Full History Of College basketball In Timeline From 1900

1900: Spread of basketball to colleges

By 1900, the game of basketball had spread to colleges across the country, marking its increasing popularity and adoption in higher education institutions.

1904: Hiram College Wins Collegiate Championship at Olympics

In 1904, during the Summer Olympics, which featured basketball as a demonstration sport, Hiram College won the collegiate championship tournament held as part of the event.

March 1908: University of Chicago Wins Championship Series

In March 1908, the University of Chicago swept a two-game "championship series" against Penn, played in Philadelphia and Bartlett, Illinois, to win the series.

1915: College team runner-up in AAU tournament

In 1915, a college team was a runner-up in the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) U.S. national championship tournament, where college teams competed against non-college teams.

1916: Utah wins AAU tournament

In 1916, Utah won the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) U.S. national championship tournament. The AAU tournament often featured college teams playing against non-college teams.

1917: College team runner-up in AAU tournament

In 1917, a college team was a runner-up in the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) U.S. national championship tournament, where college teams competed against non-college teams.

1920: NYU wins AAU tournament

In 1920, NYU won the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) U.S. national championship tournament. The AAU tournament often featured college teams playing against non-college teams.

1921: College team runner-up in AAU tournament

In 1921, a college team was a runner-up in the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) U.S. national championship tournament, where college teams competed against non-college teams.

March 1922: Wabash College Wins National Intercollegiate Basketball Tournament

In March 1922, Wabash College won the National Intercollegiate Basketball Tournament held in Indianapolis. It was the first stand-alone post-season tournament exclusively for college teams.

1924: Butler wins AAU tournament

In 1924, Butler won the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) U.S. national championship tournament. The AAU tournament often featured college teams playing against non-college teams.

1925: Washburn wins AAU tournament

In 1925, Washburn won the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) U.S. national championship tournament. The AAU tournament often featured college teams playing against non-college teams.

1932: College team runner-up in AAU tournament

In 1932, a college team was a runner-up in the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) U.S. national championship tournament, where college teams competed against non-college teams.

1934: College team runner-up in AAU tournament

In 1934, a college team was a runner-up in the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) U.S. national championship tournament, where college teams competed against non-college teams.

1937: NAIA Championship Established

In 1937, the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) established a regularly occurring national collegiate championship, marking an early effort to organize college basketball at a national level.

1937: Creation of the NAIB

In 1937, the NAIB (National Association of Intercollegiate Basketball) was created for smaller colleges, to address the inequality in competition where all colleges were initially considered equal competitors.

1937: Inaugural NAIA Men's Basketball National Championship

In 1937, the first NAIA Men's Basketball National Championship was held, established by James Naismith to crown a national champion for smaller colleges and universities.

1938: Inaugural NIT Tournament

In 1938, the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) was founded and was considered the most prestigious post-season showcase for college basketball.

1939: Inauguration of NCAA Tournament

In 1939, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) implemented its own national tournament. The NCAA tournament's location varied and used multiple locations each year.

1944: NAIA Men's Basketball National Championship Cancelled

In 1944, the NAIA Men's Basketball National Championship was not held.

1949: CCNY Beavers Double Win

In 1949, the CCNY Beavers men's basketball team achieved a double win, succeeding in both the NIT and NCAA Tournaments. The NIT comprised 12 and the NCAA 8 teams.

1950: NCAA Rules Against Dual Tournament Participation

In 1950, the NCAA ruled that teams eligible for the NCAA tournament should participate in it and not in both the NIT and NCAA tournaments, following a double win by CCNY, marking a shift in power towards the NCAA.

1951: 1951 Scandals

In 1951, scandals based in New York City further bolstered the prestige of the NCAA tournament, making it more attractive to top teams and conference champions.

1960: NCAA Tournament Overtakes NIT in Popularity

By 1960, the NCAA tournament had surpassed the NIT in prestige and popularity, fueled by success of teams from the west, such as UCLA.

1961: Maccabiah Games Declared a "Regional Sports Event"

In 1961 the Maccabiah Games were declared a "Regional Sports Event" by the International Olympic Committee.

1966: Texas Western Defeats Kentucky

In 1966, Don Haskins's Texas Western College team, with five black starters, defeated the all-white University of Kentucky team to win the NCAA national basketball championship, impacting racial integration in college basketball.

1969: Spencer Haywood plays in ABA

In 1969, Spencer Haywood played for the ABA's Denver Rockets after a season of junior college and a season at the University of Detroit.

1969: Jack Langer plays in Maccabiah Games

In 1969, Yale University's Jack Langer played for Team United States at the Maccabiah Games in Israel, against the wishes of the NCAA but with the support of Yale's president and Ivy League presidents.

1969: NCAA Restricts Participation in Maccabiah Games

In 1969, the NCAA Council prohibited American college basketball players from participating in the Maccabiah Games for the first time, despite permitting participation in other sports.

January 15, 1970: NCAA places Yale on probation

On January 15, 1970, the NCAA Council placed Yale University on two-year "full athletic probation" in all sports, restricting Yale teams and athletes from competing in NCAA tournaments and championships.

