The Big Ten Conference is the United States‘ oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Iowa and Minnesota in the west to Pennsylvania in the east. The conference enjoys the prestige of both high athletic achievement and academic excellence. Ten of the eleven conference schools are considered Public Ivies (Northwestern as a private institution being the lone exception). The conference competes in the NCAA’s Division I; its football teams compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS; formerly known as Division I-A), the highest level of NCAA competition in that sport. Member schools of the Big Ten also are members of the Committee on Institutional Cooperation, a leading educational consortium. Despite the conference’s name, since Penn State joined in 1990, there have been 11 schools in the Big Ten, as signified by the hidden “11″ in the Big Ten Conference logo (each “1″ is on either side of the “T” in “Ten”).
Members
The Big Ten is the only Division I conference to have all of its member institutions affiliated with the Association of American Universities, a prestigious collection of 60 research institutions, and leads all conferences in the total amount of research expenditures.
All or most member schools participate in baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, cross country, field hockey, football, golf, gymnastics, indoor and outdoor track and field, rowing, men’s and women’s soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, women’s volleyball and wrestling.
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Institution (excludes football)
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Location
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Founded
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University of Illinois
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Urbana and Champaign, Illinois
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1867
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Indiana University
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Bloomington, Indiana
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1820
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(Athletics 1900)
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Public
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38,237
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University of Iowa
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Iowa City, Iowa
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1847
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(Athletics 1900)
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Public
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29,642
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University of Michigan
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Ann Arbor, Michigan
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1817
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Inactive
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1907-1916
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Public
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40,025
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Michigan State University
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East Lansing, Michigan
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1855
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(Athletics 1953)
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Public
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45,166
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University of Minnesota
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Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota
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1851
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Northwestern University
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Evanston, Illinois
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1851
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The Ohio State University
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Columbus, Ohio
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1870
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Pennsylvania State University
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University Park, Pennsylvania
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1855
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(Athletics 1993)
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Public
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36,815
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Purdue University
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West Lafayette, Indiana
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1869
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University of Wisconsin
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Madison, Wisconsin
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1848
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Former Member:
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Institution (excludes football)
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Location
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Founded
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|
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University of Chicago
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Chicago, Illinois
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1890
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* The University of Chicago was a co-founder of the conference and still maintains affiliation through the Committee on Institutional Cooperation.
* Lake Forest College attended the original 1895 meeting that led to the formation of the conference, but did not join it.
History
On January 11, 1895, the presidents of the University of Chicago, the University of Illinois, Lake Forest College, the University of Minnesota, Northwestern University, Purdue University and the University of Wisconsin met in Chicago to discuss the regulation and control of intercollegiate athletics. The eligibility of student-athletes was one of the main topics of discussion. The Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representatives was founded at a second meeting a year later. Lake Forest was not at the 1896 meeting that established the conference and was replaced by the University of Michigan. At the time, the organization was more commonly known as the Western Conference.
The first reference to the conference as the Big Nine was in 1899 after Iowa and Indiana had joined. The first reference to the conference as the Big Ten was in 1917 after Michigan rejoined following a nine-year absence; Ohio State had been added in 1912.
The conference was again known as the Big Nine after the University of Chicago decided to de-emphasize varsity athletics just after World War II. Chicago discontinued its football program in 1939 and withdrew from the conference in 1946. Chicago continues its relationship with the conference as a member of the Committee on Institutional Cooperation, the “academic Big Ten”. In 1950, Michigan State joined and the conference was again known as the Big Ten. The Big Ten’s membership would remain unchanged for the next 40 years.
The conference’s official name throughout this period remained the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representatives. It did not formally adopt the name Big Ten until 1987, when it was incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation. In 1990, the Big Ten universities voted to expand the conference to 11 teams, and extended an invitation to Penn State, which it accepted. When Penn State joined in 1990, it was decided that the conference would continue to be called the Big Ten, but its logo was modified to reflect the change; the number 11 is disguised in the white areas of the traditionally blue “Big Ten” lettering.
