NCAA Bracket 2012: Power Ranking Top Fanbases of Sweet 16

March Madness has lived up to the billing this year with a lot of hard fought basketball and big wins that have added to the pageantry of the event.

The tournament is now moving into the Sweet 16, which brings great basketball and even better fanbases.

Traveling fans are what make sports special, and March Madness is no stranger to passionate team followings. Some of the best snapshots of extreme fandom come from the tournament.

Here is the power ranking for the top fanbases in the Sweet 16.

No. 16: Ohio Bobcats

The Bobcats are no stranger to the NCAA tournament as they have appeared in the tournament 13 times in school history. The majority of that success came from 1960-74, when the Bobcats had seven appearances in the Big Dance.

As a 13-seed, not many fans expected to see the Bobcats make it this deep in the tournament. As the team's winning ways have continued, more fans have come on board. Right now, because of tempered expectations, the Bobcats fanbase falls into the No. 16 slot in the power rankings.

The Bobcats pulled 5,599 fans on average for the 2011 season, which places them at the No. 99 position of total attendance in 2011. 

No. 15: Baylor Bears

The Baylor Bears have made a steady climb in the college basketball world over the past few seasons, earning three NCAA tournament berths in the past five years.

The Bears have appeared seven total times in the tournament, with their most success coming in 2010, when they went into the regional final only to fall to Duke 78-71.

Baylor has looked to build their athletic program's success in recent years, and the basketball program was one of the major sports to start showing success. This season is no different as the Bears will take to the court for the Sweet 16.

This past season the Bears saw their average attendance hit 6,994 a game, landing the Bears at the No. 78 spot nationally—and No. 15 in the Sweet 16—for home game attendance. 

No. 14: Cincinnati Bearcats

The Bearcats know tournament basketball, having made it to the tournament 25 times in their history and into the Final Four six times.

Despite the success that the Bearcats have witnessed on the hardwood, they come in at the No. 14 position of the power rankings for fanbase following. The Bearcats averaged 7,344 a game in attendance, ranking them at the No. 71 position nationally.

The Bearcats will look to build their rich history without the extreme fan following that some powerhouse teams carry. 

No. 13: Xavier Musketeers

The Xavier Musketeers are quite comfortable in the NCAA tournament setting as they have made it to the tournament 22 times in school history.

The Musketeers are a strong basketball team with a strong fan following. The Musketeers had an average attendance of 10,098 for the 2011 season. This places them at the No. 44 position nationally.

The Musketeers look to bring that fan following with them to the Sweet 16 in hopes that it will help them make it past the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2008.

No. 12: Florida Gators

The Florida Gators are one of the most successful tournament teams from the SEC. The Gators have made it to the tournament 16 times in school history, earning Final Four berths four of those times.

The Gators' most recent success came in 2006 and 2007, when the Gators won back-to-back national titles.

Florida has a good home following as they average 10,186 in attendance landing the Gators at the No. 42 spot nationally. The Gators also rank No. 18 in attendance in all games, whether they are at home, away or at neutral locations.

No. 11: N.C. State Wolfpack

The Wolfpack may be overshadowed by in-state schools Duke and North Carolina, but the Wolfpack hold their own in attendance and performance.

The Wolfpack has appeared in the tournament 22 times in its history, making a run at the Final Four on three different occasions. The Wolfpack matches that performance on the field with their fan following, as the Wolfpack brought in 13,779 in average home attendance in 2011.

That total brings the Wolfpack to the No. 19 position in attendance nationally.

No. 10: Michigan State Spartans

The Michigan State Spartans are have a tradition-rich program, appearing in the tournament 25 times with eight Final Four appearances.

The Spartans last appeared in the national title game in 2009, eventually losing to North Carolina. The Spartans pull in 14,797 on an average home game, placing them at the No.15 position nationally for attendance.

The Spartans also rank at the No.16 spot for overall attendance, including away and neutral site games. 

No. 9: Wisconsin Badgers

The Wisconsin Badgers head into the Sweet 16 riding a 13-year tournament streak. The Badgers have seen a wealth of success in the tournament appearing 17 times and making it to the Final Four twice.

