SB Nation Reacts: is there a home court advantage this season?

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NCAA. Each week, we send out questions to the most plugged in Wisconsin Badgers fans, and fans across the country. Sign up here to join Reacts.

According to the most recent SB Nation Reacts survey, 86 percent of Wisconsin fans are confident the team is headed in the right direction. That’s down from 88 percent last week and 92 percent two weeks ago. This poll was taken before the Badgers lost to Ohio State at home on Saturday, so one might imagine that fans are feeling less optimistic today than they were before the game against the Buckeyes.

As has been said over and over again for the last year, this season of college basketball has been unlike any other. One of the most obvious changes is the lack of fans in attendance. There were times in the Badgers game against Ohio State where fans really could’ve helped, like when Aleem Ford went on a personal three-point shooting spree and the Badgers pulled to within four.

Many of the country’s most intimidating venues have lost some of their luster, giving road opponents more opportunities to earn a win. That change hasn’t been lost on fans. According to the most recent SB Nation Reacts survey, just over half of college basketball fans think home-court advantage has disappeared this season. For instance, in the Big Ten this weekend, road teams were 4-1. That probably wouldn’t be the case if fans were in attendance this year.

Despite the loss of a home-court advantage, a few teams have separated themselves from the rest of the country. The Gonzaga Bulldogs and Baylor Bears have been the two best teams all season long. For now, those teams appear to have a stronghold on one-seeds in the NCAA Tournament.

But figuring out which two teams should join them on the top lines is much harder. According to fans around the country, Villanova and Iowa are best positioned right now. The Wildcats earned 44 percent of the vote, just ahead of Iowa’s 43 percent. They were trailed by Michigan (36 percent), Texas (26 percent), Kansas (18 percent), Tennessee (14 percent), and Houston (seven percent).

With the entire Michigan athletic department on pause for at least two weeks due to COVID-19 it will be interesting to see how the Wolverines men’s hoops team plays after their break.

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