Interesting Facts About the NCAA You May Not Know
Mar 21, 2014 12:46:00 PM
It's mid-March and sports fanatics across the country are beginning to formulate, speculate, and anticipate the outcome of this year's "Big Dance." College powerhouses and Cinderella hopefuls will tip-off several different tournaments across the country in hopes of advancing to the final game in Arlington, Texas early next month. Sixty-four teams will emerge as victors from their respective conferences and hit the hard wood hoping to claim the ultimate title as the 2014 NCAA Basketball Champion.
This year marks the 75th anniversary of a tournament steeped in tradition and rich in talent. If you're a loyal basketball follower, you may be familiar with the eligible teams, the basic rules, and even the analytics of picking your tournament bracket. But, we've compiled a list of interesting fun facts you may not know about the NCAA tournaments. Hopefully, this list will inform you and get you pumped for the start of March Madness (even though the final game will be played on April 7 this year).
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Oregon won the first NCAA tournament in 1939 and they have not been to the Final Four since.
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UCLA has won the most NCAA Men's Basketball Tournaments: 11.
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Number one seeds have won five of the past six championships and 10 of the past 14.
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Bob Knight, Dean Smith, and Joe B. Hall are the only individuals who have won an NCAA championship as both a player and a head coach. Knight won as a player at Ohio State in 1960 and as the coach of Indiana in 1976, 1981, and 1987. Smith won as a player at Kansas in 1952 and as the coach of the North Carolina Tarheels in 1982 and 1993. Hall won as a player at Kentucky in 1949 and as the coach in 1978.
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Jim Calhoun became the oldest coach to ever win a national championship in 2011 at the age of 68 His UConn Huskies defeated the Butler Bulldogs 53-41. In 1940, Emmett B. "Branch" McCracken was the youngest coach, at age 31, to ever win a national championship. His Indiana Hoosiers beat the Kansas Jayhawks 60-42.
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In 1968, dunking was outlawed in the championship game, but reinstated in 1977.
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Total ad spending for NCAA tournament time reached $1,005,000,000 in 2012.
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The average cost of a 30-second commercial during tournament time in that same year, 2012, was $1.34 million.
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The odds of picking a perfect bracket are 9 quintillion to one
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Up until 1986, NCAA victors were repetitively shown snipping the nets from the winning arena. After that year, teams were also given the actual hardwood court on which the championship game was won. Many schools have reused it, sold the pieces or kept it as a memory.
Let the "Madness" begin!
Topics: Basketball equipment, NCAA tournament, NCAA facts from toadvine
Meeting Your “Goals”: Discovering the Specifics of Glass Basketball Backboards
Jan 18, 2013 2:01:00 PM
Selecting the right basketball goal can be a slam-dunk if you know what you are looking for before you start shopping. It's also helpful to know what options are available when putting together a complete package for your basketball facility.
The most widely used basketball goal in the industry for indoor basketball is the center strut rectangular glass backboard. This type of a goal is mounted to the ceiling in the center of the goal with a 3 or 4-point support attachment. Ceilings with heights from 25-60 feet can be accommodated with this goal. Since its inception in the 1950s, the center strut backboard has been improved upon and made more strong and durable over the years. It is constructed with a tubular steel brace and one-half inch tempered glass. The steel mounted plate on the support attachment creates incredible backboard strength and prevents backboard damage. This goal is made for all types of sporting audiences including, elementary, high school, college, church and recreational players. Generally, this 72x42 inch goal weighs approximately 240 pounds.
To add to the aesthetically pleasing look of the center strut backboard, the addition of LED lights can magnify the experience of your sporting event. LED lights are neatly contained and mounted inside the backboard perimeter. The lights are designed cleanly so that they do not block the view from behind the goal or interfere with play.
These lights are used in conjunction with a light synchronizer that connects the LED lights to the facility shot clock, main scoreboard and power supplies. Lights turn off and on with a signal sent from the scoreboard or shot clock to indicate when each period of playing time ends. They also illuminate when the game clock display is zero or when the end of game horn or the shot clock horn sounds. These timing system enhancers are also helpful to officials who can more easily determine validity of last minute shots at the buzzer.
Having a state-of-the-art basketball goal can certainly enhance the overall experience of your school fans, as they can be more visually involved in the specific timing of the game. If you want to know whether these basketball backboard items will meet your school’s needs contact Toadvine, your sporting equipment provider for Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee, and Ohio.
Topics: Kentucky athletic equipment, Porter and Gill, Porter Athletics, Basketball equipment
It's March and That Means March Madness Baby
Mar 6, 2012 1:29:00 PM
It’s March. The sun is shining…well most of the time, and high school and college basketball is kicking into full gear.
Kentucky high school basketball is finishing up regionals and getting ready for the State Tournament. You can follow along with your favorite boys’ teams here and girls’ teams here.