The Badgers have one of the best home attendance numbers of any school as they land at the No. 7 position for national home attendance, averaging 17,230 attendees a game.

The Wisconsin Badgers also rank as the No. 13 team nationally for total attendance including away and neutral site games. 

No. 8: Indiana Hoosiers

With a history like the Hoosiers carry in the world of college basketball, it is no surprise that the Hoosiers land in the top-10 for fan following among the Sweet 16 teams.

The Hoosiers have a rich history that has seen the Hoosiers appear 35 times in the tournament, eight Final Four appearances and five national titles, most recently in 1987.

The Hoosiers average 15,256 attendees per home game. That number places the Hoosiers at No. 12 nationally. The Hoosiers also ring in at the No. 19 position for total attendance, including away and neutral site games. 

No. 7: Marquette Golden Eagles

The Golden Eagles are a very successful basketball program. The Golden Eagles have made it to 29 tournament appearances, appearing in the Final Four three times.

Marquette is on a seven-year tournament run, looking to expand on their history with a big win over Florida to move into the Elite Eight.

The Golden Eagles have the No. 11 best home attendance with 15,586 average attendees. The Golden Eagles more impressively land at the No. 8 spot for total attendance, which includes away and neutral site games. 

No. 6: Ohio State Buckeyes

Ohio State has had a wealth of success in the past, with a recent four-year streak of tournament appearances. The Buckeyes have appeared and impressive 27 times in the tournament, but have walked away with only one national title which came in 1960.

The Buckeyes have a very strong fan following that has come with that success. The Buckeyes average 15,125 attendees at home games landing them at the No. 13 position nationally. Even more impressive are the totals of attendance for the Buckeyes as their total attendance ranks them at the No. 7 position nationally. 

No. 5: Kansas Jayhawks

The Kansas Jayhawks have one of the most successful basketball programs in the country. It comes as no surprise that they also carry the No. 9 home attendance level with 16,436 on average attendance.

The Jayhawks have 40 total tournament appearances, 13 of those landing the Jayhawks into the Final Four. The Jayhawks have an impressive 23-year tournament appearance streak, which shows in their total fan following.

The Jayhawks land at the No. 6 position for total attendance, including away and neutral site games.

No. 4: North Carolina Tar Heels

The North Carolina Tar Heels are no strangers to success as they have made 42 tournament appearances and an astounding 18 Final Four appearances. The Tar Heels have also laid claim to five national titles, solidifying their stance as a national powerhouse.

The Tar Heels have seen their on-court success push their fan following to one of the best in the country. The Tar Heels land as the No. 4 team in home attendance, seeing 19,144 attendees per game. Carolina also travels very well, landing at the No. 5 position for total attendance in college basketball.

No.3: Louisville Cardinals

The Louisville Cardinals have had a very successful history in the NCAA tournament, appearing in the tournament 37 times in their history. The Cardinals have built quite the fan following during their history, most recently landing in the No. 3 position with an average home attendance of 21,832.

Louisville also travels very well, as they land at the No.4 position in overall attendance, including away and neutral site games.

No. 2: Syracuse Orange

Syracuse has the second highest attendance in the country in both average home game attendance and in combined total attendance. The Orange comes in at the No. 2 position in both national standings.

Syracuse has a storied history in basketball with 34 tournament appearances and four Final Four appearances. The Orange also won a national title in 2003.

As the tournament gets kicked into Sweet 16 mode today, the Orange will undoubtedly have a strong fan following along with their strong on-court performance. 

No. 1: Kentucky Wildcats

The Kentucky Wildcats not only took the No. 1 overall seeding in the tournament this season, but they also have the best fanbase in the country.

The Wildcats have seen a wealth of past success as they have appeared in 52 NCAA tournaments. The Wildcats also have 14 Final Four appearances and seven national titles. That success has helped build the strongest fanbase in the country.

The Wildcats pull in 23,603 attendees on average for home games as well as having the No. 1 total fan following for all games, including away and neutral sites. The Wildcats are strong on the court and the fans are rowdy off of it, leading to a very dangerous combination for the Wildcats opponents in this year’s tournament.