February 1970: Robert N. Giaimo speaks in U.S. Congress

In February 1970, Representative Robert N. Giaimo spoke in the U.S. Congress regarding the NCAA's actions in the Langer Case.

1970: Spencer Haywood joins Seattle SuperSonics

In 1970, Spencer Haywood signed with the NBA's Seattle SuperSonics before his college class graduation, defying NBA rules.

1971: Supreme Court rules on NBA antitrust exemption

In 1971, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the NBA does not have the same antitrust exemption as Major League Baseball, allowing collegiate players demonstrating economic hardship to enter the NBA draft early.

1974: Moses Malone joins ABA straight out of high school

In 1974, Moses Malone joined the Utah Stars of the American Basketball Association (ABA) directly from high school.

1975: Expansion of NCAA Tournament Field to 32 Teams

In 1975, the NCAA tournament expanded its field of teams from 25 to 32, increasing interest in the tournament.

1976: ABA merges into NBA

In 1976, the American Basketball Association (ABA) merged with the NBA.

1976: Elimination of NBA hardship requirement

In 1976, the hardship requirement for collegiate players seeking early entry into the NBA draft was eliminated.

1980: Expansion of NCAA Tournament Field to 48 Teams

In 1980, the NCAA tournament expanded its field of teams to 48, further increasing interest in the tournament.

1981: Introduction of possession arrow in NCAA

Since 1981, a possession arrow on the scorer's table has dictated which team should possess the ball after a held ball in NCAA basketball.

1985: Founding of the Preseason NIT

In 1985, the "Preseason NIT" (later known as the NIT Season Tip-Off) was founded, providing a second NIT tournament played in November.

1985: Expansion of NCAA Tournament Field to 64 Teams

In 1985, the NCAA tournament expanded its field of teams to 64, again increasing interest and encompassing more of the strongest teams.

1992: NAIA Division II Championship Sponsorship

From 1992, the NAIA sponsored a Division II championship, similar to the NCAA Division I and II.

1992: Start of separate NAIA basketball divisions

In 1992, the NAIA operated separate Division I and Division II men's and women's basketball championships.

1994: NAIA National Tournament Location

In 1994, the NAIA National Tournament was held in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

1995: Racial Differences in Marginal Revenues Generated by Players

In 1995, "College basketball data allow for direct comparisons of the racial differences in the marginal revenues generated by players".

1999: NAIA National Tournament Location

In 1999, the NAIA National Tournament was held at Municipal then Kemper Arena in Kansas City.

2001: NAIA National Tournament Location

In 2001, the NAIA National Tournament was held in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

2002: NAIA National Tournament Move

Since 2002, the NAIA National Tournament has been played in Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri.

2005: NBA Dress Code Introduced

In 2005, the NBA introduced a new dress code rule requiring players to wear business casual attire during team or league business.

2005: NCAA Purchase of NIT Tournaments

In 2005, the NCAA purchased both the postseason NIT and the NIT Season Tip-Off from the Metropolitan Intercollegiate Basketball Association (MIBA), which then disbanded.

2006: NBA age eligibility rule change

In 2006, the NBA required players to be 19 years of age and at least one year removed from high school graduation to be eligible for the draft.

2006: Introduction of the one-and-done rule

In 2006, the one-and-done rule was implemented in college basketball, changing the NBA draft age and leading players to attend college for a single season before entering the NBA draft. Tyrus Thomas was the first player drafted in the one-and-done era.

May 2007: NCAA Rules Committee votes to extend three-point line

In May 2007, the NCAA Rules Committee voted to extend the three-point line by a foot more to 20 feet 9 inches.

2008: Extended three-point line

Beginning in the 2008–09 season for men, the three-point line was extended to 20 feet 9 inches.

2011: Extended three-point line for women

Beginning in the 2011-12 season, the three-point line was extended to 20 feet 9 inches for women's play.

2011: NCAA Tournament Expands to 68 Teams

In 2011, the NCAA tournament expanded its field to 68 teams, further increasing the interest, and the distribution of playing locations.

2011: Changes to NCAA Tournament Round Names

In 2011, with the expansion to 68 teams, the NCAA tournament field changed in that the former first round became the second round, and so on.

2013: 10-second rule added to women's college game

In the 2013–14 season, the 10-second rule was added to the women's college game, requiring teams to move the ball past the halfcourt line within 10 seconds.

2015: Division III coaching demographics

As of 2015, less than 10% of the coaches in Division III were Black, compared to around 20% in Division II and 25% in Division I.

2015: Timeout rule changes

From the 2015–16 season, NCAA men's coaches were banned from calling timeouts from the bench while the ball is live.

2015: NCAA men's shot clock change

Prior to the 2015–16 season, NCAA men's basketball used a 35-second shot clock.

2015: Penalty rule change in NCAA women's basketball

Since the 2015–16 season, the fifth team foul in a quarter places the team in penalty in NCAA women's basketball.

2016: NCAA Tournament Round Number Changes

In 2016, the NCAA tournament's round numbers changed again. The first four games containing the last 8 teams is now referred to as the first four.

2017: Heartland Conference exodus announced

In 2017, eight Heartland Conference members announced a mass exodus to the Lone Star Conference effective in 2019.

