History of College basketball in Timeline

College basketball is played by student-athletes at universities and colleges, primarily governed by bodies like the NCAA, NAIA, USCAA, NJCAA, and NCCAA. These organizations are further divided into divisions, often based on scholarship availability. While joining a national affiliation is typical, it's not mandatory, as exemplified by Cheyney University. These affiliations set rules, provide structure, and help regulate competition within college basketball.

1900: Basketball spreads to colleges across the country

By 1900, the game of basketball had spread to colleges across the country.

1904: Hiram College wins Olympic title

In 1904, at the Summer Olympics where basketball was a demonstration sport, Hiram College won the collegiate championship tournament.

March 1908: Chicago sweeps championship series against Penn

In March 1908, the University of Chicago swept a two-game "championship series" against Penn to win the series.

1915: College teams runner-up at AAU tournament

In 1915, college teams were runners-up in the Amateur Athletic Union's U.S. national championship tournament.

1916: Utah wins AAU tournament

In 1916, Utah won the Amateur Athletic Union's U.S. national championship tournament.

1917: College teams runner-up at AAU tournament

In 1917, college teams were runners-up in the Amateur Athletic Union's U.S. national championship tournament.

1920: NYU wins AAU tournament

In 1920, NYU won the Amateur Athletic Union's U.S. national championship tournament.

1921: College teams runner-up at AAU tournament

In 1921, college teams were runners-up in the Amateur Athletic Union's U.S. national championship tournament.

March 1922: Wabash College wins National Intercollegiate Basketball Tournament

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

1924: Butler wins AAU tournament

In 1924, Butler won the Amateur Athletic Union's U.S. national championship tournament.

1925: Washburn wins AAU tournament

In 1925, Washburn won the Amateur Athletic Union's U.S. national championship tournament.

1932: College teams runner-up at AAU tournament

In 1932, college teams were runners-up in the Amateur Athletic Union's U.S. national championship tournament.

1934: College teams runner-up at AAU tournament

In 1934, college teams were runners-up in the Amateur Athletic Union's U.S. national championship tournament.

1937: NAIA touts regularly occurring national collegiate championship

In 1937, the NAIA was the first organization to tout a regularly occurring national collegiate championship.

1937: Creation of NAIB

In 1937, the NAIB was created for smaller colleges in college basketball.

1937: Inaugural NAIA Men's Basketball National Championship

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

1938: Founding of the NIT Tournament

In 1938, the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) was founded, marking the beginning of the annual men's college basketball tournament.

1938: Temple defeats Colorado in first NIT tournament

In the spring of 1938, Temple defeated Colorado in the first NIT tournament championship game, 60–36.

1939: NCAA implements national tournament

In 1939, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) implemented another national tournament.

1944: NAIA Men's Basketball National Championship Not Held

The NAIA Men's Basketball National Championship was not held in 1944.

1950: NCAA rules on tournament participation

In 1950, the NCAA ruled that no team could compete in both the NIT and NCAA tournaments, indicating that a team eligible for the NCAA tournament should play in it.

1951: 1951 Scandals based in NYC assist NCAA prestige.

Assisted by the 1951 scandals based in New York City, the NCAA tournament had become more prestigious than before, with conference champions and the majority of top-ranked teams competing there.

1960: NCAA tournament overtakes the NIT

By 1960, the NCAA tournament had overtaken the NIT in prestige.

1961: Maccabiah Games Declared a 'Regional Sports Event'

In 1961, the Maccabiah Games were declared a "Regional Sports Event" under the auspices and supervision of the International Olympic Committee.

1966: Texas Western Defeats Kentucky in NCAA Championship

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

1969: Spencer Haywood Joins ABA's Denver Rockets

After a season of junior college, a season at the University of Detroit, and an Olympic gold medal, Spencer Haywood played the 1969–70 season with the ABA's Denver Rockets.

