As we get closer to Conference and NCAA Tournament time, fan interest is starting to gain even more momentum. Attendance this week was up 4% with average attendance north of 5,000 for the first time this season. In addition, fewer games were played with fewer than 1,000 in attendance this week:

Number of games drawing fewer than 1,000 fans: 29

Here are the 3 lowest attended games of last week:

3. Prairie View A&M vs Alabama State – Both Prairie View A&M and Alabama State are in the middle of the pack in the SWAC, so it’s no surprise that only 439 cared to partake in some SWACtion on Saturday. The home fans came away with nothing as the Hornets of Alabama State took the win 73-68. Thanks to PV A&M livestreaming every game, here’s a look at the crowd just after tipoff.

2. McNeese State vs Central Arkansas –A little ways down the road in the Southland, a similar situation as only 331 turned up to see McNeese State lose to the Bears of Central Arkansas by a score of 88-82. I guess all my harping on McNeese State having the ugliest arena in college basketball is really putting a dent in the Cowboys’ attendance. I’m sure it’s just that and not the caliber of play. 100% me.

1. Sacred Heart vs Robert Morris – This one is a little less explainable. Sure, the NEC may be the worst conference in all of basketball, but Sacred Heart is 11-7 (after going 1-10 out of conference) and only two games back from Conference leader Wagner, yet only 312 showed up to see this sort of NECtion:

We didn’t waste any time tonight going from 0 to 60. @RMUMBasketball‘s Rodney Pryor back at it w/ this slam. #NECMBB https://t.co/4sS3Y8L7Ca — Ron Ratner (@NECHoopsRon) February 26, 2016

I guess people just aren’t that hyped about the Northeast Conference this year. By the way, Robert Morris notched the win in this one 73-63.

So that’s it for your penultimate week of the regular season, here now, as always, the miscellany:

Biggest group of people to see a loss at home this week: NC State (vs UNC) 19,000.

Smallest group of people to see a win at home this week: St. Francis (Brooklyn) (vs Bryant), 465.

Smallest Power Conference attendance: Stanford (vs USC), 4,080.

Average attendance this week: 5,174, up 199 (4%) over last week.

And your full attendance numbers for the week: