Chicago State Cougars

The Chicago State Cougars represent one of the city's few Division I programs, playing home games at the Jones Convocation Center on the South Side. A historically underdog program with a small budget relative to its peers, Chicago State has built its identity around toughness and the occasional statement upset of a bigger name. The Cougars now compete in the Northeast Conference after a well-traveled conference history that has taken them coast to coast.

Chicago State began playing basketball in 1966 and moved up to Division I in 1984, cycling through the Mid-Continent Conference, the Great West, and the Western Athletic Conference before that cross-country travel proved unsustainable. The Cougars won their first Division I conference tournament title in 2013, earning a CollegeInsider.com Tournament berth. In December 2023, Chicago State accepted an invitation to the Northeast Conference, joining as a full member starting with the 2024-25 season.