The Cats are ranked # 1 and cruising toward a number 1 NCAA seed. They wrapped up the SEC regular season title and now focus their efforts on winning two titles in New Orleans. The SEC Tournament title and the Big Dance. There is a very good chance the Cats will be playing first round games in the YUM Center. Did we mention that Toadvine Enterprises had the honor of providing much of the athletic equipment used at the Yum Center?
The Cards are ranked in the top 20 and have stayed right in the middle of the pack in the Big East. Aside from a recent loss to a gritty South Florida squad, the Cards have played some very steady ball. They could be a very dangerous team come the NCAA tourney.
The Murray State Racers are hanging just outside the top 10 with one lone loss. They were a tough draw last year, and they could surpass that run this year.
Across the river, (now that we can cross it again) the Indiana Hoosiers are making a strong late season bid with a recent win over Big Ten leader Michigan State. They have some great wins on the resume (we don’t have to remind you of one the biggest one). With a strong Big Ten tourney, they could end up with a nice seed come tournament Sunday. You can follow Big Ten Tournament results here.
So let’s start some trash talking.
- Who’s cutting down the nets in April?
- How will UK, UofL, Murray State, and Indiana finish in their conference tournaments? How will they fare in the NCAA?
- Who will win the Kentucky High School Boys Basketball Championship?
- Indiana? Tennessee? Ohio?
It’s not March without basketball opinions. Hit us on Facebook, leave a comment below on this blog post, or reply to us on Twitter.
P.S. If you find any time to work in March, we’re still working and we’d love to quote you some athletic equipment, meet you about a custom seating project, or just answer some of your general questions about what we do.
Topics: Kentucky Wildcats, UofL Cardinals, Big Ten, SEC Tournament, Toadvine Enterprises, Kentucky athletics, Tennessee athletics, Indiana athletics provider, Basketball equipment, March Madness
Save 15% on your next purchase when you request a quote
Dec 22, 2011 10:32:00 AM
If you have a project in the works or are thinking about beginning a project or purchasing new equipment next year, you can save 15% off your next purchase by acting now. Simply enter the promo code “Merry Christmas” when you fill out our request a quote form on our website.
This offer is valid now through December 31 at 12 pm EST and this promotion excludes bids. Request a quote today!
Topics: Toadvine Enterprises 24 hour response, Special promotion, request a quote, Toadvine Enterprises, Kentucky athletic equipment, Athletic Equipment, Tennessee athletics, Basketball equipment, Indiana athletics
Happy Thanksgiving from the Team at Toadvine
Nov 23, 2011 2:52:00 PM
Thanksgiving is a busy time in our markets. High school, middle school, and college athletics couldn’t be at a busier time. The two largest sports are overlapping for a bit as they do every year. So when it comes to athletic equipment, scoreboards, and athletic seating, things are hopping. For the other markets we serve like auditorium or church seating, it can be a busy time as well. With things moving indoors, churches and theaters are preparing for busy times.
With all this increased activity, we think it’s a perfect time to step back and celebrate Thanksgiving.
It’s time to watch rivalry week in football, or to watch your favorite college basketball teams kick off the year. It’s time to watch pro football move toward playoff time. It’s time to support your high school basketball teams, or continue spurring on your football team if they made the playoffs. It’s a time to enjoy a large meal with family and friends. It’s a time to relax and rest. It’s a time to get a jump on Christmas shopping or to even put up the tree.
During all this time, take a moment or two and reflect on all you have to be thankful for. Let’s call it a grateful list. We’ll start by saying we’re thankful for you, our community that chooses us for all your athletic equipment, scoreboards, and seating needs.
From all of us at Toadvine Entreprises, Happy Thanksgiving!
Topics: Happy Thanksgiving, Toadvine Enterprises, Athletic Equipment, Football season, Basketball equipment, basketball season
Should I replace my basketball equipment?
Sep 15, 2011 11:44:00 AM
Basketball season is just around the corner, so now is the time to make improvements to your old basketball system. As you know, there are several considerations to make when deciding whether or not to invest in new basketball equipment. We've outlined a few of them for you below:- Is your basketball rim loose? If it no longer has the flex your players want, one option you might want to consider is trying Porters new Torq Flex 180. This basketball rim flexes around a 180 degree arc at the front of the rim, at the side, and everywhere in-between. This goals is a perfect solution for most schools' main court competition. The Torq-Flex 180 Goal is the proper rim and provides the necessary elasticity and ball rebound characteristics to keep your game play fair. Also, each goal includes Porters Anti-Whip net.
- Do you have a height adjuster system that is hard to handle? If yours has too much wiggle in it, one option we provide is electric and manual height adjusters, which give your goals the strength and durability for all levels of play.
- Are the pads around your backboard falling off or missing? If so, they need to be replaced. Porter offers revolutionary bolt-on padding that keeps your players safe. It also comes in an assortment of colors to match your school.
If your system needs replacing, we encourage you to give us a call at 502.241.6010. You can even request a quote through our online form.
Topics: basketball scoreboards, Toadvine Enterprises, Porter Athletics, Basketball equipment, basketball season
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