It is that time of year for the 'Big Dance'. March Madness is here as the college basketball national tournament tips off next week as conference tournaments are still being played out this week. And every college town is getting hyped regardless of whether their team makes the tournament. So which of these college towns or cities are the best for college basketball fans?

The NCAA Tournament for 2022 is back and there seems to be more and more parity in recent years when anyone can beat anyone.  And recently WalletHub did some research to find out what cities across the nation are the best for college basketball fans. Their research had college towns and cities from all around the U.S., which of course included Laramie since it's the home of the Wyoming Cowboys. But just where does Laramie fall when ranked with these other college basketball cities and towns?

Of the 292 college towns and cities on the list, it turns out that Laramie finished with an overall ranking of 131st. Before you think that might be a bad ranking on the list, first know that that's one spot ahead of Lubbock, TX, which is the home of the Texas Tech Red Raiders, who were the 2019 national championship runner-up, and also have a very solid team that will be in the tournament this year.

Not only that, but that 131st ranking is three spots ahead of Austin, TX, where the University of Texas is located. In case you've been too busy binge watching 'Yellowstone', '1883', or whatever show you're into right now instead of what's been happening this season in college basketball, then you should know that some of these cities Laramie is ranked right along with have some pretty perennial powerhouse teams that are typically contenders for the national championship year-in, year-out.

The point is, Laramie's 131st ranking on the list of best cities for college basketball is a solid showing, regardless of what seed the Pokes will wind up with in this year's tournament. Laramie also ranked 78th among small cities on the list. Not too shabby at all. Especially when you consider some of the main determining factors were things like 'teams per city, winning percentage, stadium capacity and social media engagement. Laramie is definitely doing some things right to snag that ranking.

The top five cities for college basketball fans were Durham, NC (go figure), Storrs, CT, Lexington, KY (eye roll), Lawrence, KS (hi, Bill Self), and Los Angeles, CA (really, they just celebrated a Super Bowl). You can check out the full rankings by scrolling over the map below. In any event, not a bad showing at all, Laramie! Go Pokes!

Source: WalletHub

- Just the facts: Wyoming's 21 Mountain West conference titles and counting

Super Bowl Champions From Wyoming

How Many Medals Have Wyoming-Born Athletes Won at the Olympics?

Wyoming isn't represented on Team USA for the 2020 (in 2021) Olympics in Tokyo. But, athletes born in Wyoming have competed for the gold a handful of times over the last century.

According to the folks at BeenVerified.com, seven Wyoming-born Olympians have competed on the world's largest stage.

Since the 1932 LA games, these competitors earned four Olympic medals; one gold, two silver, and a bronze. Wrestling, Track and Field, and Rowing are the evens where Wyoming-natives have shined.



- How Many Medals Have Wyoming-Born Athletes Won at the Olympics?

Just The Facts: Size Doesn't Matter For Wyoming's War Memorial Stadium

Did you know it would take the populations of Gillette (32,857), Laramie (32,381), Rock Springs (23,319), Sheridan (17,844) and Wright (1,200) to create a sellout inside Michigan's famed 107,601-seat Big House, the largest college football stadium in the nation?

For those of you not familiar with the Cowboy State, those are Wyoming's third through sixth most inhabited cities, along with the small mining town in Campbell County.

- Just The Facts: Size Doesn't Matter For Wyoming's War Memorial Stadium

More From Y95 Country