Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Werner Nowitzki is a German former professional basketball player. An alumnus of Röntgen Gymnasium and the DJK Würzburg basketball club, Nowitzki was chosen as the ninth pick in the 1998 NBA draft by the Milwaukee Bucks and was traded to the Dallas Mavericks, where he had played his entire 21-year National Basketball Association career. In the NBA, he won the league Most Valuable Player award in 2007, was an NBA champion in 2011, was a 14-time All-Star. Listed at 7 ft 0 in, Nowitzki is considered one of the greatest power forwards of all time. Nowitzki has led the Mavericks to 15 NBA playoff appearances, including the franchise's first Finals appearance in 2006 and its only NBA championship in 2011. Known for his scoring ability, his versatility, his accurate outside shooting, his trademark fadeaway jump shot, Nowitzki won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award in 2007 and the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award in 2011. Nowitzki's NBA career has been filled with accomplishments, he is the only player to play for a single franchise for 21 seasons.
Nowitzki is a 14-time All-Star, a 12-time All-NBA Team member, the first European player to start in an All-Star Game, the first European player to receive the NBA Most Valuable Player Award. Nowitzki is the highest-scoring foreign-born player in NBA history, he is the first Maverick voted onto an All-NBA Team and holds several all-time Mavericks franchise records. On December 10, 2012, he became the first non-American player to receive the Naismith Legacy Award; as of March 18, 2019, Nowitzki stood sixth on the list of National Basketball Association career scoring leaders. Nowitzki's career in international play is noteworthy, he led the German national basketball team to a bronze medal in the 2002 FIBA World Championship and silver in EuroBasket 2005, was the leading scorer and MVP in both tournaments. Born in Würzburg, Dirk Werner Nowitzki comes from an athletic family: his mother Helga Nowitzki was a professional basketball player and his father Jörg-Werner was a handball player who represented Germany at the highest international level.
His older sister Silke Nowitzki, a local champion in track and field became a basketball player and now works for the NBA in International TV. Nowitzki was a tall child, he played handball and tennis, but soon grew tired of being called a "freak" for his height and turned to basketball. After joining the local DJK Würzburg, the 15-year-old attracted the attention of former German international basketball player Holger Geschwindner, who spotted his talent and offered to coach him individually two to three times per week. After getting both the approval of Nowitzki and his parents, Geschwindner put his student through an unorthodox training scheme: he emphasized shooting and passing exercises, shunned weight training and tactical drills, because he felt it was "unnecessary friction". Furthermore, Geschwindner encouraged Nowitzki to play a musical instrument and read literature to make him a more complete personality. After a year, the coach was so impressed with Nowitzki's progress that he advised him, "You must now decide whether you want to play against the best in the world or just stay a local hero in Germany.
If you choose the latter, we will stop training because nobody can prevent that anymore. But if you want to play against the best, we have to train on a daily basis." After pondering this lifetime decision for two days, Nowitzki agreed to enter the full-time training schedule, choosing the path to his eventual international career. Geschwindner let him train seven days a week with DJK Würzburg players and future German internationals Robert Garrett, Marvin Willoughby, Demond Greene, in the summer of 1994 16-year-old Nowitzki made the DJK squad; when Nowitzki joined the team, DJK played in Germany's 2nd-tier level league, the Second Bundesliga, South Division. His first trainer was Pit Stahl, who played the tall teenager as an outside-scoring forward rather than an inside-scoring center to utilise his shooting skills. In the 1994–95 Second Bundesliga season, ambitious DJK finished as a disappointing sixth of 12 teams. In the next 1995–96 Second Bundesliga season, Nowitzki established himself as a starter next to Finnish star forward Martti Kuisma and soon became a regular double-digit scorer: after German national basketball coach Dirk Bauermann saw him score 24 points in a DJK game, he stated that "Dirk Nowitzki is the greatest German basketball talent of the last 10, maybe 15 years."In the 1996–97 Second Bundesliga season, Nowitzki averaged 19.4 points per game and led DJK again to second place after the regular season, but could not help his team gain promotion.
