they are capable of than by reading what the people who see them every day have to say. Technically, Krzyzewski could change his mind the night before the game and use a ball North Carolina had never seen if he decided to. Saint Louis Billikens. But where the heck did the name came from? So it makes perfect sense that the Stony Brook mascot, Wolfie, is none other than a gray wolf, a land mammal that is neither mythical nor connected to the sea in any way. As for their athletics, they've enjoyed plenty of success over the last decade in a variety of sports, including football, baseball, men's lacrosse, men's soccer and men's basketball, who have made two NIT appearances in the past three years. Nerdier yet,you might think of the Mad Hatter who battled Batman in DC comics. Find your favorite team's schedule, roster, and stats on CBS Sports. The "Tar Heel" moniker was derived from the tar and turpentine in North Carolina pine forests that was a major export centuries ago. "I don't think the players like it," McCaffery said. Grove, Allen. It looks like one of those giant stuffed animals you win in a bingo game at the county fair. I check ESPN box scores, and these universities/colleges/whatever they are, they don't even have a logo. They were a fad at the time, and like most fads, faded into obscurity after a few years. Coach John Wooden, UCLA, winner of 10 National Championships. "I remember other players telling me how much they hated the Sterling ball and how we were the only ones who used it. by Noodle33. American University (discontinued 1986) Boise State University (discontinued in 1980, restored for 2020, discontinued again in 2020) Boston University (discontinued 1995) University at Buffalo . Our artist took a rather literal interpretation of Blue Hose when making this drawing. If it's simply someone who makes boilers, well, that's a rather unglamorous team image. The Purdue University website asks the question in many of our minds: What is a Boilermaker? "It's not anything new to us. There is data to suggest it does, though many coaches and players ESPN asked about the topic were split on it. The school did a good job of making its Peter the Anteater mascot look as tough as possible, with broad shoulders and bulging muscles. Photo circa 1972, by Associated Students of UCLA, 1972 Southern Campus (UCLA yearbook), courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. The Stetson cowboy hat was originally manufactured by John B. Stetson, the first benefactor of Stetson University. The name might sound weird to some people, but bullfighters are brave guys, so the Spanish twist on it makes the name a unique and formidable one. Northern Arizona's team name isn't too bizarre, but it is quite uncommon. hide this ad. Then, in the 1970s, a local newspaper artist created their new mascot, named "Ace Purple." Cornell's teams got the name Big Red because they were big and red, so it stands to reason that Dartmouth's teams are called the Big Green because they are big and green. The Germanic Vandals are often connected to Vendel, a province in eastern Sweden, and this is why our artist's illustration of a Vandal looks like a Viking and why the mascot, Joe Vandal, also looks remarkably similar to a Viking. This is an online quiz called Obscure College Basketball Mascots. There are so many college basketball teams and conferences out there that we cant possibly keep track of them all. These are but a few common team names in the world of collegiate sports. As for Stephen F. Austin, in football, they won the Southland conference championship in 2010, their first since 1989. The story follows the adventures of this bird as he is captured by a fox that he eventually outsmarts and escapes from. Alaska's Seawolf, on the other hand, is based on a Tlingit Indian legend of a mythical sea creature. Cookie Notice They went with the name "Sycamores" due to the large abundance of sycamore trees in Indiana and around the university. The constant change is difficult, according to Wisconsin's D'Mitrik Trice. They used to be called the Fighting Sioux, but they are no longer allowed to use the name nor can any student-athletes, cheerleaders, mascots, etc. Stony Brook, like Alaska, defines the seawolf as a mythical sea creature. He eventually developed a financial and promotional relationship with the company that produced The Rock and began to market his own version of the product known as "The Beilein Ball," which he designed. Does the brand of basketball really matter? All the players on the team were from New York City. Drawing by Laura Reyome. 