More College Basketball News
“Boys Are Back in Town”: Fans Grow Nostalgic as NBA Legend Ray Allen and Other Stars Assemble for March Madness’ “Family Affair”
Various NBA veterans gathered to support their former college team during the March Madness Final 4, sending fans on a trip down memory lane.
“Got That March Madness Bug”: 2x NBA Champion Kawhi Leonard and Thousands More Rally Behind His Alma Mater for a “Story Book Ending”
Alumnus Kawhi Leonard joins thousand more as the San Diego State Aztecs qualify for the 2023 National Championship game for the first time in history.
“Get That Degree First My Boy”: Days After Kevin Durant’s March Madness Shoutout, Latest News on Kansas State’s “Lethal” Star Draws Mixed Reactions From Fans
Despite Kevin Durant and other NBA stars' encouraging words, the Kansas State guard's recent announcement got mixed reactions from fans.
“About Damn Time”: NCAA Coach Rodney Terry’s $15.3 Million Deal Has Kevin Durant and the NBA World Emanate Favorable Responses
NBA world joined 2x NBA Champion Kevin Durant as the latter gave his flowers to the Texas Longhorns' head coach Rodney Terry. Here's what went down.
March Madness Star Giving Up His Dream of Going Pro to ‘Support His Family’ Earns Shaquille O’Neal’s Son Shaqir’s Admiration
Shaqir O'Neal, son of Los Angeles Lakers icon Shaquille O'Neal, gave a shoutout to an NCAA star from San Diego for his exceptional efforts.
Young Michael Jordan Had a Chip on His Shoulder vs McDonald’s All American Stars and Used It to Fuel Himself, Claims Renowned Author
Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan always played with an intent to dominate, be it his opponents or even his teammates.
“So Hot I Can’t”: ‘Cutest Miami Cheerleader’ Steals the Show at NCAA’s March Madness
As March Madness gathers heat, Miami Hurricanes cheerleader shares pictures of the team on Instagram and Basketball world reacts.
Weeks After Picking ‘Bitter Rivals’ as Winners, Charles Barkley Has Made His Latest Prediction for March Madness
Charles Barkley has continued his prediction cycle for the new winners of March Madness, weeks after he picked his 'bitter rivals' as the favorites.
“Cherish That Man”: Charles Barkley Hilariously Messes Up To Make a Fool of Himself Leaving NBA Fans and Fellow Analysts in Fits of Laughter
Former Phoenix Suns superstar Charles Barkley cracks up his colleagues following a comical slip-up during a March Madness segment.
As March Madness Nears an End, Kobe Bryant’s Wife Vanessa Showers Some Love on LSU’s NCAA Women’s Basketball Team
Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant's widow Vanessa makes the day by sending a little something to the LSU women's basketball team. Here's what we know.
After Putting Up Nikola Jokic Numbers in the Second Round of March Madness, LSU Tigers Star Equals Massive Record in the Sweet Sixteen Matchup
This college star who put up numbers similar to reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic impressed fans again by equaling another big record.
Trae Young Shows His Support for One Team As March Madness Progresses Toward the End: “Knew I Made the Right Choice”
Amid the ongoing March Madness action, Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young gave a shoutout to his 'favorite' team on Twitter after witnessing a unique pre-game ritual.
About College Basketball
College Basketball (NCAA): Latest News, Rumors, Schedule, Scores & More
College basketball is the primary path to the NBA for several talented athletes. Upon completing high school, budding basketball players join a university in hopes of shaping their careers professionally.
College basketball is currently governed by a list of collegiate athletic bodies that include National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), and a few other organizations.
What does NCAA stand for?
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a non-profit organization headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. It is one of the primary organizations that govern college athletics for over 1,200 institutions across the United States and Canada.
NCAA stands as an organizer of college tournaments, which helps various students register their talent on a grand stage. Due to the overwhelming number of institutions emerging with respect to basketball and other major sports, the NCAA adopted the three-division structure in 1973.