In the following 1997–98 Second Bundesliga season, Nowitzki finished his "Abitur", but had to do compulsory military service in the Bundeswehr which lasted from September 1, 1997 to June 30, 1998. In the promotion playoffs, DJK broke its hex, finishing at first place with 14:2 points and earning promotion to the next higher league. Abroad, Nowitzki's progress was noticed. A year the teenager participated in the Nike "Hoop Heroes Tour", where he played against NBA star
Shaun Livingston
Shaun Patrick Livingston is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association. Livingston entered the league directly out of high school after he was selected in the first round of the 2004 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Clippers with the fourth overall pick. In 2007, Livingston suffered a debilitating knee injury that damaged every part of his left knee, it took him about a year and a half to return to action. Livingston played for the Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder, Washington Wizards, Charlotte Bobcats, Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Brooklyn Nets, he has spent time with the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA Development League. He is a three-time NBA champion, winning all three with Golden State in 2015, 2017, 2018. Livingston was born in Illinois, he led Concordia Lutheran Grade School to LSA state titles in 1999 and 2000. Livingston played competitive basketball in high school at Richwoods High School for two years and transferred to Peoria Central High School, where he led his team to Class AA state titles in 2003 and 2004.
He was named Illinois Mr. Basketball in 2004, he played in the 2004 McDonald's High School All-American game, was named co-MVP of the game. In 2007, Livingston was voted one of the 100 Legends of the IHSA Boys Basketball Tournament for his superior performance in his tournament appearances. Considered a five-star recruit by Rivals.com, Livingston was listed as the No. 1 point guard and the No. 2 player in the nation in 2004. He committed to play college hoops at Duke, but opted instead to make the jump to the NBA straight out of high school. Livingston signed with Duke, but opted to skip college and enter the 2004 NBA Draft, in which the Clippers selected him with the 4th overall pick. Livingston, who has a 6 ft 11 in wingspan, is tall by point guard standards at 6 ft 7 in and, due to the addition of Sam Cassell to the Clippers' roster, saw playing time at shooting guard, he was an integral part of one of the Clippers' best seasons in franchise history in the 2005–06 season. Livingston recorded a career-high 14 assists on February 2007 against the Golden State Warriors.
In his first two NBA seasons, playing in a total of 91 games, Livingston averaged 6.3 points per game. In his third season, he averaged a career high 9.3 points per game, being one of the few Clippers to improve from the 2005-06 season. His breakout year was interrupted by a knee injury. In a game against the Charlotte Bobcats on February 26, 2007, Livingston suffered a debilitating knee injury, dislocating his left kneecap after landing awkwardly following a missed layup, resulting in the left leg snapping laterally. Livingston injured every part of his knee, tearing the anterior cruciate ligament, the posterior cruciate ligament, the lateral meniscus, badly spraining his medial collateral ligament, dislocating his patella and his tibio-fibular joint. Livingston was told by a medical professional at the hospital that there was a chance that his leg would have to be amputated, he required months of rehabilitation to be able to walk again. Livingston was riddled by injuries during the first three years of his professional career, missing 101 of 246 regular season games.
Livingston's contract with the Clippers expired after the 2007-08 season, the Clippers did not make Livingston a $5.8 million qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent. On June 16, 2008, doctors allowed Livingston to resume basketball activities; the Minnesota Timberwolves and Portland Trail Blazers were interested in his services, but he signed a reported two-year deal with the Miami Heat on October 3, 2008. In 4 games with the Heat, he averaged 2.3 points in 10.3 minutes. On January 7, 2009, he was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies along with cash considerations for a conditional 2012 second-round pick, he was waived that same day. On March 7, 2009, Livingston signed with the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA D-League, owned by the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA. After three weeks with the 66ers, Livingston signed a multi-year deal with the Thunder on March 31, 2009. On December 22, 2009, Livingston was waived by the Thunder. On February 26, 2010, he signed the first of two 10-day contracts with the Washington Wizards.
He was signed by the Wizards for the remainder of the season. On July 20, 2010, Livingston signed a two-year contract worth $7 million with the Charlotte Bobcats. On June 23, 2011, he was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks as part of a three-way deal among the Sacramento Kings and Charlotte Bobcats. On June 26, 2012, Livingston was traded to the Houston Rockets for Samuel Dalembert along with teammates Jon Leuer and Jon Brockman. Before the beginning of the season, they were all waived. On November 15, 2012, Livingston signed with the Washington Wizards, he was waived by the Wizards on December 23, 2012. On December 25, 2012, the Cleveland Cavaliers claimed Livingston off waivers after releasing Donald Sloan. Livingston made his debut for the Cavaliers on January 2, 2013, recording two points, two rebounds, one assist in 13 minutes of action off the bench. On July 11, 2013, Livingston signed with the Brooklyn Nets, his season high of 23 points came in a 98-108 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on November 18, 2013.
Billed as a backup, Livingston performed well enough to join Deron Williams in the starting lineup following the season-ending injury to Brook Lopez. With Livingston on the floor, the Nets proved to be 8.5 points per 100 possessions better defensively, earning him the third most minutes on the team. On March 17, Livingston set a career high for both minutes pl
Mid-American Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year
Not to be confused with the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year. The Mid-American Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year is a basketball award given to the most outstanding men's basketball player in the Mid-American Conference; the award was first given following the 1967–68 season. Four players have won the award multiple times: Ron Harper, Gary Trent and Bonzi Wells. Trent is the only player to have been honored as player of the year three times. There have been no ties, nor has any player from the MAC won any of the national player of the year awards. Through 2018, Ohio has the most all-time winners with eleven. Miami and Toledo are tied for second with six winners. All current members of the MAC have had at least one winner. A Northern Illinois University was a member from 1973 to 1986 left for a period, they continue as a member today. B Marshall University was a member starting in 1954 before being expelled from the conference in 1969 due to NCAA violations.
The Thundering Herd rejoined in 1997, but left in 2005 for Conference USA. General"2008–09 MAC Men's Basketball Media Guide". Mid-American Conference. 2008. P. 50. Archived from the original on 16 July 2009. Retrieved 12 September 2009. Specific
Chris Paul
Christopher Emmanuel Paul is an American professional basketball player for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association. He has won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award, an NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award, two Olympic gold medals, led the NBA in assists four times and steals six times, he has been selected to nine NBA All-Star teams, eight All-NBA teams, nine NBA All-Defensive teams. Paul was a McDonald's All-American in high school, he attended Wake Forest University for two years of college basketball, where he helped the Demon Deacons achieve their first-ever number one ranking. He was selected fourth overall in the 2005 NBA draft by the New Orleans Hornets, where he developed into one of the league's premier players, finishing second in NBA Most Valuable Player Award voting in 2008. During the 2011 off-season, Paul was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, only for the transaction to be controversially voided by the NBA; that summer, he was dealt to the Los Angeles Clippers instead.
Behind Paul's playmaking, the Clippers developed a reputation for their fast-paced offense and spectacular alley-oop dunks, earning them the nickname "Lob City". In 2017, he was traded to the Houston Rockets, helped the team win a franchise-record 65 games in his debut season. Off the court, Paul has served as the National Basketball Players Association president since August 2013. One of the highest-paid athletes in the world, he holds endorsement deals with companies such as Nike and State Farm. Paul was born on May 6, 1985, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina to Charles Edward Paul and Robin Jones, he has an older brother named Charles "C. J." Paul. A former athlete himself, Charles Sr. taught his sons basketball and football and coached them in various youth leagues throughout their childhoods. Growing up, the Paul brothers spent their summers working at a service station owned by their grandfather Nathanial Jones, to whom Paul attributes many life lessons, describes as his "best friend". One of Paul's uncles is a police officer.
Paul attended West Forsyth High School in North Carolina. During his freshman and sophomore seasons, he played on the junior varsity team. For his junior year, he averaged 25 points, 5.3 assists, 4.4 steals per game, helping West Forsyth reach the state semifinals. Over the ensuing summer, he led the Winston-Salem-based Kappa Magic to the National U-17 AAU title, earning tournament MVP honors in the process. During his senior season, Paul received national attention for scoring 61 points in a game. Paul finished the season with averages of 30.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, 9.5 assists, 6 steals per game, leading West Forsyth to a 27–3 record and the Class 4A Eastern Regional finals. He was named a McDonald's All-American, first-team Parade All-American, North Carolina's Mr. Basketball by The Charlotte Observer; as a freshman at Wake Forest University, Paul averaged 14.8 points, 5.9 assists, 2.7 steals per game, setting school freshman records for three-point percentage, free throws, free throw percentage and steals in the process.
