On This Day

College Basketball in History

College Basketball: ACC Men's Basketball Tournament - Big East Men's Basketball Tournament - SEC Men's Basketball Tournament

Events in Sport

  • 1894-01-27 1st college basketball game, University of Chicago beats Chicago YMCA 19-11
  • 1896-01-18 First college basketball game with 5 players on each side is conducted by the University of Iowa; invites student athletes from University of Chicago for an experimental game; Chicago beats Iowa 15-12
  • 1954-02-02 Rio Grande College basketball forward Bevo Francis scores NCAA record 113 points vs Hillsdale College
  • 1954-02-13 American college basketball player Frank Selvey scores a record 100 points for Furman beating Newberry 149-95
  • 1961-02-25 Niagara ends St Bonaventura's 99-game home college basketball win streak

Maravich 1st to 30,000

1970-02-02 Louisiana State University's Pete Maravich becomes 1st to score 3,000 college basketball points

NBA Guard Pete Maravich
  • 1970-03-04 Jacksonville is 1st college basketball team to avg 100+ pts per game

Sports History

1979-03-26 41st NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Michigan State beats Indiana State, 75-64; marks start of rivalry between future Hall of Famers Magic Johnson and Larry Bird; highest-rated game in history of televised college basketball

NBA Legend Magic Johnson
NBA Legend Larry Bird
  • 1985-01-02 Nevada Las Vegas basketball gives coach Jerry Tarkanian his 600th career victory with a 142-140 win over Utah State in triple overtime; total of 282 points breaks NCAA men's record of 275 set in 1976
  • 1990-01-11 Bob Knight becomes college basketball's Big 10 winningest coach with his 229th victory
  • 1997-10-09 North Carolina's record winning college basketball coach Dean Smith retires
  • 2004-03-02 Saint Joseph's Hawks finish their college basketball season with an 82-50 win over St. Bonaventure; Hawks undefeated with a perfect 27-0 record in A-10 East Conference
  • 2024-01-21 Tara VanDerveer (70) becomes winningest college basketball coach with 1.203rd victory as Stanford University defeats visiting Oregon State Beavers, 65-56 [1]

Birthdays in Sport

  • 1896-03-02 Clair Bee, American College Basketball and Basketball Hall of Fame coach (Long Island University undefeated 1936, 39; National Invitation Tournament 1939, 41), born in Grafton, West Virginia (d. 1983)
  • 1897-07-12 Fred Enke, American College basketball coach (University of Arizona 1925–1961, record 522–344), born in Olmsted County, Minnesota (d. 1985)
  • 1901-09-02 Adolph Rupp, American Basketball HOF coach (NCAA Div I Tournament 1948, 49, 51, 58; Uni of Kentucky; 5 × National Coach of the Year), born in Halstead, Kansas (d. 1977)
  • 1906-02-10 Cat Thompson, American college basketball player (hall of fame 1962), born in St. George, Utah (d. 1990)
  • 1917-10-04 Marv Harshman, American College/Basketball HOF coach (Pacific Lutheran, Washington State Uni, Uni of Washington; Pac-10 Coach of the Year 1982, 84), born in Eau Claire, Wisconsin (d. 2013)
  • 1925-07-29 Arnie Ferrin, American College Basketball HOF guard (NCAA C'ship, Final Four MOB 1944 Uni of Utah; NBA C'ship Minneapolis Lakers 1949, 50), born in Salt Lake City, Utah (d. 2022)
  • 1928-02-19 Garland F. Pinholster, American college basketball coach (USA: gold Pan American Games 1963; Oglethorpe University 1956-66), born in Clyattville, Georgia (d. 2020)

Paul Arizin (1928-2006)