2017: NBA Jersey Rule Changes

In the 2017-18 NBA season, the league altered its jersey rules, only requiring that road teams wear colors that sufficiently contrast with the home team's choice, making "color on color" games possible during the regular season.

2018: NCAA men's coaches banned from calling timeouts

From the 2015–16 season through 2018–19, NCAA men's coaches were banned from calling timeouts from the bench while the ball is live at any time in the game.

2018: Heartland Conference Members Announce Exodus

In 2018, eight of the nine Heartland Conference members announced they would leave to join the Lone Star Conference in 2019.

2019: NCAA adopts FIBA three-point arc

Effective in 2019–20, the NCAA adopted the FIBA three-point arc of 6.75 m at the top of the circle and 6.6 m at the corners and baseline for Division I men's play.

2019: Coaches can call timeouts

From 2019 to 2020, NCAA men's coaches are allowed to call timeouts during the last 2 minutes of any period (half or overtime).

2019: Heartland Conference Disbands

In 2019, the Heartland Conference disbanded at the end of the 2018–19 school year, with eight members announcing a mass exodus to the Lone Star Conference.

2019: End of NAIA Women's Basketball Division I and II

In the 2019-20 season, the NAIA Women's Basketball Championship was split into Divisions I and II.

2019: Last season with NAIA basketball divisions

The 2019-2020 season was the last season that the NAIA operated separate Division I and Division II men's and women's basketball championships.

2020: Adoption of FIBA three-point arc

Effective in 2019–20, the NCAA adopted the current FIBA three-point arc for Division I men's play, with Divisions II and III following in 2020–21.

2020: Coaches can call timeouts

From 2019 to 2020, coaches are again allowed to call timeouts during the last 2 minutes of any period (half or overtime).

2020: NAIA basketball divisions abolished

In 2020, basketball divisions in NAIA were abolished after the 2019–20 season, with single men's and women's championships held since then.

2020: American Collegiate Athletic Association merges into Capital Athletic Conference

In 2020, the American Collegiate Athletic Association merged into the Capital Athletic Conference, with the merged entity renaming itself the Coast to Coast Athletic Conference.

2020: NAIA Men's Basketball National Championship Cancelled

In 2020, the NAIA Men's Basketball National Championship was not held.

2020: End of NAIA Division II Championship

In 2020, the NAIA stopped sponsoring a Division II championship.

2020: Cancellation of NCAA Tournament Due to COVID-19 Pandemic

In 2020, the NCAA tournament was canceled for the first time in its history due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic, prioritizing the health and safety of players and spectators.

2021: NCAA men's game format

As of 2021, NCAA men's games are divided into two 20-minute halves.

2021: NAIA Adopts Single-Division Format

From 2020 to 2021, the NAIA adopted a single-division format for basketball, with the men's and women's tournaments featuring 64 teams each.

2021: Baylor and Stanford Win NCAA Championships

In 2021, Baylor won the Men's NCAA Championship, and Stanford won the Women's NCAA Championship, defeating Arizona in a close game.

2021: NCAA Considers Waivers for Student Athletes

In 2021, the NCAA considered granting waivers to winter sport athletes, including basketball players, to regain eligibility for the 2021 season following the cancellation of the 2020 tournament due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2022: Colonial States Athletic Conference and United East Conference merge

After the 2022–23 season, the Colonial States Athletic Conference and United East Conference merged under the United East banner.

2022: Kansas and South Carolina Win NCAA Championships

In 2022, Kansas won the Men's NCAA Tournament, defeating North Carolina in the championship, and South Carolina won the Women's NCAA Tournament, defeating UConn.

2022: End of NIT Tradition at Madison Square Garden

In 2022, the semifinals and finals of the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) were held at Madison Square Garden for the last time, as since the 1938 tournament, the semifinals and finals were always played in New York City.

2023: Division II basketball conferences in 2023-24

As of the 2023–24 college basketball season, there are 23 Division II basketball conferences.

2023: LSU and UConn Win NCAA Championships

In 2023, LSU's women's team and UConn's men's team won the NCAA national championships, defeating Iowa and San Diego State respectively.

2023: Changes to Division III conferences in 2023

In 2023, the New England Collegiate Conference disbanded, and the Colonial States Athletic Conference and United East Conference merged.

2023: NIT Tournament Relocation

Since 2023, all rounds of the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) are played at various sites across the country, selected annually, ending the tradition of hosting semifinals and finals at Madison Square Garden.

July 1, 2024: Big Ten Expansion

On July 1, 2024, the Big Ten Conference expanded its membership to include four new members, all of which are located in the Pacific Time Zone, marking a shift away from geographic proximity as a primary factor for conference membership.

August 2024: ACC Expansion

In August 2024, the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) expanded by admitting two new members located in California and one in Texas, indicating a move beyond its original Atlantic Coast footprint.

2024: Conference membership and institutional compatibility

As of 2024, institutional compatibility is a factor in conference membership. The West Coast Conference is comprised of Christian colleges/universities in the Pacific Time Zone and the Ivy League comprises high-academic institutions.