Behind his play, the Demon Deacons qualified for the NCAA Tournament, losing in the Sweet Sixteen to St. Joseph's. At the conclusion of the season, Paul was named ACC Rookie of the Year and Third Team All-ACC. For two weeks early in Paul's sophomore season, Wake Forest was ranked number one in the nation for the first time in school history. In the final game of the year, Paul punched NC State guard Julius Hodge in the groin and received a one-game suspension for the ACC Tournament, an incident that marred Paul's image for a short time; the Demon Deacons again qualified for the NCAA Tournament but suffered a second round upset at the hands of West Virginia. With final averages of 15.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 6.6 assists, 2.4 steals per game, Paul was named First Team Consensus All-America, with a 3.21 grade point average, he was named to ESPN's Academic All-America Team. On April 15, 2005, he announced he would be turning professional. On March 2, 2011, Wake Forest retired his jersey. Paul was selected fourth overall in the 2005 NBA draft by the New Orleans Hornets.
Due to the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, the Hornets played most of their games in Oklahoma City in his first two seasons with the Hornets. Paul finished the season leading all rookies in points, assists and double-doubles, became only the second rookie in NBA history to lead the league in total steals. With final averages of 16.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 7.8 assists, 2.2 steals per game, he was named NBA Rookie of the Year, falling just one vote shy of winning the award unanimously. The only other rookie to receive a first place vote was Deron Williams, with whom Paul enjoyed a brief rivalry early in their careers. At the 2007 All-Star Weekend, Paul set new Rookie Challenge records with 9 steals. For his sophomore season, he increased his scoring and passing averages to 17.3 points and 8.9 assists per game, but played in only 64 games due to injury. Paul was selected to his first NBA All-Star Game in 2007–08, playing in front of his home fans in New Orleans. Behind his leadership, the Hornets were near the top of the Western Conference standings all year, temporarily occupying first place on March 17 following a win against the Chicago Bulls.
New Orleans finished the season with the second seed in the West. Paul led the NBA with 11.6 assists and 2.7 steals per game to go along with 21.1 points per game, finishing second in NBA Most Valuable Player Award voting and being named to his first All-NBA and All-Defensive teams. In his playoff debut, he s
Central Michigan University
Central Michigan University is a public research university located in Mount Pleasant in the U. S. state of Michigan. Established in 1892, Central Michigan University is one of the largest universities in the state of Michigan and one of the nation's 100 largest public universities, it has more than 20,000 students on its Mount Pleasant campus and 7,000 students enrolled online at more than 60 locations worldwide. CMU offers 200 academic programs at the undergraduate, master's, doctoral levels, including nationally recognized programs in entrepreneurship, music, teacher education and physician assistant; the School of Engineering and Technology has ABET accredited programs in Mechanical and Computer Engineering. The university's neuroscience program was named program of the year in 2013 by the Society for Neuroscience and CMU has established a College of Medicine, which opened in fall 2013. CMU competes in the NCAA Division I Mid-American Conference in ten women's sports. Central Michigan University is governed by a Board of Trustees, whose eight members are appointed by the Governor of Michigan and confirmed by the Michigan Senate for terms of eight years.
This arrangement is provided for by the Michigan Constitution of 1963 for nearly all public universities, the three exceptions being the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Wayne State University. The Board of Trustees appoints and reviews the President of Central Michigan University interim Michael Gealt; the president administers the policies set by the board and serves ex officio on the board as a non-voting member. The Board of Trustees controls university finances, including tuition and budgets, as well as university policies, ranging from missions and goals to faculty and tenure to athletics and academics to admissions and programs, it names facilities and groups and accepts gifts from large donors, among several other duties and powers it possesses. Members of the Board of Trustees serve without compensation, but are reimbursed by the university for expenses related to their official capacity, such as travel. CMU has eight academic divisions: The College of Business Administration The College of the Arts and Media The College of Education and Human Services The Herbert H. and Grace A.
Dow College of Health Professions The College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences The College of Medicine The College of Science and Engineering The College of Graduate StudiesAcademic work on campus is supported by the renovated Charles V. Park Library which holds one million books and can seat up to 2,655 patrons at a time; the school operates the Brooks Astronomical Observatory. The Central Michigan University College of Graduate Studies provides over 70 graduate degree programs at the Master's, Specialist, or Doctoral levels. Harold Abel Endowed Lecture Series in the Study of Dictatorship and Genocide. Focuses on the impact of historical events such as the Holocaust and mass murders in Africa, Southeast Asia, Central America. Named in honor of former CMU President Harold Abel; the Fleming Lecture Series. Focuses on bringing world-class mathematicians to campus. Speakers include Fields Medal winners Terence Tao, Sir Timothy Gowers, Cédric Villani and Abel Prize winners S. R. Srinivasa Varadhan and Louis Nirenberg.
