The College Basketball Internet Challenge

Now that the college basketball season is underway, I want to issue you a challenge that will change the way you see the game.

It seems that everyone has a favorite team they follow not only through the best of times, but also through the worst of times. But this season, why not think outside of the box, and find a second team to follow. And it must be a squad you don't hear about a lot, especially one that doesn't compete at the NCAA Division I level. Those teams are too easy to follow, their games are on TV almost every night, the final scores of those games constantly run on the ESPN "Bottom Line" ticker, and magazines from Athlon Sports to Street & Smith's cover every angle on nearly every team, particularly the teams from major conferences such as the ACC, Big East, SEC, etc. That's not to mention every major sports website covers the D-I schools left and right, seemingly to no end.

So, why not use the Internet to follow the teams that get very little attention, if any, on the national, as well as the local level. Yes, the 330-plus schools that play at the NCAA Division I level get plenty of media exposure, especially the likes of Duke, Florida, and UCLA. But there are 704 other NCAA schools playing every night that barely get any coverage in their local newspaper, much less in USA Today.

Most of these players will either continue their education, mainly via graduate school, or get real jobs like most of us after they graduate. Also, the vast majority of these players either will play the full four years in which they're eligible, or finish their careers at a four-year institution after spending one or two years at a junior college. Furthermore, most of the student athletes who play small college basketball probably will never suit up for an NBA team, or even a WNBA franchise for that matter. For the fortunate few that do turn pro, some of them usually go on to careers either playing overseas, or in North American minor leagues such as the American Basketball Association, the Continental Basketball Association, the NBA Development League, or the World Basketball Association.

So, what's the challenge?

Find a small college basketball team located in a faraway part of the nation from where you reside, and follow them online this season. Find out who the head coach for the team is, who their returning starters are, as well as who leads the team in scoring, rebounding, etc. Also, get to know the other teams in their conference. Yes, that means finding out where the team is the standings, their chances of advancing to postseason play, etc. And don't limit yourself to just following the men's teams, as many of these schools also field women's programs as well. The Internet is likely the only way you'll follow some of these teams. Every school has a website that covers all of its sports teams, but of course, some have better coverage than others.

So, you're probably asking yourself at this point, "Where and how I do get started?" You could start with one of the 283 schools that field basketball teams at the NCAA Division II level, with teams like the LeMoyne-Owen Magicians from Tennessee, the University of Montevallo Falcons from Alabama, or the Saint Leo Lions from Florida. Perhaps one of the 423 NCAA Division III schools, such as the Bluffton Beavers from Ohio, the Scranton Royals from Pennsylvania, or the Randolph-Macon Yellow Jackets from Virginia might interest you.

What about an NAIA program? There are 249 schools that currently play basketball within that organization, with 97 schools competing at the Division I level, and another 152 institutions in the Division II ranks. You could potentially choose from one of the many NAIA Division I programs, such as the Point Loma Nazarene Sea Lions from California, the Rocky Mountain Bears from Montana, or the Tougaloo Bulldogs from Mississippi. Programs to choose from at the NAIA Division II level may include the Savannah College of Art & Design Bees from Georgia, the Dordt College Defenders from Iowa, or even the Evergreen State College Geoducks from Washington State.

You could even consider a team from the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA). Like the NAIA, the NCCAA is split into two divisions: I and II. The Division I level primarily consists of liberal arts institutions, such as the Roberts Wesleyan College Raiders from New York State, the Spring Arbor University Cougars from Michigan, or the Trinity International University Trojans from Illinois. In contrast, Division II institutions are mainly bible colleges. Examples of such teams you might choose from include the Valley Forge Christian College Patriots from Pennsylvania, the Wesley College Warriors from Mississippi, or the Southwestern College Eagles from Arizona. Some of the NCCAA members also hold dual membership in either the NAIA or NCAA.

Then there's the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA). You're probably asking yourself, "What, I've never heard of that organization." The USCAA is a consortium of small colleges with athletic departments nationwide. Some of the teams that play in this group include the Columbia Union College Pioneers from Maryland, the Penn State-New Kensington Lions from Pennsylvania, and the Ohio State University at Marion Scarlet Wave from Ohio. Like the
USCAA, a few members may also choose to affiliate with the NAIA, NCAA, or NCCAA.

How about an NJCAA squad? There are hundreds, if not thousands, of junior and community colleges that play in three separate divisions of the NJCAA, such as the Carl Albert State College Vikings from Oklahoma in Division I, the Edison Community College Chargers from Ohio in Division II, or even the Catawba Valley Community College Buccaneers from North Carolina at the Division III level. Keep in mind that many of the teams at the NJCAA, as well as the NAIA, start their seasons much earlier than their NCAA counterparts. Therefore, they may have already played a handful of games. Also, it's not uncommon for most small college basketball teams to take an extended winter break, which usually lasts throughout most of December. So, don't be alarmed if your chosen team hasn't played a game in almost a month.

How to choose a "new" favorite team

So, how do you know which school you want to follow this winter? Perhaps you went to college there, and graduated from it. Or that certain institution is in a different part of the nation you visited, or would like to move to, or perhaps settle down in someday. Maybe you know someone that currently attends a small college or university. Or maybe the unique nickname just might generate your interest.

Once you find a team to adopt, you could go even further, and buy clothing with the team colors and logo. Other options may include buying a flag, key chain, or even a mouse pad representing that institution. You may even want to visit the institution itself, and find out when the school was founded, what kind of degree programs it offers, or even find out who its most famous alumni is doing. Those are some of many things you can think about when picking a school to follow. If possible, you can even consider buying a "mini-basketball" with the school logo and nickname.

This article was written to show that there is more to college basketball than the teams you see on ESPN, FSN, or some other TV channel or network every night during those long, cold winter months. In fact, you just might find that this one-time experiment might become a long-term love affair. Who knows, there might be a favorite player from your chosen squad that may end up playing professionally, and say, "Hey, I've been following (insert name here) since he or she was playing at (insert school here). Oh, and don't forget that coffee or tea to keep warm to while following your team!

Here are several websites to help you get started in your search for a new college basketball team to follow this season. Good luck.

NCAA Division II - http://www.d2basketball.com
NCAA Division III - http://www.d3hoops.com
NAIA - http://basketball.victorysportsnetwork.com
NCCAA - http://www.thenccaa.org
NJCAA - http://www.njcaa.org
USCAA - http://www.theuscaa.com