The 2020-21 DI men’s basketball season was unlike any other. Still, games were played and milestones were met.

NCAA.com tracked notable milestones that were achieved during the season. They were set by players, coaches and programs alike. 

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April 5, 2021 — Baylor wins its first national championship

The Bears rolled No. 1 Gonzaga, 86-70, in the title game on April 5. In doing so, No. 1 Baylor became the 37th different program to win the DI men’s basketball national championship.

No. 1 seed Gonzaga rolled No. 6 seed USC in the Elite Eight, 85-66, to win its 30th game of the season. It’s an NCAA record the fifth consecutive 30-win season for the Bulldogs. 

March 20, 2021 — Abilene Christian wins first NCAA tournament game in program history

No. 14 seed Abilene Christian held off No. 3 Texas, 53-52, on March 20 to win the school’s first-ever NCAA tournament game. The Wildcats were 0-1 in the Big Dance before the victory.

 

March 19, 2021 — Bob Huggins wins game No. 900

Coach Bog Huggins won the 900th game of his career when No. 3 seed West Virginia rolled No. 14 seed Morehead State, 84-67, on March 19. His previous stops as head coach include Kansas State, Cincinnati, Akron and Walsh. Huggins is just the sixth DI head coach to reach 900 victories. 

 

March 19, 2021 — North Texas wins first NCAA tournament game in school history

No. 13 seed North Texas outlasted No. 4 Purdue, 78-69, in overtime on March 19 to win the program’s first-ever NCAA tournament game. The Mean Green were 0-3 all time in the Big Dance prior to the victory. 

 

March 13, 2021 — Grand Canyon clinches its first NCAA tournament berth

The Lopes defeated New Mexico State 74-56 on March 13 to win the 2021 WAC tournament. In doing so, Grand Canyon clinched the conference’s automatic berth in the NCAA tournament. This will be its first-ever appearance in the Big Dance. 

 

March 13, 2021 — Hartford clinches its first NCAA tournament berth

The Hawks defeated UMass Lowell 64-50 on March 13 to win the 2021 America East tournament. With the victory comes the conference’s automatic berth in the NCAA tournament. This will be Hartford’s first-ever appearance in the Big Dance. 

 

March 2, 2021 — Baylor wins its first regular season conference championship since 1950

The third-ranked Bears clinched their first regular season conference championship in 71 years by defeating No. 6 West Virginia, 94-89, in overtime on March 2. Baylor’s last regular season title came in 1950, when it was part of the Southwest Conference.

 

Feb. 27, 2021 — Roy Williams wins his 900th game as a head coach

North Carolina head coach Roy Williams won the 900th game of his career on Feb. 27, as his Tar Heels defeated No. 11 Florida State, 78-70. Before arriving at Chapel Hill, N.C., in 2003, Williams was the head coach at Kansas from 1988-2003. He’s won three national championships with the Tar Heels.

 

Feb. 21, 2021 — Luka Garza becomes Iowa’s all-time leading scorer

Luka Garza became Iowa’s all-time leading scorer during the Hawkeye’s 74-68 win over Penn State on Feb. 21. The center surpassed Roy Marble’s 2,116 points with an uncontested layup.

 

Feb. 6, 2021 — Ayo Dosunmu records third triple-double in Illinois history

Illini guard Ayo Dosunmu posted the third triple-double in program history during No. 12 Illinois’ 75-60 win over No. 19 Wisconsin on Feb. 6. Dosunmu finished with 21 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists. 

 

Feb. 3, 2021 — East Carolina stuns No. 5 Houston for first-ever win over a top-5 team

The Pirates shocked the fifth-ranked Cougars 82-73 on Feb. 3. It was the program’s first-ever win over an AP top-5 team, according to ESPN. East Carolina entered the game 0-17 all-time against teams ranked within the top 5. 

 

Jan. 23, 2021 — Auburn sets program record for most points in an SEC road game

The Tigers’ 109-86 win over South Carolina on Jan. 23 set a program record for points scored in an SEC road game. Auburn has competed in the SEC since the conference was founded in 1932.

