Which school calls itself the "Anteaters"? The Demon Deacon mascot is a distinguished yet peculiar fellow who sports a top hat and a bow tie, which gives him major style points in my book. It's been a battle this university has faced for years. Sports. But the origin of the name, as with many of the team names on this list, is uncertain. What in the world is a "Gaucho"? Speaking of which, their mascot isa riverboat gambler; that's pretty awesome. Well, Gaels, or Goidels, are speakers of the Goidelic Celtic Languages: Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx. It probablyhas something to do with the dry heat. Highest Client Renewal Rate In the Industry. A senior, who may or may not have been sober at the time, won a contest with this: The beauty of this composition assured its immortality. "I was lukewarm on The Rock," Novak said. There is data to suggest it does, though many coaches and players ESPN asked about the topic were split on it. Privacy Policy. Then again, the whole sock theme has worked for Boston and Chicago, so maybe Blue Hose will be a worthwhile nickname. The. Wichita State got its name due to its early days, when students earned money by shocking, or harvesting in wheat fields near the university, henceforth its name. Feeling intimidated? You see, the university is part of the Diocese of Hartford, and the word "hart" according to Webster's Dictionary, means "a male of the European red deer, stag.". For some reason, folks wanted to shorten that 23-syllable name to V.P.I. Naming your team after a pair of blue socks or stockings isn't exactly intimidating, but that's exactly what Big South competitor Presbyterian did. So in 1896, Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College changed its name to the much more concise and poetic Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College and Polytechnic Institute. Fun fact: Their baseball stadium is named after Stony Brook alumni and current Texas Ranger pitcher Joe Nathan, who donated $500,000 to renovate the field. by Noodle33. Another team that likes to add purple to its name. Most of you know its recent success in football, but did you know that TCU won two national championships, in 1935 and 1938? One might have pictured the Blue Stockings of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, a group of intellectual women whose name most likely referred to the woolen worsted stockings associated with their informal attire. When you think of Texas and football, I don't think "horned frogs" are the first team name that comes to mind. They look like elves, with pointed ears, short arms and sat with its legs stretched out in front of it. College Basketball. A [ edit] AB-AD [ edit] Wagertalk's expert handicappers offer 100% free college basketball picks - get full game previews and picks to help your college basketball betting stats. Connecticut Huskies Rhode Island . OSU is consistently one of the top teams in the Midwest, and Brutus is one of the most well-known mascots in the country. It's not entirely clear whether Stony Brook is worthy of inclusion on this list since the Seawolf really isn't a unique mascot. And once Minnesota became the Gopher State, it didn't take long for the University of Minnesota athletic teams to become the Gophers. What is known is that in 1946, the school's moniker suddenly changed from the Bulldogs to the Sun Devils. Another possibility is that people in the Ivy League really don't care all that much about athletics. But we've got to buy all these balls and buy about six of them. A Hoosier is a native of Indiana, so Indiana University's team name is fitting and distinct. Saint Louis Billikens. No other major conference team used it, perhaps giving the Badgers a psychological edge. They all have different feels. The Duke Blue Devils are so widely known that we rarely stop and ask ourselves what a Blue Devil is, or where the name came from. After all, it's red. "I understand why it happens with some different sponsorships, but I would like to see a standard ball. It's honestly difficult at times. It was at this time that the Big Green nickname came into use. It is still widely used in some areas today and roughly two million people are able to speak the language, to some degree. The logo and the mascot, however, are about as unimaginative as it gets. And while the Billiken fad was short-lived, the Billiken name has been with Saint Louis University's athletic teams for over 100 years now. You may not associate Ohio with penguins, but perhaps back when Youngstown State University was founded in 1908, Ohio was much colder. However, that's not the only sport Georgetown has done well in. The Madness of March isn't just confined to what happens on the basketball court. All the players on the team were from New York City. Alaska's Seawolf, on the other hand, is based on a Tlingit Indian legend of a mythical sea creature. And in 2010, they won an NCAA rifling championship, as well. Obscure College Basketball Alumni Can you match the non-Power Five School to their famous NBA alumni? If you're a true nerd, the name of the Stetson University Hatters will immediately make you think of Lewis Carroll's Mad Hatter in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. 