Following the addition of previously independent Penn State, efforts were made to encourage the University of Notre Dame, the last remaining traditionally independent football powerhouse, to join the league. Early in the 20th century, Notre Dame had sought official entry into the Big Ten but was never extended an invitation. However, in 1999, both Notre Dame and the Big Ten entered into private negotiations concerning a possible membership that would include Notre Dame. Although the Notre Dame faculty senate endorsed the idea with a near unanimous vote, the ND board of trustees decided against joining the conference and Notre Dame ultimately withdrew from negotiations. Though the idea has been revisited in the wake of the Atlantic Coast Conference’s expansion to 12 teams, neither Notre Dame nor the Big Ten has taken any official action in pursuit of Notre Dame’s membership. Notre Dame later joined the Big East Conference in all sports except football, men’s lacrosse, and men’s hockey.
Other possible universities that have gained favor for any possible expansion for the 12th spot in the conference include:
* Rutgers University
* Syracuse University
* University of Missouri
* University of Nebraska
* University of Pittsburgh
* West Virginia University
Due to a requirement of the Big Ten bylaws, any expansion must be within, or next to, current Big Ten territory. Due to the addition of the Big Ten Network, expansion talks have been revisited. Expansion could mean adding a conference championship football game and adding a school in or near a large TV market, greatly aiding the Big Ten Network’s marketability. It is likely academics will also play an important role in any potential 12th school being invited into the conference.
On June 21, 2006, the Big Ten announced new television broadcast agreements. This involved a 10-year extension of its contract with ABC/ESPN as well as the formation of a brand new television station, the Big Ten Network. The Big Ten Network began broadcasting on August 30, 2007, “dedicated to covering both the athletic and academic content of the Big Ten member institutions on a national level”. The Big Ten Network represents a 20-year partnership between the Big Ten and Fox. It will be majority-owned by the Big Ten Conference, with Fox holding a minority interest. The official network name and logo were announced on October 12, 2006. The conference announced previously that it is continuing its relationship with CBS and ESPN for network broadcasts in basketball.
Commissioners
The office of the commissioner of athletics was created in 1922 “to study athletic problems of the various member universities and assist in enforcing the eligibility rules which govern Big Ten athletics.”
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Name
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Years
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Notes
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Major John L. Griffith
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1922-1944
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died in office
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Kenneth L. “Tug” Wilson
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1945-1961
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retired
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Bill Reed
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1961-1971
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died in office
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Wayne Duke
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1971-1989
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retired
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James Delany
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1989-
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present
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Football
Bowl games
As of 2006, the Big Ten champion has a tie-in with the Rose Bowl, a BCS bowl. The Big Ten also has tie-ins with six non-BCS bowls. Picks are made after BCS selections; if two Big Ten teams participate in BCS bowls, the bowl with the #2 pick will select the third team from the conference:
* Capital One Bowl: Orlando, Florida (Big Ten #2 pick against SEC #2 pick)
* Outback Bowl: Tampa, Florida (Big Ten #3 pick against SEC #3/4 pick)
* Alamo Bowl: San Antonio, Texas (Big Ten #4/5 pick against Big 12 #4 pick)
* Champs Sports Bowl: Orlando, Florida (Big Ten #4/5 pick against ACC #4 pick)
The Alamo Bowl has the 4th pick in 2007 and 2008, while the Champs Sports Bowl has the 4th pick in 2009.
* Insight Bowl: Tempe, Arizona (Big Ten #6 pick against Big 12 #5 pick)
* Motor City Bowl: Detroit, Michigan (Big Ten #7 pick against MAC)
From 1946 through 1971, the Big Ten did not allow the same team to represent the conference in consecutive years in the Rose Bowl with an exception made after the 1961 season in which Minnesota played in two consecutive Rose Bowls. It was not until the 1975 season that the Big Ten allowed teams to play in bowl games other than the Rose Bowl. Due to those rules, Big Ten powers such as Michigan and Ohio State have lower numbers of all-time bowl appearances than powerhouse teams from the Big 12 Conference (formerly the Big 8 Conference and Southwest Conference) and Southeastern Conference, which always placed multiple teams in bowl games every year.
Although the pick order usually corresponds to the conference standings, the bowls are not required to make their choices strictly according to the won-lost records; many factors influence bowl selections, especially the turnout of the fans for past bowl games.
