NCAA Basketball men's attendance figures: St. John's steady, Big East numbers

According to the NCAA's home attendance figures by Division, conference, and by top-100 programs by average attendance. St. John's maintained a spot in the mid-50s, at 54th this season.

Last season, the Red Storm enjoyed the fourth-largest year to year increase in attendance, as the team introduced new coach Steve Lavin and the senior class finished their careers with a sterling Big East season. Despite the youth of the team and lack of wins, the program's average attendance changed by 3 attendees this season, from 8,431 in 2011 to 8,428 this season.

The Big East as a whole declined in average attendance, from 11,323 per game to 10,881 per game this season; sharp attendance declines at West Virginia, Pittsburgh, and Villanova played a part, and were not offset by increases at programs such as Cincinnati.

The Big East Tournament bested the previous year's average attendance, increasing from 19,375 to 20,057 - the event continues to draw huge crowds to the Garden even with the leagues traditional powers on the sidelines.

A few things remain constant in college basketball - Kentucky, North Carolina, Louisville, and Syracuse draw crowds. For the second year in a row, those four teams topped the NCAA basketball attendance charts. For the past five years those four schools have been in the top-5. Wisconsin was fifth this year, knocking off rebuilding Tennessee (seventh).

Surprisingly, Creighton was the sixth-highest men's basketball program in annual attendance.

The Big East programs attendance, with the future Big East members added (in red). South Florida didn't crack the top-100; neither did Southern Methodist or Houston. See the table, below the fold.

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