1. "It's not anything new to us. 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. crestview country club events. For the naysayers who think that a broccoli mascot lacks the ability to evoke fear in a rival team, you could visit any school and witness how the students avoid broccoli almost religiously. Still, you'll find that your computer puts red squiggles under the word seawolf, and even the teams that have the mascot don't agree on what it is. In 1977, the Keydets went 26-4, and reached the NCAA Tournament again. Apparantly, this univesity in Indiana thought that just being called the Aces wasn't enough, they had to incorporate a color with it. English. Located in Clinton, South Carolina, Presbyterian is one of several schools on this list that competes in theBig South Conference. An interesting addition, their football team (which no longer exists) is known for throwing the first legal forward pass in college football history, back in 1906. By comparing the recapssports bettorscan be sure that what you are reading makes sense and is at least a somewhat accurate representation of what happened. Let's find out, as we take a look at the 25 wackiest names and mascots in college basketball. The Men's Basketball team at Stanford made $7,768,928 in revenue, while incurring $6,480,368 in expenses. There's a reason why the M.I.T. It's a difference, but at the same time, it's not a difference.". Their current mascot is a wolf, but I guess the "St. Bonaventure Wolves" doesn't exactly roll off the tongue. The University of Missouri at Kansas City competes in the NCAASummit League. Sometimes it takes a couple of practices to make that adjustment. On a side note, UC Santa Barbara is the alma mater of former L.A. Laker and three-time NBA champion Brian Shaw. Once upon a time, they were the Zippers, but in 1953, the name got shortened to Zips, and the mascot turned into a kangaroo. sports picks on the Internet. It was all in the spirit of coaching.". Pomona College landed the #17 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for Men's Basketball in California ranking. The NCAA rulebook (Section 16. 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. We've got different balls from different teams we could play.". 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. "A lot of players have a preference, but at the end of the day, it's a basketball," Riller said. I had absolutely no idea what a Hoya was until I asked one of myroommates, whose brother goes to Georgetown. We all get it. Beilein first used the ball as a Division II coach at LeMoyne early in his career. Copyright MadduxSports.com - Premier Sports Picks and Sports Odds Web site, Advice For Betting On The Obscure Added Board Teams, Evaluating Obscure Conference Tournament Winners In the Big Dance, NBA Playoff Betting Advice For Casual Sports Bettors, Increasing Your Bankroll By Spotting Overrated Teams, Handicapper Advice For Games Involving No Hope Teams, How to Pick Games Involving Surprising Teams Off To Fast Starts, Live Whatever a Sun Devil is, it belongs on this list. 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. A shocker is the person harvesting and stacking the grain. There is a printable worksheet available for download here so you can take the quiz with . 20 Strangest Division I Team Names. The Ohio State website answers the common question, what is a buckeye? Yet that's exactly what the nickname is. Kent State also has some notable alumni including Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban, Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison, Chicago Cubs pitcher Andy Sonnanstine, former New York Yankees catcher Thurman Munson, and San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates (though he didn't play football there; instead, he played basketball). 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. "Hokies" became Virginia Tech's nickname after O.M. Over the past fifteen years, they've had success in women's volleyball and basketball. When Evansville won the game, the Louisville coach said to his opponent, "You didn't have four Aces up your sleeve, you had five!". Get the latest NCAA basketball news, scores, stats, standings, and more from ESPN. Played. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. Georgia Tech went with a Russell Athletic basketball before making the switch to Adidas apparel last year. The Golden Griffin nickname is fierce and regal, but it's still strange enough to be on this wacky list. Of course the Saint Louis University Billikens had to make this list of strange team names and mascots. 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. Hickok Sports: Not a fancy site, but one filled with tons of information about every sport imaginable from college to pro. "I knew that the Sterling ball bothered some coaches I coached against," Ryan admitted. In addition, the Arizona Cardinals use the facility during summer training camp when the weather outside is unbearable. Located in Ithaca, New York, Cornell is one of the most selective universities on this list. Of course the Saint Louis University Billikens had to make this list of strange team names and mascots. 