NCAA basketball is filled with interesting and exciting moments, some of which will never be forgotten by the mind and others which will never be forgotten because they are actual records.
NCAA basketball records are actual numbers that represent something a team or individual did that no other individual or team has ever done before.
NCAA basketball records serve as motivation for others, presenting it as an opportunity or challenge to beat an old record.
While for others, NCAA basketball records serve as evidence of the past, highlighting and showcasing some of the greatest players and teams of all-time.
Whatever the reason, NCAA basketball records are something college basketball fans have today to admire and attribute to the game.
Going through a basketball museum and scanning your eyes over the record book is something that I can waste hours of my day doing. It’s especially exciting when you find a player or team you recognize and remember the great year when that record was broken.
Did you know that the first men’s college basketball game was played on January 18, 1896 between the University of Iowa and the University of Chicago?
Probably not, right?
So with it, I present the first NCAA basketball record.
Did you know the score of that first college basketball game between Iowa and Chicago was 15-12?
Once again, I assume probably not. That is the second NCAA basketball record.
The first women’s college basketball game was played in the same year, two months later, on April 4, 1896. The game pitted Stanford University against California University. Amazingly, Stanford won that game in an offensive shootout, 2-1.
Keep in mind that early college basketball was played with nine players on each side, certain players could not move, and stealing was not allowed. Why? The defensive practice was considered “unladylike.”
The first NCAA college basketball tournament took place in 1939.
Look into the Past:
In 1913, the bottom of the basketball net is left open for the first time, finally allowing the basketball to drop through the hoop and not require a person available to retrieve the basketball from the net.
In 1920, the backboard and hoop is moved two feet away from the wall. Why? Players would cheat and “climb” the padded wall to score.
In 1967, dunking was defined as “illegal.” Safety hazard or not, the rule did not stick and was power jammed back into existence in 1976.
In 1986, the three-point field goal was introduced to the college basketball world. The line stood 19 feet, 9 inches away from the center of the basket. The same perimeter existed until this year, when the men’s college game moved it slightly back.
Scoring Machines
Bevo Francis, who played for the University of Rio Grande, scored 113 points in a college basketball game in 1954. That’s really amazing if you ask me.
Pistol Pete Maravich is college basketball’s all-time leading scorer. The Pistol scored 3,667 points in just three seasons at LSU. For those who struggle with math like me, that’s an average of more than 44 points a game!
Troy University brought a whole new meaning to “running up the score,” when they posted a whopping 258 points against Devry University on January 12, 1992. How many did Devry score? Only a measly, 141 points.
Tim Duncan holds the NCAA record (post 1973) for career rebounds and Bobby Hurley of Duke owns the career record for total assists. On the defensive side of the ball, Duncan’s fellow teammate and former cadet David Robinson holds the record for most blocks in a season while Mookie Blaylock of Oklahoma owns the record of most steals.