Men’s basketball
The Big Ten has participated in basketball since 1904, and has led the nation in attendance every season since 1978. It has been a national powerhouse in men’s basketball, having multiple championship winners and often sending four or more teams to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. Previous NCAA champions include Indiana with five titles, Michigan State with two, and Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ohio State with one each. Ohio State played in the first NCAA tournament national championship game in 1939, losing to Oregon. Despite this, Jimmy Hull of Ohio State was the first NCAA tournament MVP. The first three tournament MVP’s came from the Big Ten (Marv Huffman of Indiana in 1940 and John Katz of Wisconsin in 1941).
Big Ten teams have also experienced success in the postseason NIT. Since 1974 12 Big Ten teams have made it to the championship game, winning eight championships. NIT champions from the Big Ten include Michigan with two, and Indiana, Minnesota, Purdue, and Ohio State with one each.
Since 1999, the Big Ten has taken part in the ACC - Big Ten Challenge with the Atlantic Coast Conference. The ACC holds an 8-0 record against the Big Ten, and Michigan State is the only Big Ten school with a winning record in the challenge.
NCAA tournament champions, runners-up and locations
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Year
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Champion
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Champion
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Runner-up
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Runner-up
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Venue and city
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Venue and city
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1939
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Oregon
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46
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Ohio State
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33
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Patten Gymnasium
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Evanston, Illinois
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1940
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Indiana
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60
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Kansas
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42
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Municipal Auditorium
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Kansas City, Missouri
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1941
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Wisconsin
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39
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Washington State
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34
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Municipal Auditorium
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Kansas City, Missouri (2)
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1953
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Indiana (2)
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69
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Kansas
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68
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Municipal Auditorium
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Kansas City, Missouri (4)
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1956
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San Francisco (2)
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83
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Iowa
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71
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Welsh-Ryan Arena
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Evanston, Illinois (2)
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1960
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Ohio State
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75
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California
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55
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Cow Palace
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San Francisco, California
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1961†
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Cincinnati
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70
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Ohio State
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65
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Municipal Auditorium
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Kansas City, Missouri (8)
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1962
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Cincinnati (2)
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71
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Ohio State
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59
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Freedom Hall
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Louisville, Kentucky (3)
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1965
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UCLA (2)
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91
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Michigan
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80
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Memorial Coliseum
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Portland, Oregon
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1969
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UCLA (5)
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92
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Purdue
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72
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Freedom Hall
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Louisville, Kentucky (6)
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1976
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Indiana (3)
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86
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Michigan
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68
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Spectrum
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Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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1979
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Michigan State
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75
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Indiana State
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64
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Jon M. Huntsman Center
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Salt Lake City, Utah
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1981
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Indiana (4)
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63
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North Carolina
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50
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Spectrum
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Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (2)
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1987
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Indiana (5)
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74
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Syracuse
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73
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Louisiana Superdome
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New Orleans, Louisiana (2)
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1989†
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Michigan
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80
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Seton Hall
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79
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Kingdome
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Seattle, Washington (4)
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1992
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Duke (2)
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71
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Michigan
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51
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Metrodome
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Minneapolis, Minnesota
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1993
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North Carolina (3)
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77
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Michigan
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71
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Louisiana Superdome
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New Orleans, Louisiana (3)
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2000
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Michigan State (2)
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89
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Florida
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76
|
RCA Dome
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Indianapolis, Indiana (4)
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2002
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Maryland
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64
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Indiana
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52
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Georgia Dome
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Atlanta, Georgia (2)
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2005
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North Carolina (4)
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75
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Illinois
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70
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Edward Jones Dome
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St. Louis, Missouri (3)
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2007
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Florida (2)
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84
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Ohio State
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75
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Georgia Dome
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Atlanta, Georgia (3)
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Post-season NIT championships
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Year
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Champion
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Champion
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Runner-up
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Runner-up
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MVP
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Venue
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City
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1974
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Purdue
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87
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Utah
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81
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Mike Sojourner, Utah
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Madison Square Garden
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New York City
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1979
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Indiana
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53
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Purdue
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52
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Butch Carter and Ray Tolbert, Indiana
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Madison Square Garden
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New York City
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1980
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Virginia
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58
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Minnesota
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55
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Ralph Sampson, Virginia
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Madison Square Garden
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New York City
|
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1982
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Bradley
|
68
|
Purdue
|
61
|
Mitchell Anderson, Bradley
|
Madison Square Garden
|