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. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/strangest-division-i-team-names-788263. One of the few services that actually wins for their clients. Grant Riller, who averaged 21.9 points per game at Charleston last season, said it's a reality that players have to learn to ignore. WuShock the mascot is one ugly-looking dude. Maddux Sports makes its money from repeat sports Kansas, for example, keeps a rack of 15 basketballs representing the five or six basketball brands the team will use throughout the season. The Jayhawks play with a Wilson basketball, so opponents headed to Allen Fieldhouse will probably use a Wilson in that week's practices. So wait, why don't they just call themselves the Golden Eagles? There are, after all, 76 U.S. college teams known as the Eagles. MaxPreps hasn't released rankings for basketball (2022-23) yet. But coaches can and do deviate from a university's brand. It's just more difficult to play on the road, which is why the NCAA recently created the NET metric for tournament selection; the metric increased the value of road wins compared with their value in the RPI. For more information, please see our Why are NCAA basketball rules different? 95. Interestingly, they're a part of three conferences in Division I: the Southern Conference(for wrestling), the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (lacrosse, water polo), and the Big South (everything else). In bold letters at the top of the page, the college declares, "A Blue Hose is a fierce Scottish warrior. Dartmouth had been the Indians up until the mid-1970s when the college's board of trustees concluded that the Indian symbol was at odds with the school's efforts to advance Native American education. Defensive efficiency tells you how they stand up in the face of challenges. VMI is best known for their two years in men's basketball, in 1976 and 1977. To reduce any loss or weakness to the brand of a basketball would be overstating things. "It can get weird sometimes, just making the adjustment," Michigan State All-America guard Cassius Winston said before the season. Statistics can also be a great way of quickly painting a portrait of a basketball team, though. But you start dealing with 'This school is with Nike, this school is with Under Armour.' But he says he'd prefer one basketball for the entire season but is not convinced it will ever happen. Originally, this team was called the "Fighting Teachers," as Indiana State was once just called Indiana State Teachers College. Two-pointers were more affected than 3-pointers. D1 NCAA. As with many elements of college basketball, the lack of a standard ball for the regular season -- or a coherent rule around it -- is a conversation that begins with coaches and revolves around business. Ryan told Adidas, his school's former sponsor, that he wanted to make his own deal to use a Sterling ball at Wisconsin, and the apparel company gave him the green light. When discussing teams, there are a load of statistics, terms, and acronyms thrown out. Play Now. Imagine Alabama coach Nick Saban telling LSU's Ed Orgeron which football his team had to use during their recent SEC clash in Tuscaloosa. The Billiken is by far one of the wackiest names and mascots in college basketball. But somehow, Northern Arizona and Stephen F. Austin were able to incorporate that. 2 seed Villanova and advanced into the Sweet Sixteen), and have been in both ESPN and the Associated Press' Top 25 polls. The favored team was a school best known for . Los Angeles Area. No, the Blue Hose is not based off a tube like a garden or fire hose, but rather the article ofclothing. When I picture a Seawolf, I picture a wolf whose legs also double as fins, and he goes deep-sea diving for food. Find moneyline, over/under, and ATS free predictions from the big college basketball games to the obscure games. Preparing this ball "strategy" is a common assignment for basketball staffers around the country, and among the NCAA's highest-revenue sports, it's a scenario unique to men's basketball. The school's mascot is called Super Frog, and he's one of the spookiest-looking amphibians I've ever seen. In 1917, the fans were complaining about the backboards blocking the view, so Indiana became the first school and facility to use glass backboards. The term usually refers to something fast or something that zips up, but the reality for this university seems to be a little of both. It was in the 1930s that the Golden Gopher name took hold. There's no doubt about it. Youngstown State does have the honor of being the only Division I team to have the Penguins moniker. John Bender, the football coach at the time, apparently resembled the Billiken dolls. What is known is that the Youngstown basketball team was in West Virginia playing a game on a cold and snowy day in January of 1933. College Sports Trios II. ", The basketball wars: The hidden disadvantage facing every road team, No. Even some of Beilein's former players didn't care for The Rock, though Michigan evolved into a national title contender that finished in the top 50 in field goal percentage inside the arc in seven of Beilein's last nine years with the program. Featured on: The information contained at this site is for entertainment If they keep it up, the 2011 NIT champions will have an opportunity to harvest a few wins in the NCAA Tournament this spring. 