1928-04-09 American College/Basketball HOF small forward (NBA C'ship 1956; 10 x NBA All Star; NBA scoring champion 1952, 57; Philadelphia Warriors), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Paul Arizin
  • 1929-03-19 Jim Phelan, American college basketball coach (Mount Saint Mary's University 1954–2003), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 2021)
  • 1929-06-29 Paul Webb, American college basketball coach (Randolph–Macon College 1956-75, Old Dominion University 1975-85), born in Petersburg, Virginia (d. 2023)
  • 1929-10-25 LaDell Andersen, American college basketball coach (Utah State, BYU), born in Malad City, Idaho (d. 2019)
  • 1929-12-22 Dee Rowe, American college basketball coach (UConn Huskies men's team 1969-76; 103–78 [.569]), born in Worcester, Massachusetts (d. 2021)
  • 1930-03-14 Don Haskins, American College Basketball Hall of Fame coach (Texas El Paso 1961-99; NCAA Tournament 1966), born in Enid, Oklahoma (d. 2008)
  • 1930-08-18 Gene Bartow, American College Basketball Hall of Fame coach (US National Team 1974; Valparaiso, Memphis State, Illinois, UCLA), born in Browning, Missouri (d. 2012)
  • 1930-11-04 Dick Groat, American baseball shortstop (NL MVP & NL batting champion 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates; 8 x MLB All-Star; St. Louis Cardinals) and College Basketball HOF guard (Duke Uni; Fort Wayne Pistons), born in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania (d. 2023)
  • 1932-01-10 Lou Henson, American College Basketball Hall of Fame coach (all-time leader in victories University of Illinois and New Mexico State), born in Okay, Oklahoma (d. 2020)
  • 1932-02-21 Leon Black, American college basketball coach (Texas Longhorns men's team 1967-76), born in Martins Mill, Texas (d. 2021)
  • 1932-06-18 Carl Tacy, American college basketball coach (Wake Forest University 1972-85; 222-149 record), born in Huttonsville, West Virginia (d. 2020)
  • 1932-09-04 Bevo Francis, American basketball forward (NCAA record for points scored in a game [113] 1954–2012), born in Hammondsville, Ohio (d. 2015)
  • 1933-06-24 Sam Jones, American College/Basketball HOF guard (North Carolina Central Uni; 10 × NBA C'ships; NBA All-Star 1962, 64–66, 68; Boston Celtics), born in Wilmington, North Carolina (d. 2021)
  • 1933-08-17 Boyd Grant, American college basketball coach (PCAA Coach of the Year 1978, 81, 82; Fresno State, Colorado State), born in American Falls, Idaho (d. 2020)
  • 1934-04-30 Gary Colson, American college basketball coach (Valdosta State Uni, Pepperdine Uni, Uni of New Mexico, Fresno State University), born in Logansport, Indiana (d. 2023)
  • 1934-12-29 Benny Dees, American college basketball coach (U of New Orleans; U of Wyoming; Western Carolina Uni), born in Mount Vernon, Georgia (d. 2021)
  • 1935-03-05 Billy Tubbs, American college basketball coach (Southwestern Uni, Lamar Uni, Uni of Oklahoma, Texas Christian Uni), born in St. Louis, Missouri (d. 2020)
  • 1935-09-25 Harv Schmidt, American college basketball coach (University of Illinois 1967-74), born in Kankakee, Illinois (d. 2020)

Wilt Chamberlain (1936-1999)

1936-08-21 American College / Basketball HOF center (4 x NBA MVP; 13 x All Star; NBA C'ship 1967, 72 [MVP]; Philadelphia/SF Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers, LA Lakers), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Wilt Chamberlain
  • 1937-03-02 Denny Crum, American College Basketball & Basketball Hall of Fame coach (University of Louisville 1971-2001; NCAA C'ship 1980, 86; 6 x Final Fours), born in San Fernando, California (d. 2023)
  • 1937-04-26 Bob Boozer, College/Basketball Hall of Fame forward (Olympic gold 1960), born in Omaha, Nebraska (d. 2012)
  • 1937-09-15 Tony Yates, American college basketball point guard (National C'ship 1961, 62 Cincinnati Bearcats) and head coach (Cincinnati 1983-89), born in Lawrenceburg, Indiana (d. 2020)
  • 1938-12-27 Ron Greene, American college basketball coach (Uni of New Orleans, Mississippi State, Murray State, Indiana State), born in Terre Haute, Indiana (d. 2021)
  • 1939-05-18 Neil McCarthy, American college basketball coach (Weber State Uni 1974-85, New Mexico State Uni 1985-97), born in San Francisco, California (d. 2021)
  • 1940-02-25 Billy Packer, American college basketball broadcaster (Raycom Sports, NBC, CBS), born in Wellsville, New York (d. 2023)

John Havlicek (1940-2019)

1940-04-08 American College/Basketball Hall of Fame small forward (8 x NBA C'ship Boston Celtics; 13 x NBA All Star; 4 x All-NBA First Team), born in Martin's Ferry, Ohio