Thus, there are Divisions I, II, and III that subdivide NCAA College Basketball teams. Moreover, the most enthralling tournament when it comes to college basketball is the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament.
NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament
The NCAA’s Division I Men’s Basketball tournament was founded in 1939 by Ohio State coach Harold Olsen. The tournament is often played during March and hence, it has been branded “March Madness,” a yearly tournament that decides the national college champion!
The single-elimination tournament features 68 of the best college basketball teams from the 32 conferences that comprise NCAA’s Division I. Winners from each conference receive an automatic bid for the tournament, while the other 36 teams are awarded “at-large berths.”
The venues are pre-determined and the competing teams are seeded and split into four regions and organized into a single-elimination bracket. The University of North Carolina has the honor of receiving the most #1 seeds in the tournament with 17 to date.
As the games commence, teams get filtered, which is then followed by “Sweet Sixteen,” “Elite Eight,” and the coveted “Final Four.”
It is a well-structured tournament, as the Final Four teams will each represent one region (East, South, Midwest, and West) to determine the national champion.
Likewise, there is a similar tournament held for women with almost the same structure: 64 teams participate and a special committee will decide the participants for each edition.
Who has the most NCAA Division I titles?
Winning the national title is a daunting task. 64 teams enter the tournament with the same goal in mind, but only one can be crowned champion towards the end. With that said, the UCLA Bruins Men’s Basketball Team has won 11 national titles to date, the most by any school.
UCLA’s most recent victory came in 1995 when the Bruins beat Arkansas Razorbacks. Furthermore, here is a list of the Top 5 teams with the most NCAA Division I championships in history:
School | Titles | Years |
UCLA | 11 | 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1995 |
| Kentucky | 8 | 1948, 1949, 1951, 1958, 1978, 1996, 1998, 2012 |
North Carolina | 6 | 1957, 1982, 1993, 2005, 2009, 2017 |
| Duke | 5 | 1991, 1992, 2001, 2010, 2015 |
Indiana | 5 | 1940, 1953, 1976, 1981, 1987 |
When does the 2020-21 men’s college basketball season start?
The initial dates for the season had to be pushed back due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There are several tournaments that are scheduled to begin in the coming weeks, tentatively. The Division I men’s basketball tournament is scheduled to begin on November 25.
The conferences that comprise the governing bodies organize various tournaments, and the schedules are dropping in with regard to the restrictions that are in place. More information can be found on the NCAA website.
The organization has released the schedule for the highly anticipated “March Madness,” that is set to take place in 2021.
ROUND | DATES |
Selection Sunday | March 14 |
| First Four | March 16-17 |
First Round | March 18-19 |
| Second Round | March 20-21 |
Sweet 16 | March 25-26 |
| Elite Eight | March 27-28 |
Final Four | April 3 |
| National Championship | April 5 |
How college basketball stands out from the NBA
A lot of the aspects remain the same when comparing college basketball and the NBA. However, minor differences set these two leagues apart, which might affect the flow when watching an NBA game versus an NCAA game.
The first difference is that NBA games are played under four quarters of 12 minutes each. But college basketball is just two halves, and each half is 20 minutes long. This reduces the game time by a small margin, but athletes have to endure a longer half.
Moreover, there is also a major difference in the shot clock. The modern shot clock in the NBA is 24 seconds, while the NCAA allows 30 seconds for men’s basketball.
The distance from the three-point line to the backboard differs in the NBA and college basketball as well. The NBA’s three-point line traditionally measures 23 feet 9 inches at the top of the circle and 22 feet in the corners. However, this is not the case when it comes to the NCAA.
Starting from the 2019/20 season, NCAA adopted FIBA’s three-point line measurements which stand at 22 feet, 1¾ inches at the top of the circle, and 21 feet 8 inches at the corners. Besides these, there is a list of rules that differ between the NBA and NCAA. Click here to learn more.