1969: Jack Langer Plays in Maccabiah Games Against NCAA Wishes

In 1969, Yale University Jewish center Jack Langer played for Team United States at the Maccabiah Games in Israel against the wishes of the NCAA, but with the approval of Yale President Kingman Brewster.

1969: NCAA Restricts Maccabiah Games Participation

In 1969, the NCAA Council, for the first time, did not permit American college basketball players to participate in the Maccabiah Games.

January 15, 1970: NCAA Places Yale on Athletic Probation

On January 15, 1970, the NCAA Council placed Yale University on two-year "full athletic probation" in all sports due to Jack Langer's participation in the Maccabiah Games, restricting Yale teams and athletes from NCAA tournaments and televised events.

February 1970: Robert N. Giaimo Speaks Out in Congress

In February 1970, Representative Robert N. Giaimo (D-Connecticut) spoke in the U.S. Congress regarding Yale's probation.

1970: Spencer Haywood Signs with 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 Haywood Case

In 1971, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the Haywood case that the NBA does not have the same antitrust exemption enjoyed by Major League Baseball, allowing collegiate players demonstrating economic hardship early entry into the NBA draft.

1973: Introduction of Division III

Since its introduction in 1973, Division III has had the lowest share of Black coaches compared to Divisions I and II.

1974: Moses Malone Joins Utah Stars Directly from High School

In 1974, Moses Malone joined the Utah Stars of the American Basketball Association directly from high school and later had a Hall of Fame career.

1975: NCAA tournament expands to 32 teams

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

1976: Hardship Requirement Eliminated for NBA Draft Entry

In 1976, the hardship requirement was eliminated, allowing players to enter the NBA draft early.

1976: ABA–NBA Merger

The ABA–NBA merger was completed in 1976, marking a change in professional basketball and the inclusion of former ABA teams into the NBA.

1980: NCAA tournament expands to 48 teams

In 1980, the NCAA tournament expanded its field of teams to 48.

1981: Possession Arrow Introduced in NCAA

Since 1981, a possession arrow has been used on the scorer's table in NCAA basketball to dictate possession after the opening tip, replacing jump balls except to begin an overtime period.

1985: Founding of the Preseason NIT

In 1985, the "Preseason NIT" was founded, which later became known as the NIT Season Tip-Off.

1985: NCAA tournament expands to 64 teams

In 1985, the NCAA tournament expanded its field of teams to 64.

1992: NAIA Sponsored a Division II Championship

From 1992 to 2020, the NAIA sponsored a Division II championship, similar to the NCAA Division I and II.

1992: NAIA Operates Separate Basketball Championships

From 1992, the NAIA operated separate Division I and Division II men's and women's basketball championships. D-I schools awarded basketball scholarships while D-II schools chose not to.

1994: NAIA National Tournament in Tulsa, Oklahoma

The NAIA National Tournament was held in Tulsa, Oklahoma from 1994-2001.

1995: Research on Racial Differences in College Basketball

In 1995, Brown and Jewell published research analyzing college basketball data to compare the racial differences in the marginal revenues generated by players.

1999: NAIA National Tournament at Municipal then Kemper Arena in Kansas City

The NAIA National Tournament was held at Municipal then Kemper Arena in Kansas City from 1937-1999.

2001: NAIA National Tournament in Tulsa, Oklahoma

The NAIA National Tournament was held in Tulsa, Oklahoma from 1994-2001.

2002: NAIA National Tournament Moved to Kansas City

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

2005: NBA Introduces New Dress Code Rule

In 2005, the NBA introduced a new dress code requiring players to wear business casual attire for team or league business, including specific types of shirts, slacks, pants, jeans, shoes, and socks.

2005: NCAA Purchases 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 subsequently disbanded.

2006: NBA Implements Age Restrictions for Draft Eligibility

Beginning in 2006, the NBA implemented age restrictions specifying that players must turn 19 years of age during the calendar year of the draft to be eligible and must be at least one year removed from high school graduation.

2006: Implementation of the One-and-Done Rule

In 2006, the NBA implemented the one-and-done rule, affecting the NBA draft by changing the draft age to 19. Tyrus Thomas was the first player drafted during this era.