John Havlicek
  • 1940-05-07 Jerry Harkness, American College Basketball HOF point guard (Loyola [Illinois]; New York Knicks, Indiana Pacers), born in Harlem, New York (d. 2021)
  • 1940-10-25 Bob Knight, American College-Basketball HOF coach (Indiana University, 1971-2000 - NCAA Division I C'ship 1976, 81, 87; Olympic gold 1984; Army; Texas Tech), born in Massillon, Ohio (d. 2023)
  • 1940-11-21 Terry Dischinger, American College Basketball HOF guard (Purdue; 3 x NBA All-Star; NBA Rookie of the Year 1963 Baltimore Bullets; Detroit Pistons; Olympic gold 1960), born in Terre Haute, Indiana (d. 2023)
  • 1940-11-23 Gene Visscher, American college basketball coach (Weber State University 1971-74; Northern Arizona University 1981-83), born in Muskegon, Michigan (d. 2022)
  • 1942-04-02 Terry Holland, American college basketball coach (Davidson, Virginia) and athletics administrator (Davidson, Virginia, East Carolina), born in Clinton, North Carolina (d. 2023)
  • 1942-05-10 Jim Calhoun, American College Basketball & Basketball Hall of Fame coach (Men's NCAA National C'ship 1999, 2004, 11; UConn; University of Saint Joseph), born in Braintree, Massachusetts
  • 1943-07-12 Paul Silas, American College Basketball HOF forward (NBA C'ship 1974, 76 Boston Celtics, 1979 Seattle SuperSonics; 2 x NBA All-Star) and coach (Charlotte/NO Hornets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Charlotte Bobcats), born in Prescott, Arkansas (d. 2022)

Walt Frazier (79 years old)

1945-03-29 College / Basketball HOF guard (Southern Illinois Uni; NBA C'ship 1970, 73 NY Knicks; 7×NBA All-Star; NBA All-Star Game MVP 1975; 4×All-NBA First Team), born in Atlanta, Georgia

Walt Frazier
  • 1945-05-03 Joanne Bracker, American college basketball coach (Midland University 1970-2012; Women's Basketball HOF), born in Mondamin, Iowa (d. 2023)
  • 1948-02-17 Rick Majerus, American college basketball coach (5 × WAC Coach of the Year; Uni of Utah), born in Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin (d. 2012)
  • 1951-02-16 Larry Finch, American college basketball coach (University of Memphis 1986-97), born in Memphis, Tennessee (d. 2011)
  • 1952-03-27 Jim Bolla Jr., American college basketball coach (UNLV Women 1982-96; Uni of Hawaii 2004-09), born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (d. 2022)
  • 1953-03-31 Rene Portland, American college basketball coach (Penn State 1980-2007), born in Broomall, Pennsylvania (d. 2018)

Robert Parish (70 years old)

1953-08-30 American College/Basketball HOF center (9 x NBA All-Star; NBA C'ship 1981, 84, 86 Boston Celtics; 97 Chicago Bulls), born in Shreveport, Louisiana

Robert Parish
  • 1954-08-20 Quinn Buckner, American College Basketball Hall of Fame point guard (Indiana Uni; Olympic gold 1976; Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics, Indiana Pacers) and coach (Dallas Mavericks), born in Phoenix, Illinois
  • 1956-08-11 June Daugherty, American women's college basketball coach (Boise State Uni, Uni of Washington, Washington State University), born in Columbus, Ohio (d. 2021)
  • 1957-05-28 Ben Howland, American college basketball coach, born in Lebanon, Oregon
  • 1958-05-07 Louis Orr, American college basketball coach (Bowling Green State University 2007–14, Seton Hall 2001-06), born in Cincinnati, Ohio (d. 2022)
  • 1960-07-07 Ralph Sampson, American College/Basketball HOF center (NBA All-Star 1984–87; Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets), born in Harrisonburg, Virginia
  • 1965-10-19 Brad Daugherty, American basketball center (5 x NBA All-Star; Cleveland Cavaliers), NASCAR team owner (JTG Daugherty Racing, winner Daytona 500 2023) and broadcaster (ESPN, NBC, CBS), born in Black Mountain, North Carolina
  • 1977-05-09 Maggie Dixon, American college basketball coach (d. 2006)
  • 1985-05-07 Drew Neitzel, American college basketball player, born in Grand Rapids, Michigan
  • 1988-11-18 Jeffrey Jordan, American college basketball player; son of Michael Jordan

