---

1925

Connie Simmons is born in Newark, New Jersey.

1953

Harry Gallatin sets the Knicks single game franchise record with 33 rebounds in an 81-69 loss to the Fort Wayne Pistons. Gallatin, who also led all scorers with 30 points, was assisted statistically by the two teams shooting a combined 30.3% (51-of-168) from the field in the game.

1960

Wilt Chamberlain is named league MVP for the ’59-’60 NBA season, becoming the first player to earn MVP and Rookie of the Year simultaneously (only Wes Unseld has done it since). Bill Russell finishes second in voting, followed by Bob Pettit in third.

1961

Terry Cummings is born in Chicago, Illinois.

1963

Loyola-Chicago defeats Mississippi State 61-51 in an NCAA Tournament second round game in Lansing, Michigan dubbed “The Game of Change” for its impact on college basketball segregation. Due to prevailing opinions on segregation in Mississippi, the all-white Bulldogs team had to use subterfuge in order to travel to Michigan for the game. A pregame handshake between Loyola’s Jerry Harkness, who was Black, with Mississippi State’s Joe Dan Gold, who was white, became a rallying cry for college basketball de-segregation, which the state of Mississippi finally began to comply with in 1965.

1966

Abe Saperstein passes away at the age of 63. His brother, Morry, temporarily took over the Harlem Globetrotters before selling the team to a group of investors.

1975

The NCAA Tournament expands to 32 teams and includes at-large bids for non-conference winners for the first time. Seven teams make their tournament debut, including UNLV and Alabama. Defending champions NC State are not selected and turn down an invitation to participate in the NIT, ending the college career of consensus Player of the Year winner David Thompson.

1986

David Robinson finishes with 35 points, 11 rebounds, and seven blocks to lead #7 seed Navy to an NCAA Tournament second round upset of #2 seed Syracuse. Navy would eventually reach the Regional Final before getting eliminated from the tournament.

1989

On the day before the NCAA Tournament is set to begin, Michigan coach Bill Frieder is fired and replaced on an interim basis by his assistant, Steve Fisher. Frieder had just announced that he had accepted the head coaching job at Arizona State and was promptly relieved of duties by athletic director Bo Schembechler. With Fisher in charge, Michigan subsequently wins the NCAA Tournament championship.

1995

Jabari Parker is born in Chicago, Illinois.

1996

The Pacers honor coach Slick Leonard by retiring jersey #529, which is the total number of coaching wins he compiled over 12 seasons in the ABA and NBA.

1997

Chattanooga becomes just the second #15 seed to reach the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, upsetting #6 seed Illinois in a second round game in Memphis. The Mocs had previously stunned #3 seed Georgia in the first round and were subsequently defeated by Providence in the Regional Semifinals.

1998

#13 seed Valparaiso pulls off a second straight NCAA Tournament upset, taking down #12 seed Florida State 83-77 in overtime in a second round game in Oklahoma City.

For the second straight year, Kansas enters the NCAA Tournament as a #1 seed but are upset early, this time in a second round game by Rhode Island, 80-75. The Rams went on to reach the Elite Eight for the first time in program history.

2001

#15 seed Hampton pulls off one of the most stunning and memorable upsets in NCAA Tournament history, a 58-57 first round shocker over #2 seed Iowa State. The Pirates become just the fourth #15 seed to win a first round tournament game.

2011

The men’s NCAA Tournament tips off and for the first time ever, every single game is broadcast live on national television. This is the result of a massive broadcasting deal agreed to by the NCAA with CBS and Time Warner. Games are broadcast on CBS, TBS, TNT, and TruTV.

2018

#11 seed Loyola-Chicago upsets #6 seed Miami (FL) in a thrilling finish in a first round NCAA Tournament game in Boise. With Miami leading 62-61 and 9.3 seconds left, Lonnie Walker IV misses the front end of a one-and-one free throw and Loyola raced to the other end of the floor after grabbing the rebound. The ball ends up in the hands of Donte Ingram, who hits an incredible buzzer beater from nearly half court to give the Ramblers the victory. The players celebrate the victory with their unofficial mascot, 98-year-old team chaplain Sister Jean. It’s the first of four straight upsets for Loyola, en route to a surprise Final Four appearance.

2022

Kyrie Irving sets the Nets single game franchise record with 60 points in a 150-108 victory over the Magic. The record had previously been held for 10 years by Deron Williams, at 57 points.

---