Named in honor of mathematics professor Richard Fleming. Philip A. Hart and William G. Milliken Endowed Speaker Series for Integrity in Politics. Focuses on political integrity and challenges students to approach politics in a way that embraces America's diversity of ideas and perspectives, working to supplant negativity and partisanship with creativity and innovation in shaping future public policy. Named in honor of U. S. Senator Philip Hart and Michigan Governor William Milliken. William B. Nolde Lecture Series. Focuses on intellectual discussions for future leaders both in the military and across the campus and community. Named in honor of Army Colonel William Nolde, the last official combat casualty of the Vietnam War; the school's athletics programs are affiliated with NCAA Division I. CMU was a member of the Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference from 1950–1970. All Central Michigan teams compete in the Mid-American Conference; the football program is known for producing all-stars such as Joe Staley.
Before converting over to a Division I league, the football team won its second NCAA Division II national championship in 1974 by defeating the University of Delaware 54 to 14. Notable Division 1 years include 1994, 2006, 2007, & 2009 when they won the MAC Football Championship Game. In 2009 they finished the season ranked #23 in the final AP Poll and #24 in the final Coaches Poll marking the first time that a CMU football team had ended the season ranked in the Top 25 at the NCAA Division I-FBS level. Since 2014, the football program has made a college bowl game, continues to see its players set MAC records yearly. Defeating both the University of Michigan and Michigan State University in dual meets, CMU's wrestling team won its 10th straight MAC championship and seventh straight conference tournament title in 2008; the Chippewas tied for seventh at the NCAA Championships. Four individuals earned All-America honors. Central Michigan University's women's basketball program has excelled to new levels.
In 2018, the team made saw its path formed into a sweet sixteen position of the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament. The team beat Louisiana State University & Ohio State accordingly, only to lose to Oregon respe
2003–04 NBA season
The 2003–04 NBA season was the 58th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Detroit Pistons defeating the Los Angeles Lakers 4–1 in the 2004 NBA Finals; this was the final season for the original two-division format in both the Eastern and Western Conferences, before each of the conferences added a third division the following season. As a result, this would be the final season for the NBA Midwest Division, as the Minnesota Timberwolves were that division's last champion, the only division title the franchise has won in their twenty-nine seasons in the NBA; the All-Star Game was held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The West won 136-132. For the first time in 21 years the Portland Trail Blazers did not make the playoffs, ending the second longest streak in NBA history. For the first time in 20 years the Utah Jazz did not make the playoffs, ending the third longest streak in NBA history. Prior to the start of the season, Karl Malone and Gary Payton took major paycuts to leave their teams and join Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal on the Lakers for a chance at a possible NBA title.
However, that title chase came to an end in the NBA Finals, as the Detroit Pistons won 4-1. The Minnesota Timberwolves, behind their "Big Three" of Kevin Garnett, Latrell Sprewell, Sam Cassell, amassed the best record in the Western Conference, were expected to win a first round playoff series, they advanced to the Western Conference Finals, which they lost to the Lakers. It would be their last playoff appearance until the 2017–18 season. LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, among others, formed one of the strongest drafts in NBA history. Among the touted rookies and Wade led their teams to the playoffs, Wade's play pushed the Heat into the second round. James went on to win NBA Rookie of the Year. Anthony became the first NBA rookie to lead a playoff team in scoring since David Robinson of the San Antonio Spurs during the 1989–90 season. Tracy McGrady was the first scoring leader since Bernard King in 1984–85 whose team did not make the playoffs. Notes z – Clinched home court advantage for the entire playoffs c – Clinched home court advantage for the conference playoffs y – Clinched division title x – Clinched playoff spot Teams in bold advanced to the next round.
The numbers to the left of each team indicate the team's seeding in its conference, the numbers to the right indicate the number of games the team won in that round. The division champions are marked by an asterisk. Home court advantage does not belong to the higher-seeded team, but instead the team with the better regular season record. * Division winnerBold Series winnerItalic Team with home-court advantage Most Valuable Player: Kevin Garnett, Minnesota Timberwolves Rookie of the Year: LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers Defensive Player of the Year: Ron Artest, Indiana Pacers Sixth Man of the Year: Antawn Jamison, Dallas Mavericks Most Improved Player: Zach Randolph, Portland Trail Blazers Coach of the Year: Hubie Brown, Memphis Grizzlies Executive of the Year: Jerry West, Memphis Grizzlies Sportsmanship Award: P. J. Brown, New Orleans Hornets J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award: Reggie Miller, Indiana Pacers The following players were named the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month.