Caitlin Clark (22 years old)

2002-01-22 American college basketball player, born in Des Moines, Iowa, United States

Caitlin Clark

Deaths in Sport

  • 1983-05-20 Clair Bee, American College Basketball and Basketball Hall of Fame coach (Long Island University undefeated 1936, 39; National Invitation Tournament 1939, 41), dies at 87
  • 1985-11-02 Fred Enke, American College basketball coach (University of Arizona 1925–1961, record 522–344), dies at 88
  • 1990-10-07 Cat Thompson, American college basketball player (hall of fame 1962), dies at 84

Wilt Chamberlain (1936-1999)

1999-10-12 American College / Basketball HOF center (4 x NBA MVP; 13 x All Star; NBA C'ship 1967, 72 [MVP]; Philadelphia/SF Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers, LA Lakers), dies of heart failure at 63

Wilt Chamberlain
  • 2006-04-06 Maggie Dixon, American college basketball coach (b. 1977)

Paul Arizin (1928-2006)

2006-12-12 American College/Basketball HOF small forward (NBA C'ship 1956; 10 x NBA All Star; NBA scoring champion 1952, 57; Philadelphia Warriors), dies in his sleep at 78

Paul Arizin
  • 2008-03-31 Bill Keightley, American college basketball equipment manager known as "Mr. Wildcat" (University of Kentucky, 1962-2008), dies at 81
  • 2008-09-07 Don Haskins, American College Basketball Hall of Fame coach (Texas El Paso 1961-99; NCAA Tournament 1966), dies at 78
  • 2011-04-02 Larry Finch, American college basketball coach (University of Memphis 1986-97), dies at 60
  • 2012-01-03 Gene Bartow, American College Basketball Hall of Fame coach (US National Team 1974; Valparaiso, Memphis State, Illinois, UCLA), dies of stomach cancer at 81
  • 2012-05-19 Bob Boozer, College/Basketball Hall of Fame forward (Olympic gold 1960), dies of a brain aneurysm at 75
  • 2012-12-01 Rick Majerus, American college basketball coach (5 × WAC Coach of the Year; Uni of Utah), dies of heart failure at 64
  • 2013-04-12 Marv Harshman, American College/Basketball HOF coach (Pacific Lutheran, Washington State Uni, Uni of Washington; Pac-10 Coach of the Year 1982, 84), dies at 95
  • 2015-06-03 Bevo Francis, American basketball forward (NCAA record for points scored in a game [113] 1954–2012), dies at 82
  • 2018-05-03 Bob Prewitt, American college basketball coach (SMU Mustangs), dies at 93
  • 2018-05-04 Larry Hunter, American college basketball coach (Wittenberg Tigers, Ohio Bobcats, Western Carolina Catamounts), dies at 68
  • 2018-07-22 Rene Portland, American college basketball coach (Penn State 1980-2007), dies of cancer at 65

John Havlicek (1940-2019)

2019-04-25 American College/Basketball Hall of Fame small forward (8 x NBA C'ship Boston Celtics; 13 x NBA All Star; 4 x All-NBA First Team), dies of Parkinson's disease at 79

