Basketball is a top national sport in the United States, and a significant part of the sport is harnessed at the college level. College-level basketball is very important for both the player and the NBA. The college-level has to be tough enough to prepare the athletes physically and mentally before being drafted into the league or making an appearance in the NBA. In this article we shall see What Was The First College Basketball Team?
The first college basketball team in history is the YMCA International Training School, the institution is now however being called “Springfield college”. The physical education teacher was instrumental in this primary development, his name was James Naismith. He developed this sport in a bid to create a sport that will put the track athletes in great physical condition, without getting injured or impeding their chances of performing when needed.
The Participants Of The First NCAA Basketball Tournament
The NCAA organized its first-ever basketball tournament in the year 1939, it had a limited number of eight (8) college teams at the event. The tournament started in March just like the current March Madness, seems it has been here for a while. The eight participating teams were;
West Regional (San Francisco )
- Oregon web foot’s men’s basketball team.
This team was in the Pacific Coast Conference and had an impressive record of 26 wins and just 5 losses over that season. The team was coached by Howard Hobson.
- Utah State Aggies men’s basketball team.
This team played 22 games over the season in the Mountain States Conference, winning 16 of these 22 games and losing the remaining 6 games. This team was under the tutelage of Dick Romney at that time.
- Oklahoma Sooners men’s basketball team.
This team coached by Bruce Drake played just 19 games in the Big six Conference winning just above 50 percent of the games, winning 11 games, and losing 8 in the process.
- Texas Longhorns men’s basketball team.
The Texas Longhorns were coached and managed by Jack Gray, who led them to a total of 19 wins plus 4 losses over the 1938-1939 season in the Southwest Conference.
East Regional (Philadelphia )
- Villanova Wildcats men’s basketball team.
The wildcats were very dominant in their conference, winning an impressive 19 games out of 23 games and losing just 4 games. This team was coached by Alex Severance and played in the Independent Conference.
- Brown Bears men’s basketball team.
This team was coached by George E. Allen, who was both a football coach and a basketball coach. This team was also in the Independent conference and won 16 games over the season, losing 3 games in the process.
- Wake Forest Demon Deacons men’s basketball team.
This team played in the Southern Conference and was coached by Murray Greason. They managed to win 18 games and lost just 5 games of the basketball season.
- Ohio State Buckeyes men’s basketball team.
This team keenly contested within the big ten Conference, playing 20 games over the 1938-1939 season. This team won 14 of their 20 games and lost just 6 games. They were coached by Harold G. Olsen from Wisconsin.
The Most Successfully College Basketball Teams
College Basketball has been around for a while and some college teams have made names for themselves as some of the most successful teams in history with how many titles they have won over the years. A major highlight will be shown on the top 3 most successful college basketball teams :
- University of California, Los Angeles basketball team is by record the most successful college basketball team. UCLA basketball team has a record of 11 NCAA championship titles. These titles were won in the years; 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, and 1995. The UCLA Bruins men’s basketball team, won an astronomical 10 NCAA championship titles in just 12 seasons, all under the legendary coach, John Robert Wooden. John Robert Wooden was dubbed the “Wizard of Westwood” because of his special expertise in the field of coaching.
- Kentucky Wildcats, are the official basketball team of the University of Kentucky. The Kentucky Wildcats are also a team to be reckoned with when it comes to NCAA championship tournaments. They have been dominant over years, winning eight (8) NCAA championship titles in the process. The Kentucky Wildcats men’s basketball team has won the NCAA championship titles in these years; 1948, 1949, 1951, 1958, 1978, 1996, 1998, and 2012.
- North Carolina Tar Heels Men’s basketball team is the third most successful college basketball team. They have succeeded in claiming six (6) NCAA championship titles in their very old history. These six (6) titles were won in the years; 1957, 1982, 1993, 2005, 2009, and most recently 2017. The team also finished as runners-up in 6 other different editions of the NCAA championship tournaments.
The above-mentioned three teams are the top three most successful college basketball teams and the other teams that complete the top 5 most successful teams are;
- Indiana Hoosiers men’s basketball team is 4th on the list of the most successful college basketball team with 5 NCAA championship titles.
- Duke blue devils men’s basketball team also makes this list with 5 NCAA championship titles.
Conclusion
College Basketball will also be an important part of the sport basketball, so the evolution of college basketball is a remarkable history in U.S. Sports. YMCA International Training School is a national treasure for setting the tone for the uprising of various many college basketball teams. The National Basketball Association (NBA) owes a lot of thanks to this historic institution for bringing basketball into the college system.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Most successful college basketball coach?
The most successful college basketball coach is John Robert Wooden, he won ten (10) NCAA Championship titles with the UCLA Bruins men’s basketball team. The coach with the most wins in college basketball history is Mike Krzyzewski, who has 1202 wins in 47 seasons.
- College Basketball team with the most wins?
The college basketball team with the most wins is the Kansas Jayhawk men’s basketball team, the team has 2,357 wins. That is just 4 more wins than 2nd placed Kentucky wildcats.
- Where was the most recent NCAA Tournament hosted?
The most recent NCAA Tournament was hosted in New Orleans, Louisiana. At the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. It was just the final four tournaments that were hosted here, as the other preliminary matches were played on various grounds.