May 2007: NCAA Rules Committee Voted to Extend Three-Point Line

In May 2007, the NCAA Rules Committee voted to extend the three-point line by a foot, to 20 feet 9 inches (6.32 m).

2008: Three-Point Line Extended

In the 2008-09 season for men, the three-point line was extended a foot more to 20 feet 9 inches (6.32 m) following the vote of the NCAA Rules Committee.

2011: NCAA field expands to 68 teams

In 2011, the NCAA field expanded to 68 teams, with the last 8 teams playing for four spots.

2011: Three-Point Line Extended

In the 2011-12 season for women, the three-point line was extended a foot more to 20 feet 9 inches (6.32 m) following the vote of the NCAA Rules Committee.

2013: Women's college game halfcourt rule addition

In the 2013-14 season, a new rule was added to the women's college game that allows teams 10 seconds to move the ball past the halfcourt line.

2015: Low Percentage of Black Coaches in Division III

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: NCAA Men's Timeout Rule Change

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

2015: NCAA Men's Basketball Shot Clock Change

Prior to the 2015-16 season, NCAA men's basketball used a 35-second shot clock, marking a change in gameplay rules.

2015: NCAA Women's Basketball Team Foul Penalty Changes

Since the 2015–16 season, the fifth team foul in a quarter places the NCAA women's basketball team in penalty, resulting in two free throws for every subsequent foul.

2016: Changes to NCAA tournament round names

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

2017: Mass Exodus from the Heartland Conference Announced

In 2017, eight of the nine members of the Heartland Conference announced they would move to the Lone Star Conference (LSC) effective in 2019, leading to the conference's demise.

2017: NBA Uniform Rule Change

Since the 2017-18 season, the NBA only requires that road teams wear colors that contrast sufficiently with the home team's choice, allowing for "color on color" games during the regular season.

2018: Demise of the Heartland Conference

The Heartland Conference officially disbanded at the conclusion of the 2018-19 school year.

2018: NCAA Men's Timeout Rule Change

The ban on NCAA men's coaches calling timeouts from the bench while the ball is live was in effect from the 2015-16 season through 2018-19.

2019: Heartland Conference Disbands

At the end of the 2018–19 school year, the Heartland Conference disbanded. In 2019, eight of its nine members had announced a mass exodus to the Lone Star Conference (LSC) effective.

2019: Basketball Divisions Abolished

Basketball divisions were abolished after the 2019–20 season, and single men's and women's championships have been held since then.

2019: NCAA Adopts FIBA Three-Point Arc

Effective in the 2019-20 season, the NCAA adopted the current FIBA three-point arc of 6.75 m (22 ft 1+1⁄2 in) at the top of the circle and 6.6 m (21 ft 8 in) at the corners and baseline for Division I men's play.

2019: NCAA Men's Timeout Rule Adjustment

From 2019 to 2020, NCAA men's coaches were again allowed to call timeouts from the bench while the ball is live, but only during the last 2 minutes of any period (half or overtime).

2019: NAIA Women's Basketball Championship Division Split

The NAIA Women's Basketball Championship was also split into Divisions I and II through the 2019-20 season.

2020: NAIA Division II Championship Ends

From 1992 to 2020, the NAIA sponsored a Division II championship, similar to the NCAA Division I and II. The NAIA Women's Basketball Championship was also split into Divisions I and II through the 2019-20 season.

2020: Cancellation of NCAA tournament due to COVID-19

In 2020, for the first time in the NCAA's history, the tournament had to be canceled due to fears of the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020: American Collegiate Athletic Association Merges into Capital Athletic Conference

In 2020, the American Collegiate Athletic Association merged into the Capital Athletic Conference, which was soon renamed the Coast to Coast Athletic Conference.

2020: NCAA Men's Timeout Rule Remains

In the 2019-2020 season NCAA men's coaches were again allowed to call timeouts from the bench while the ball is live, but only during the last 2 minutes of any period (half or overtime).