John Havlicek
  • 2019-12-29 LaDell Andersen, American college basketball coach (Utah State, BYU), dies at 90
  • 2020-04-02 Carl Tacy, American college basketball coach (Wake Forest University 1972-85; 222-149 record), dies at 87
  • 2020-04-07 Harv Schmidt, American college basketball coach (University of Illinois 1967-74), dies at 83
  • 2020-05-16 Tony Yates, American college basketball point guard (National C'ship 1961, 62 Cincinnati Bearcats) and head coach (Cincinnati 1983-89), dies at 82
  • 2020-07-25 Lou Henson, American College Basketball Hall of Fame coach (all-time leader in victories University of Illinois and New Mexico State), dies of lymphoma at 88
  • 2020-08-17 Boyd Grant, American college basketball coach (PCAA Coach of the Year 1978, 81, 82; Fresno State, Colorado State), dies from a stroke at 87
  • 2020-09-20 Garland F. Pinholster, American college basketball coach (USA: gold Pan American Games 1963; Oglethorpe University 1956-66), dies at 92
  • 2020-11-01 Billy Tubbs, American college basketball coach (Southwestern Uni, Lamar Uni, Uni of Oklahoma, Texas Christian Uni), dies from leukemia at 85
  • 2021-01-10 Dee Rowe, American college basketball coach (UConn Huskies men's team 1969-76; 103–78 [.569]), dies at 91
  • 2021-03-23 Benny Dees, American college basketball coach (U of New Orleans; U of Wyoming; Western Carolina Uni), dies at 86
  • 2021-03-31 Ron Greene, American college basketball coach (Uni of New Orleans, Mississippi State, Murray State, Indiana State), dies at 82
  • 2021-06-15 Jim Phelan, American college basketball coach (Mount Saint Mary's University 1954–2003), dies at 92
  • 2021-07-04 Eddie Payne, American college basketball coach (USC Upstate, Oregon State Uni, Greensboro College), dies from a stroke at 69
  • 2021-08-02 June Daugherty, American women's college basketball coach (Boise State Uni, Uni of Washington, Washington State University), dies from heart issues at 64
  • 2021-08-24 Jerry Harkness, American College Basketball HOF point guard (Loyola [Illinois]; New York Knicks, Indiana Pacers), dies at 81
  • 2021-09-18 Neil McCarthy, American college basketball coach (Weber State Uni 1974-85, New Mexico State Uni 1985-97), dies at 82
  • 2021-10-12 Leon Black, American college basketball coach (Texas Longhorns men's team 1967-76), dies at 89
  • 2021-12-30 Sam Jones, American College/Basketball HOF guard (North Carolina Central Uni; 10 × NBA C'ships; NBA All-Star 1962, 64–66, 68; Boston Celtics), dies at 88
  • 2022-03-26 Joe Williams, American men's college basketball coach (Jacksonville Uni 1964-70; Furman Uni 1970-78; Florida State Uni 1978-86), dies at 88
  • 2022-08-06 Gene Visscher, American college basketball coach (Weber State University 1971-74; Northern Arizona University 1981-83), dies at 81
  • 2022-10-21 Jim Bolla Jr., American college basketball coach (UNLV Women 1982-96; Uni of Hawaii 2004-09), dies of cancer at 70
  • 2022-12-10 Paul Silas, American College Basketball HOF forward (NBA C'ship 1974, 76 Boston Celtics, 1979 Seattle SuperSonics; 2 x NBA All-Star) and coach (Charlotte/NO Hornets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Charlotte Bobcats), dies from a heart attack at 79
  • 2022-12-15 Louis Orr, American college basketball coach (Bowling Green State University 2007–14, Seton Hall 2001-06), dies from cancer at 64
  • 2022-12-27 Arnie Ferrin, American College Basketball HOF guard (NCAA C'ship, Final Four MOB 1944 Uni of Utah; NBA C'ship Minneapolis Lakers 1949, 50), dies at 97
  • 2023-01-26 Billy Packer, American college basketball broadcaster (Raycom Sports, NBC, CBS), dies of kidney failure at 82
  • 2023-02-01 Joanne Bracker, American college basketball coach (Midland University 1970-2012; Women's Basketball HOF), dies at 77
  • 2023-02-26 Terry Holland, American college basketball coach (Davidson, Virginia) and athletics administrator (Davidson, Virginia, East Carolina), dies at 80
  • 2023-04-27 Dick Groat, American baseball shortstop (NL MVP & NL batting champion 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates; 8 x MLB All-Star; St. Louis Cardinals) and College Basketball HOF guard (Duke Uni; Fort Wayne Pistons), dies at 92
  • 2023-05-09 Denny Crum, American College Basketball & Basketball Hall of Fame coach (University of Louisville 1971-2001; NCAA C'ship 1980, 86; 6 x Final Fours), dies at 86
  • 2023-10-10 Terry Dischinger, American College Basketball HOF guard (Purdue; 3 x NBA All-Star; NBA Rookie of the Year 1963 Baltimore Bullets; Detroit Pistons; Olympic gold 1960), dies at 82
  • 2023-11-01 Bob Knight, American College Basketball HOF coach (Indiana University, 1971-2000 - NCAA Division I C'ship 1976, 81, 87; Olympic gold 1984; Army; Texas Tech), dies at 83
  • 2023-11-03 Gary Colson, American college basketball coach (Valdosta State Uni, Pepperdine Uni, Uni of New Mexico, Fresno State University), dies at 89
  • 2023-12-08 Paul Webb, American college basketball coach (Randolph–Macon College 1956-75, Old Dominion University 1975-85), dies at 94

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