Cornhuskers React: Fans Nationally Are Factually Wrong This Week

By Kevin Knight (SpartyOnHuskers)@SpartyOnHuskers Jan 23, 2021, 11:41am CST

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

National Voting Results

This week’s poll asked fans to voice their opinion on whether basketball still has a home-court advantage this season despite empty or nearly empty arenas due to COVID-19 restrictions. Fans voted with their gut instead of their head on this one and chose wrong.

Nationally, home teams 601-445 (57.5%) in conference play to date. The home teams are over .500 in 24 of the 31 conferences. In the Big Ten through last night’s action, home teams are winning 61% of the time in conference play (down from 67% just a week or so prior) and rank ninth nationally in terms of home-court advantage.

The high-major conference total for home-court wins is 56%. The Big XII is one of the seven leagues under .500 this season as they sit at 42% for home-court advantage, but the ACC in comparison is at 65% (5th highest).

The Big Ten has averaged 60%-62% in home-court advantage over the last several seasons, but saw a 68.6% advantage for home teams last season. So while home-court advantage this season is down from the national average of 60.1% average the last five seasons, that is still an advantage overall this season.

Yet just 47% of voters this week seemed to think teams still have a home-court advantage. Best to vote with the facts here folks, and the facts still point to home-court advantage nationally despite the lack of crowds.

The other question in the national poll this week was looking ahead to tourney time. Gonzaga and Baylor have most likely secured one seeds in this year’s NCAA tournament, but who should the other two one seeds be? Villanova and Iowa were the top vote getters.