Madison Square Garden: A Storied History of NCAA Basketball
Madison Square Garden, often hailed as "The World's Most Famous Arena," holds a unique and prestigious place in the history of NCAA basketball. From its early days hosting doubleheaders to its pivotal role in the rise of the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) and its more recent return as a regional site for March Madness, MSG has been a stage for legendary moments, unforgettable performances, and the making of basketball icons.
The Early Years: Establishing New York as the Mecca of College Basketball
The story begins in the 1930s when Madison Square Garden sought to fill its calendar with events beyond the New York Knicks and Rangers games. This led to the introduction of college basketball doubleheaders, a concept that would transform New York City into the epicenter of the sport.
On December 29, 1934, the arena hosted its first college basketball doubleheader, featuring a warm-up game between Westminster College and St. John's, followed by the main event: NYU vs. Notre Dame. Ned Irish, who would later become MSG's president, conceived of the NIT in 1938. The NIT quickly gained prominence. Playing in New York City provided teams with greater media exposure, both with the general public and among high school prospects in its rich recruiting territory.
The Rise of the NIT and MSG's Central Role
The National Invitation Tournament (NIT), founded in 1938, further solidified MSG's importance in college basketball. For many years, the NIT was considered highly prestigious, even rivaling the NCAA Tournament in stature. The NIT's semifinals and finals were consistently held at Madison Square Garden from its founding until 2022, underscoring the arena's central role in the tournament's identity.
In the 1940s, when the NCAA tournament was less than 10 years old, the National Invitation Tournament was the most glamorous of the post-season tournaments and generally had the better teams. Several teams played in both the NIT and NCAA tournaments in the same year, beginning with Colorado and Duquesne in 1940. Colorado won the NIT in 1940 but subsequently finished fourth in the NCAA West Region. In 1944, Utah lost its first game in the NIT but then proceeded to win not only the NCAA tournament, but also the subsequent Red Cross War Charities benefit game in which they defeated NIT champion St. John's at Madison Square Garden.
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The 1950 CCNY Dynasty: A Historic Feat
The pinnacle of MSG's early basketball history arrived in 1950 when City College of New York (CCNY) achieved an unprecedented feat: winning both the NIT and NCAA Tournament titles in the same year. This remains the only time a team has accomplished this double championship, cementing CCNY's place in basketball lore and underscoring MSG's significance as a stage for historic achievements.
A member of the 1950 City College of New York team recalled the experience: "We were the underdogs, no one knew who City College was and we went ahead and one the first two games. The third game in the quarters was against Mr. [Adolph] Rupp and Kentucky. I don’t think people in the audience remember back 65 years ago but that game got us over the hump. We knew at that point that we had our confidence and nothing was going to stop us. We won the semis then met number-one seed Bradley in the finals. A week later we were invited into the NCAA Tournament. Again, we weren’t ranked; however, we went into the NCAAs on cloud nine. We went ahead and won the first two games then met Bradley again in the Finals. Then, deja vu, we beat Bradley again and that probably was the greatest moment of my life at that time."
Scandal and Shifting Tides
The early success of college basketball at Madison Square Garden was marred by scandal. In 1951, a point-shaving scandal involving several New York City-area teams, including CCNY, cast a shadow over the sport. "After the scandal," Lou Carnesecca said, "it was never the same."
As the NCAA Tournament expanded and gained prominence, the NIT's reputation suffered. In 1973, NBC moved televised coverage of the NCAA championship to prime time, providing the NCAA Tournament with exposure the NIT could not match. To cut costs, the NIT moved its early rounds out of Madison Square Garden in 1977.
The Big East Era: A Resurgence of College Hoops in New York
Despite the decline of the NIT, college basketball continued to have moments of revival at MSG. The Big East Conference, in particular, provided a surge in popularity, with the Big East Tournament becoming a staple event at the Garden.
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In 1983, MSG hosted its first Big East Tournament, during which St. John's, led by Chris Mullin and Lou Carnesecca, took home the title. The famous 1985 Big East Tournament championship, dubbed the "Sweater Game," saw Georgetown coach John Thompson Jr. wear St John's coach Lou Carnesecca's sweater.
Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman noted, "To bring the Big East to the Big Time. That was it. And that was New York." MSG Entertainment's current EVP of Marquee Events and Operations, Joel Fisher, emphasized the strong relationship with the Big East.
A Modern Renaissance: The Return of March Madness
After a long absence, the NCAA Tournament returned to Madison Square Garden in 2014 for the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight rounds. This marked the first time in more than half a century that the arena had hosted these stages of the tournament, signaling a renewed commitment to college basketball at MSG. The UConn Huskies emerged victorious, cutting down the Garden's nets and further cementing the arena's legacy. MSG hosted again in 2018, and was slated to host in 2020 until the pandemic shut March Madness down.
The return of March Madness has been a success, with CBS raving about production value. Garden officials hope to make the East Regional a staple of the venue's future.
The NIT Today
In 2005, the National Collegiate Athletic Association purchased 10-year rights to the NIT from the MIBA for $56.5 million to settle an antitrust lawsuit. The MIBA alleged that compelling teams to accept invitations to the NCAA tournament even if they preferred to play in the NIT was an illegal use of the NCAA's powers. In addition, it argued that the NCAA's expansion of its tournament to 65 teams (68 since 2011) was designed specifically to bankrupt the NIT. Faced with the very real possibility of being found in violation of federal antitrust law for the third time in its history, the NCAA chose to settle.
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The status of the post-season National Invitation Tournament as a "consolation" fixture has led to something of a stigma in the minds of many fans. David Thompson, an All-American player from North Carolina State, called the NIT "a loser's tournament" in 1975. In succeeding years, other teams have declined to play in the NIT when they did not make the NCAA tournament.
For other teams, however, the NIT is perceived as a step up, helping programs progress from mediocrity or obscurity to prominence, and the response is more enthusiastic. The University of Connecticut also regards the NIT as the beginning of its success. The NIT is also held in generally higher regard than the newer tournaments that have debuted since 2008.
Memorable Moments and Perspectives
Many players and coaches have shared their memories of playing at Madison Square Garden. Cal Ramsey, who played at New York University, recalled, "I grew up in Harlem, NY, and throughout my childhood years I always dreamed of playing in Madison Square Garden. I went to New York University because it was a great academic institution, it had great alumni and they played their home games at Madison Square Garden. I played 12 games a year, every year here."
Oscar Robertson, who set the MSG all-time scoring record with 56 points against Seton Hall, said, "It was very interesting to me, the first time I picked up a ball there I went on the court to dribble and I threw down and the ball didn’t come back up. I realized that I would have to dribble the ball a lot harder than I would at other gymnasiums. They also had guide wires behind the basket and if a guy was playing well and someone didn’t like it, they would shake the guide wires (laughs)."
Jim Calhoun, the head coach at UConn, reminisced, "When I came here in 1988 and the school wasn’t doing particularly well in the Big East and had to catch up Syracuse and Georgetown and other programs we beat Boston College and turned around and beat Ohio State to win the NIT title. In Connecticut in 1988, it was a big deal, they had parades, it was unbelievable."
Felipe Lopez, who played at St. John's University, stated, "When I came here, I pretty much had the opportunity to go to any university in the country and knowing that St. John’s played at the Garden was one of the main reasons I decided to come to St. John’s."
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