8 points. His team became known as "Bender's Billikens.". After all, the other 19 members of this list at least named their teams after something that can move. On another note, the unofficial mascot is the bear, but the above illustration captures the spirit of the team just as well. In 1905, a Cornell graduate was writing a new football song. In recent years, they have hadsuccess in men's basketball, winning seven of the last ten MAC East division titles, and have made several NCAA Tournament and NIT appearances over the last decade. Ideally, I like to look at a couple of recaps. She portrayed her Billiken as a short, pudgy, smiling creature with pointed ears and a small knot of hair on the top of his otherwise bald head. It was at this time that the Big Green nickname came into use. Defensive efficiency tells you how they stand up in the face of challenges. Early in the state's history, opponents of calling Minnesota the Gopher State argued that gophers were too lowly, insignificant, and destructive to represent the state. School alumni, administrators and fans support the use, while faculty and Native American tribes and student organizations believe both the name and logo are racist stereotypes. 1) lays it out simply: "The ball shall be spherical. Looking at their tempo can tell you how quickly they like to move the ball, and what style of play they prefer. When researching all Division I colleges and universities for other articles using afair, balanced, highly scientific, and entirely empirical system of evaluationstudying their retention rates, graduation rates, selectivity, and financial aidwe came up with an in-depth analysis containing lovely data, but that wasn't useful for this list. When an obscure team like that is playing one we know well especially if the well known team is decent then the tendency is to discount the obscure team. 2021-22 NFL Playoff Teams Minefield. The Canterbury Tales. Youngstown State does have the honor of being the only Division I team to have the Penguins moniker. Tigers was the right call for another 46 schools and Bulldogs fit for 40. Anyway, as for its athletic department, it's been decent over the past decade. Look at how they have performed against teams you do know Trying to draw meaning from looking back at a basketball game between two obscure teams is mostly useless because you lack context to make what you learn relevant. Located in Ithaca, New York, Cornell is one of the most selective universities on this list. Let me give credit where credit is due. Get the latest NCAA basketball news, scores, stats, standings, and more from ESPN. It is still widely used in some areas today and roughly two million people are able to speak the language, to some degree. No, the Blue Hose is not based off a tube like a garden or fire hose, but rather the article ofclothing. The team got its name in 1907 during a game against Auburn played in a sea of mud in which Alabama held its own against Auburn, a team expected to crush themAlabama's school colors, crimson and white, also played a role in the cultivation of the new name. Although lightning bolts might be more dramatic, you may want to put your money on the athletes out there clearing thousands of acres of grain. After all, it's red. Now you may be asking yourself why an article on the most unusual mascots and team names has two schools with kangaroos (remember the Akron Zips?). https://www.thoughtco.com/strangest-division-i-team-names-788263 (accessed March 2, 2023). Obscure College Basketball Alumni Can you match the non-Power Five School to their famous NBA alumni? Let's find out, as we take a look at the 25 wackiest names and mascots in college basketball. The Hoosiers boast an interlocking I and U, and they don't even have a mascot. Were those marks on the road tied to the basketball or just the basic challenges every team endures on the road? Of course the Saint Louis University Billikens had to make this list of strange team names and mascots. The university's website does explain the choice of a Chantecleer, but the explanationactually ignores the fact that Chaucer's Chanticleer is presented ironically with lots of mock chivalric language. 9. For something that's supposed to be a big stalk of wheat, that's pretty impressive. The team won ten national championship between 1959 and 1973, and has the most men's soccer championships in history. The major sports sites and some of the bigger betting ones will have recaps of those games posted. Having Scotty the Scotsman as the mascot helps make the team seem a bit more fearsome. "One day you might play at Nebraska and be using an Adidas ball, and then you go to Ohio State and you're using a Nike ball, and you're playing at home and you're using a Wilson or Under Armour ball," Trice said. ", "It was good when we played Wisconsin [with the Sterling ball]," Michigan State coach Tom Izzo quipped. But he says he'd prefer one basketball for the entire season but is not convinced it will ever happen. Georgia Tech went with a Russell Athletic basketball before making the switch to Adidas apparel last year. Another team that likes to add purple to its name. Connecticut Huskies Rhode Island . "It was a rock.". If this team name and mascot isn't strange enough for you, then I don't know what is. MaxPreps hasn't released rankings for basketball (2022-23) yet. The college basketball game to watch on Thursday evening? Up until the 1920s, they used to be called the Pioneers, until they changed it to Aces. Find moneyline, over/under, and ATS free predictions from the big college basketball games to the obscure games. "I understand why it happens with some different sponsorships, but I would like to see a standard ball. "Golden Tornadoes" might be a more apt name for Tulsa's sports teams, but Golden Hurricane is definitely unique. 