2020: Divisions II and III Follow FIBA Three-Point Arc

In the 2020-21 season, NCAA Divisions II and III followed Division I in adopting the FIBA three-point arc. The FIBA arc was to be used on an experimental basis in the 2020 Women's National Invitation Tournament and Women's Basketball Invitational (which ultimately were not held).

2020: NAIA Men's Basketball National Championship Not Held

The NAIA Men's Basketball National Championship was not held in 2020.

2020: Abolishment of Basketball Divisions in NAIA

The NAIA abolished separate Division I and Division II basketball championships after the 2019–20 season, resulting in single men's and women's championships.

July 2021: NIL Allows College Athletes to Monetize Brands

In July 2021, NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) has allowed college athletes to monetize their brands beyond their school.

2021: NCAA men's game halves duration

As of 2021, NCAA men's basketball games are structured into two halves, each lasting 20 minutes.

2021: NAIA Adopts Single-Division Format for Basketball

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

2021: Baylor Men's NCAA Champions, Stanford Women's NCAA Champions

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

2021: Impact of COVID-19 cancellation on college basketball

The cancellation of the tournament in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic led to a lot of uncertainty for the coaches, players, and NCAA as a whole, including potential waivers for student athletes to regain eligibility for the 2021 season.

2022: Merger of CSAC and United East Conference

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

2022: Kansas Men's NCAA Champions, South Carolina Women's NCAA Champions

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

2022: End of NIT Semifinals and Finals at MSG

In 2022, the NIT semifinals and finals were played at Madison Square Garden for the last time, ending a tradition that began in 1938.

2023: LSU Women's and UConn Men's NCAA Champions

In 2023, LSU's women's team and UConn's men's team were crowned national champions, with LSU defeating Iowa and UConn defeating San Diego State in their respective championship games.

2023: NECC Disbands, CSAC and United East Merge

In 2023, the New England Collegiate Conference disbanded as an all-sports conference, and the Colonial States Athletic Conference and United East Conference merged under the United East banner.

2023: NIT Tournament Played at Various Sites

Since 2023, all rounds of the NIT tournament are played at various sites across the country, selected annually by the NCAA.

July 1, 2024: Big Ten admits new members

On July 1, 2024, the Big Ten admitted four new members, all of which are located in the Pacific Time Zone.

August 2024: ACC admits new members

In August 2024, the ACC admitted two new members located in California and one new member located in Texas.

2024: Chicago State Joins the Northeast Conference

Chicago State, the most recent Division I independent school, joined the Northeast Conference for the 2024–25 season.

2024: WAC men's and women's tournaments seeding

In 2024, the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) men's and women's tournaments seeding was based on a formulaic ranking of the strength of the qualifiers.

2025: Cheyney fields a team with no national affiliation

As of 2025, Cheyney, a former NCAA member, fields a team with no national affiliation.

2025: West Coast Conference membership

As of 2025, all full members of the West Coast Conference are Christian colleges and universities located in the Pacific Time Zone.

2025: Division II Basketball Conferences

As of the 2025–26 college basketball season, there are 23 Division II basketball conferences.

2025: Independent Division III Schools

As of the 2025–26 season, Maranatha Baptist and Trinity Washington are independent Division III schools without conference affiliations.

2025: 364 Schools in Division I Men's Basketball

In the 2025–26 season, a total of 364 schools, including those transitioning from lower divisions, will play men's basketball in 31 Division I conferences.

2025: Division I Conferences for 2025-26 Season

Information regarding the Division I conferences is available for the 2025-26 season.

2025: WAC tournament seeding returns to conference standings

Starting in 2025, the WAC returned to seeding the tournament based on the conference standings, and the formulaic ranking became part of the conference's tiebreaker procedure.

2025: Transition period from Division II to Division I

Under rules revised in 2025, the transition period from Division II to Division I generally takes three years and may be longer, if the team is coming from a different affiliation.