117 straight seasons! big name scamdicappers. They regularly get blown out by 40, 50+ points. His team became known as "Bender's Billikens.". The University of Alabama, however, seems to have moved in the opposite direction. Youngstown State competes in the NCAAThe Horizon League. NCAA Division I Basketball Colleges. Former Wisconsin power forward Nigel Hayes remembers when his coach, Bo Ryan, took advantage of the NCAA rules and used a basketball made by a small company in Puyallup, Washington, called Sterling. Well, it's not the most creative name, but at least they can say it's original. 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. Eagles. That's how it's been, so you kinda just work with it.". To Bet College Basketball, Handicap UNH and Maine have the longest running rivalry in all of college basketball (excluding Ivy League schools). A "buckeye" is the seed or nut from an aesculus plant, the official state tree of Ohio. Toreros are Spanish bullfighters, so the University of San Diego's nickname is appropriate, given the strong Hispanic culture in the city. With the new name, the school needed a new cheer. Wildcats. During the 2012-13 season, Michigan's opponents made 40.1% of their field goal attempts and only 30.8% of their 3-point attempts with an obscure ball brand called "The Rock" in Ann Arbor's Crisler Arena. "The Rock," Baylor's Scott Drew said. The major sports sites and some of the bigger betting ones will have recaps of those games posted. Yes, debate. But whatever the basketball that's used for the NCAA tournament, they should use that for games.". The Billiken, according to the SLU website, was made famous by illustrator Florence Pretz in the first decade of the 20th century. Purdue, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, ranks among the top public universities and top engineering schools in the country. The college has embraced this warrior image, but the Blue Stocking interpretation is historically more accurate. Sports. The North Carolina Tar Heels have one of the most successful programs in all of college basketball, and the state of North Carolina itself is nicknamed the "Tar Heel State.". Team of the Week: Villanova Wildcats It's taken three months longer than expected, but Villanova is rounding into form as it enters the Big East tournament. "Golden Tornadoes" might be a more apt name for Tulsa's sports teams, but Golden Hurricane is definitely unique. But why purple of all colors? What better way to intimidate your rivals than to name your team after a small, burrowing rodent. Now, I have no idea if this story is true or if he was just pulling my leg, but if it is true, that is one of the silliest, yet mostawesome stories I have ever heard. 90s. Did opposing teams go cold because of the defense they encountered -- or the basketball? 16,643: 4.47: Sports: Dec 17, 2019: College Sports Trios I . 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. Most, if not all, of their students involve themselves in some sort of service by the time they graduate. Basketball Gambling, College You must admit that the Dartmouth Broccoli has a nice ring to it. by OtisBushtail. (2020, August 27). 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. Alabama ranks among the top South Central universities, and it competes in the NCAASoutheastern Conference (SEC). Not that long ago, the university unveiled its new mascot, John B. Stetson ranks among the best Florida colleges and its teams compete in the NCAAAtlantic Sun Conference. The Ball Art. "But I always said that every goal is 10 feet high. Basketball Injury Report, College Northwestern and Maryland use balls provided by Under Armour, their apparel manufacturer. NCAA School. Some schools nickname themselves after socks, others after plants, and one is even named after a doll. The word vandalize comes from a fifth-century East Germanic tribe, the Vandals, who, in early history, were portrayed as barbarians who sacked Rome. "It wasn't as soft hitting the rim as the Nike ball, but I liked the way the seams felt. They've ranked in the top ten in the nation for three consecutive years and have faced the likes of teams such as Ohio State and California in recent years. Stony Brook, like Alaska, defines the seawolf as a mythical sea creature. As a general rule if those devoted fans think that a game against a higher profile team is totally and utterly hopeless then there is probably a pretty good chance that it is. I College. His school's multimillion-dollar deal with Nike might be a factor in