85. For Texas Christian University, the Horned Frog name and mascot date back to the 1800s. With the new name, the school needed a new cheer. ASU ranks as one of the top colleges in the mountain states, and the school competes in the NCAAPAC 12 Conference. Eventually, the students got to vote on the new team name. However, such an assumption would be only partly correct. Even though the word Hoki had no meaning, the school was not deterred. But no one can question how daunting the team's logo is. Their basketball program has enjoyed success over the years, including winning the NIT Championship just last season. A decade before he led Virginia Commonwealth to the Final Four, Shaka Smart was a low-level member of Dayton's staff who had been handed a frustrating task by his boss, coach Oliver Purnell. College Basketball. Their men's hockey team makes it to the postseason every four years, with appearances in 2000, 2004 and 2008 (maybe 2012 is their year again?). Likes. They regularly get blown out by 40, 50+ points. Since it's founding in 1869, the university has educated students with working-class backgrounds for utilitarian careers, a practice the school continues today with its many strengths in engineering and other professional fields. The athletic teams compete in the NCAABig Ten Conference. A billiken was a charm doll used in the early 20th century used to give luck to anyone who purchased one. NCAA Division I Basketball Colleges. For the class of 2024, only 8.8% of applicants were admitted. For resourceful sports handicappers one of the nicer benefits is that it has made virtually every local and campus newspaper in the country readily available. "20 Strangest Division I Team Names." Like many universities, Arizona State has no idea who came up with the name of its athletic teams, which is clear evidence that more people need to major in history. It probablyhas something to do with the dry heat. This is also a great way to hear what the public definitely wont hear about injury status, roster changes, and so on. When an obscure non board team is playing a known one, then, its important to be able to quickly get a sense of how good the team is. 16,643: 4.47: Sports: Dec 17, 2019: College Sports Trios I . Another possibility is that people in the Ivy League really don't care all that much about athletics. Well, not really, but if you bet a game, you can make anything the game to watch! "We just went out in the backyard, got a rock and tried to shoot with it.". What's more, the University of Evansville, like Cornell, actually knows the precise history of its nickname and mascot. 90s. Simon & Schuster, 1990. Georgetown's defeat shouldn't obscure the performances of guard Primo Spears, who had 26 points, and guard Jay Heath, who shot 5-for-8 from downtown and finished with 19 points. Forums can be frustrating because of the people on them and the crap they like to talk about, but if you can stand to wade through all of that then you can often pick out a few nuggets that can be very helpful. Located in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, the University of Minnesota is a member of the NCAABig Ten Conference. It's honestly difficult at times. Some schools nickname themselves after socks, others after plants, and one is even named after a doll. Solid, sturdy and safe is one route to take. Northern Arizona boasts a huge timber dome, the Walkup Skydomethat's used for football and basketball. With its main campus in Columbus, Ohio, OSU is a highly rated public university that competes in the NCAABig Ten Conference. Every so often, though, those teams play games against higher profile teams are we have to handicap them. Highest Client Renewal Rate In the Industry. "However, through sheer will and determination, he continued to trudge through and escaped out of the tar. The NCAA rulebook (Section 16. First, the mascot came from a 1923 write-up after Wake Forest beat rival school Trinity (now Duke University), when the editor of the paper referred to the football team as the Demon Deacons for their devilish play. What in the world is a "Gaucho"? Akron's logo (on Zippy the mascot's shirt) is snazzy, but the actual name and mascot are better suited for a children's cartoon than a college basketball team. Basketball Notches Men and Women Doubleheader Wins Over Trade Tech. We've got work to do!" Virginia Tech's old nickname used to be the "Fighting Gobblers," which is why the turkey-ish maroon bird, HokieBird, is the mascot. 52. The Billiken, according to the SLU website, was made famous by illustrator Florence Pretz in the first decade of the 20th century. However, no mercury or madness was involved in the Stetson name. 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