The following players were named the Western Conference Rookies of the Month. The following coaches were named the Western Conference Coaches of the Month. Http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695268141,00.html
College basketball
College basketball today is governed by collegiate athletic bodies including the United States's National Collegiate Athletic Association, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, the United States Collegiate Athletic Association, the National Junior College Athletic Association, the National Christian College Athletic Association. Governing bodies in Canada include the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association; each of these various organizations are subdivided into from one to three divisions based on the number and level of scholarships that may be provided to the athletes. Each organization has different conferences to divide up the teams into groups. Teams are selected into these conferences depending on the location of the schools; these conferences are put in due to the regional play of the teams and to have a structural schedule for each to team to play for the upcoming year. During conference play the teams are ranked not only through the entire NCAA, but the conference as well in which they have tournament play leading into the NCAA tournament.
The history of basketball can be traced back to a YMCA International Training School, known today as Springfield College, located in Springfield, Massachusetts. The sport was created by a physical education teacher named James Naismith, who in the winter of 1891 was given the task of creating a game that would keep track athletes in shape and that would prevent them from getting hurt; the date of the first formal basketball game played at the Springfield YMCA Training School under Naismith's rules is given as December 21, 1891. Basketball began to be played at some college campuses by 1893; the first known college to field a basketball team against an outside opponent was Vanderbilt University, which played against the local YMCA in Nashville, Tennessee, on February 7, 1893. The second recorded instance of an organized college basketball game was Geneva College's game against the New Brighton YMCA on April 8, 1893, in Beaver Falls, which Geneva won 3–0; the first recorded game between two college teams occurred on February 9, 1895, when Hamline University faced Minnesota A&M. Minnesota A&M won the game, played under rules allowing nine players per side, 9–3.
The first intercollegiate match using the modern rule of five players per side is credited as a game between the University of Chicago and the University of Iowa, in Iowa City, Iowa, on January 18, 1896. The Chicago team won the game 15-12, under the coaching of Amos Alonzo Stagg, who had learned the game from James Naismith at the Springfield YMCA. However, some sources state the first "true" five-on-five intercollegiate match was a game in 1897 between Yale and Penn, because although the Iowa team that played Chicago in 1896 was composed of University of Iowa students, it did not represent the university, rather it was organized through a YMCA. By 1900, the game of basketball had spread to colleges across the country; the Amateur Athletic Union's annual U. S. national championship tournament featured collegiate teams playing against non-college teams. Four colleges won the AAU tournament championship: NYU, Butler and Washburn. College teams were runners-up in 1915, 1917, 1920, 1921, 1932 and 1934.
The first known tournament featuring college teams was the 1904 Summer Olympics, where basketball was a demonstration sport, a collegiate championship tournament was held. The Olympic title was won by Hiram College. In March 1908, a two-game "championship series" was organized between the University of Chicago and Penn, with games played in Philadelphia and Bartlett, Illinois. Chicago swept both games to win the series. In March 1922, the 1922 National Intercollegiate Basketball Tournament was held in Indianapolis – the first stand-alone post-season tournament for college teams; the champions of six major conferences participated: Pacific Coast Conference, Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association, Western Pennsylvania League, Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association and Indiana Intercollegiate Athletic Association. The Western Conference and Eastern Intercollegiate League declined invitations to participate. Wabash College won the 1922 tournament.
The first organization to tout a occurring national collegiate championship was the NAIA in 1937, although it was surpassed in prestige by the National Invitation Tournament, or NIT, which brought six teams to New York's Madison Square Garden in the spring of 1938. Temple defeated Colorado in the first NIT tournament championship game, 60–36. In 1939, another national tournament was implemented by the National Collegiate Athletic Association; the location of the NCAA Tournament varied from year to year, it soon used multiple locations each year, so more fans could see games without traveling to New York. Although the NIT was created earlier and was more prestigious than the NCAA for many years, it lost popularity and status to the NCAA Tournament. In 1950, following a double win by the 1949–50 CCNY Beavers men's basketball team, the NCAA ruled that no team could compete in both tournaments, indicated that a team eligible for the NCAA tournament should play in it. Not long afterward, 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.
The NCAA tournament overtook the NIT by 1960. Through the 1960s and 1970s, with UCLA leading the way as winner