that endorsement. Arizona and Texas aren't the first states that come to mind, when you hear the word "Lumberjacks." Their basketball program has enjoyed success over the years, including winning the NIT Championship just last season. The original Gorlock, who was covered head-to-toe in blue fur, was designed by a team that included Teri McConnell, also responsible for designing the St. Louis Cardinals' legendary Fredbird. For years the sports handicappers at Maddux Sports It was highly used in Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man, and then diminished from use sometime in the 15th Century. Former Michigan standout Zack Novak made 39% and 41% of his 3-point attempts during the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons, respectively. If you think the kangaroo makes for a rather lame mascot, you've obviously never been kicked by one. Because Stetsonswere a type of hat that people wore in theOld West, and their name is called the Hatters. When your school colors are purple and white and you decide that your Pioneers team name isn't catchy enough, you might just end up with the nickname the Purple Aces. In spite of those sentiments, don't expect coaches to disregard anything that might give them even a minor advantage over their contemporaries. Grove, Allen. Were those marks on the road tied to the basketball or just the basic challenges every team endures on the road? 1,208 times. 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. Now that you're fully satisfied with an explanation of the methodology used, here is the list, arranged alphabetically. After all, global warming hadn't taken effect yet. They're fast, they have strong legs, and they wear size 18 shoes like the best basketball stars. The athletic teams compete in the NCAABig Ten Conference. "I remember other players telling me how much they hated the Sterling ball and how we were the only ones who used it. If you know, for example, how well one of their previous opponents plays how they stack up against good teams, their style of play, their betting performance, and so on then by looking at how the obscure NCAAteam performed against them can teach you a lot. Purdue's engineering and agriculture history is captured by the university's official mascot, the Boilermaker Special. Campbell University patron Zachary Kivett once said to school founder James Archibald Campbell, "Your name's Campbell; then get a hump on you! 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. However, no mercury or madness was involved in the Stetson name. Salukis are Egyptian hounds, a slender dog that has a history dating back to 7000 or 6000 B.C. "20 Strangest Division I Team Names." The Coastal Carolina Chanticleers are one of the few teams on this list with a clear origin story. During his time at Wisconsin, Bo Ryan amassed a 223-27 record at home and a 91-76 record on the road. When the college first emerged as a football powerhouse in the late nineteenth century, the newspapers in rival communities disparaged the Purdue athletes with names such as "coal heavers" and "boilermakers.". It must weigh between 20 and 22 ounces. By 1915, it made it onto the seal, but it wasn't until after World War II, when the Texas horned lizard popped up everywhere. Is there a forum? Dartmouth is a member of the Ivy League and boasts the lowest acceptance rate of any school on this list. "I don't think the players like it," McCaffery said. While I'm not certain as to why it should be used as a team name, it does nonetheless come from two colleges: Iona College (located in New York) and Saint Mary's College of California, both of which have Catholic religious affiliations. "See, I do think it makes a difference," Self said. Our artist took a rather literal interpretation of Blue Hose when making this drawing. social issues in business and finance. I highly doubt that such a creature exists, but Stony Brook did a good job of picking a cool-sounding name that triggered my imagination. The Canterbury Tales. . So if you like rivers, snakes, birds or trains, Chattanooga is your team. . Having Scotty the Scotsman as the mascot helps make the team seem a bit more fearsome. It is time to remedy this deficit, and our artist's illustration shows how. This is also a great way to hear what the public definitely wont hear about injury status, roster changes, and so on. 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. A quick look at simple statistics by a savvy college basketball handicapper no calculations required can tellthem much more about a team than the betting public will ever know. They're also in this year's NCAA Tournament. "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. But where the heck did the name came from? 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. Huggins uses a Spalding ball, but West Virginia has a contract with Nike. Value. Simon & Schuster, 1990. Do a statistical survey Looking at statistics and how they compare to their opponent is always a part of handicapping at least it hopefully.
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