HALIFAX, Nova Scotia — The most successful men’s college basketball team of the 21st century opened its title defense on Thursday in front of about 400 people. The Carleton University Ravens were seeking their 13th national championship in 15 years at the Final 8, Canada’s version of March Madness, in a small arena where the loudest noise came from players yelling out defensive assignments.

As the United States prepares to immerse itself in its annual 68-team, three-week college basketball obsession, where nearly every program travels with a fully-equipped band, a gang of spry cheerleaders and hordes of fans, Canada is sweeping up after its own top college tournament, held over four days last weekend at the Scotiabank Centre, the self-styled Mecca of Canadian college basketball.

That the two events are both college tournaments, in a sport invented by the Ontario native James Naismith, is among the few similarities. For the four days of the Canadian championships, there was just one furry mascot (the tiger of the host school, Dalhousie University), no cheerleaders and few dunks. Only the biggest games were televised, with the rest — including losers bracket matchups and placement finals — relegated to internet livestreams. Only one university brought a band, at least some of the time.