Which college basketball program travels the most?

I'm wondering, which team spends the most time on the road playing away games? How do all these trips around the country impact the athletes academically and physically?

It's actually quite difficult to pinpoint the college basketball program that spends the most time on the road, as this can fluctuate based on the season, conference scheduling, and participation in specific tournaments, among other factors. Therefore, it's challenging to provide an absolute answer to your question.

However, according to former players and teams, travelling for away games can both positively and negatively impact a student. On the positive side, travelling for away games gives student-athletes the opportunity to experience different parts of the country, places they may not have otherwise visited. Some students also report learning valuable life skills, like time management and adaptability.

However, on the flip side, being on the road a lot can be physically demanding due to factors like jet-lag and late-night returns from games that might disrupt sleep patterns. This can impact an athlete's performance, both in sports and academics.

As far as academics are concerned, athletes often have to work even harder to keep up with their studies. Many teams have academic support in place, such as tutors that travel with teams, and study hall hours during travel. But despite these supports, juggling high-level athletic participation with academic requirements can be challenging.

One way to view this is through the academic progress rate (APR), a statistic the NCAA publicizes which measures academic success of athletics teams. Teams that have consistent long-term success, and thus travel frequently for postseason and out-of-conference games, can sometimes have lower APRs.

To put it in perspective, consider that most Division I men's basketball teams will play around 35-40 games a season, of which nearly half are typically away games. Within those games, further travel can be required for conference and post-season play. Thus, mitigation of academic and physical stress due to travel is an important aspect of holistic student-athlete support.