The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is the governing body for college sports in the United States. There are currently 351 Division I basketball programs in the NCAA. This includes all schools from the Power Five conferences (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, and SEC) as well as the other conferences in Division I and independent programs.
Division I Basketball
Division I is the highest level of college basketball in the United States. It is made up of 351 programs competing in 31 conferences. The NCAA Tournament, known as March Madness, is the biggest event in college basketball each year and features the top 68 teams in the country.
Power Five Conferences
The Power Five conferences are the five most powerful and influential conferences in Division I basketball. They are the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, and SEC. Each conference includes teams from all across the country, but the majority of the teams are located in the Midwest and Southeast.
ACC
The ACC is one of the five Power Five conferences in Division I basketball. This conference includes 15 schools located in the southeastern United States. The teams in the ACC compete against each other in regular season games and in the ACC tournament to determine the conference champion.
Big Ten
The Big Ten is another of the five Power Five conferences in Division I basketball. This conference includes 14 schools located in the midwestern United States. The teams in the Big Ten compete against each other in regular season games and in the Big Ten tournament to determine the conference champion.
Big 12
The Big 12 is the third of the five Power Five conferences in Division I basketball. This conference includes 10 teams located in the midwestern United States. The teams in the Big 12 compete against each other in regular season games and in the Big 12 tournament to determine the conference champion.
Pac-12
The Pac-12 is the fourth of the five Power Five conferences in Division I basketball. This conference includes 12 teams located in the western United States. The teams in the Pac-12 compete against each other in regular season games and in the Pac-12 tournament to determine the conference champion.
SEC
The SEC is the fifth and final of the five Power Five conferences in Division I basketball. This conference includes 14 teams located in the southeastern United States. The teams in the SEC compete against each other in regular season games and in the SEC tournament to determine the conference champion.
Other Conferences in Division I
In addition to the Power Five conferences, there are also other conferences in Division I basketball. These conferences include the American Athletic Conference, Atlantic 10, Big East, Colonial Athletic Association, Mid-American Conference, Mountain West, Ohio Valley Conference, and West Coast Conference. Each conference includes a variety of teams from different parts of the country.
Independent Programs
There are also a number of independent programs in Division I basketball. These schools are not members of a conference, but they still compete in Division I basketball. Some of the more notable independent programs are Notre Dame, Gonzaga, BYU, and St. Mary’s.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are currently 351 Division I basketball programs in the NCAA. This includes all schools from the Power Five conferences (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, and SEC) as well as the other conferences in Division I and independent programs. Each conference and independent program provides an opportunity for college basketball players to compete at the highest level.