 

Jan 16, 2021 — John Petty Jr. becomes Alabama’s all-time leader in made 3-pointers

John Petty Jr. became Alabama’s all-time leader in 3-point field goals during the Crimson Tide’s 90-59 win over Arkansas on Jan. 16. Petty’s fourth triple of the game (the 264th of his career) surpassed Brian Williams for the most in program history. 

 

Jan. 12, 2021 — Michigan wins third-straight game over ranked opponent by 19+ points

Después hammering No. 9 Wisconsin 77-54 on Jan. 12, the seventh-ranked Wolverines have now won three-straight games against ranked opponents by at least 19 points. They’re the first team in history to do so, according to ESPN. Michigan beat then-No. 19 Northwestern 85-66 on Jan. 3 and then-No. 16 Minnesota 82-57 on Jan. 6.

 

Jan. 11, 2021 — Boise State’s winning streak reaches 11

Boise State won its 11th-straight game on Jan. 11, handling Wyoming 83-60. The 11-game tear is the longest winning streak in program history. After opening the season with a loss, the Broncos are now 11-1.

 

Dec. 30, 2020 — Mack Smith makes a 3-pointer for the 89th-straight game

Mack Smith’s triple at the 11:52 mark of the first half put the Eastern Illinois guard into the record books. He’s now made a 3-pointer in 89 consecutive games, the longest such streak in DI history. Smith finished with eight points on 3-for-8 shooting as the Panthers lost to Eastern Kentucky 69-61.

 

Dec. 29, 2020 — West Virginia reaches win No. 1,800

The Mountaineers became the 22nd program in DI history to win 1,800 games after its 73-51 victory over Northeastern on Dec. 29. West Virginia is the second team to have reached that milestone this season, as Villanova did so back on Nov. 25.

 

Dec. 26, 2020 — No. 1 Gonzaga beats four top-20 teams in its first seven games

Después handling No. 16 Virginia 98-75, the Bulldogs have now defeated four AP top-20 teams in their first seven games. They’re the first school to ever accomplish such a feat, according to ESPN. Those other three wins came against then-No. 6 Kansas, then-No. 11 West Virginia and then-No. 3 Iowa. 

 

Dec. 25, 2020 — Badgers set program record for most points in a road win over a ranked team

Another week, another scoring milestone for Wisconsin. The ninth-ranked Badgers defeated No. 12 Michigan State 85-76 on Dec. 25. Those 85 points were the most in a road victory against a ranked team in program history, according to ESPN.

 

Dec. 19, 2020 — Wisconsin records its largest margin of victory against a ranked opponent

No. 12 Wisconsin steamrolled No. 23 Louisville 85-48 on Dec. 19. The Badgers’ 37-point win was their largest margin of victory against an AP Top-25 team in program history. 

 

Dec. 17, 2020 — Kansas wins its 30th-straight conference opener

Kansas opened league play the same way it had in the previous 29 seasons: with a victory. The Jayhawks’ 58-57 triumph over Texas Tech on Dec. 17 was their 30th conference-opening win in as many years. According to Elias Sports Bureau and ESPN, that’s the longest such streak for a DI program in the last 50 seasons. 

 

Dec. 16, 2020 — Jay Wright wins his 600th game 

Villanova head coach Jay Wright won the 600th game of his career on Dec. 16 when the Wildcats defeated Butler 85-66. Prior to Villanova, he was Hofstra’s head coach from 1994-2001. The 58-year-old has won two national championships with the Wildcats.

 

Dec. 8, 2020 — Penn State earns win No. 1,500

The Nittany Lions won their 1,500th game in program history on Dec. 8, upsetting No. 15 Virginia Tech 75-55. Those 1,500 wins date back to the 1896-97 season, when Penn State began playing college basketball. 

 

Dec. 6, 2020 — Ohio’s 40-0 run against Cleveland State

Ohio went on a 40-0 scoring run during its 101-46 victory over Cleveland State on Dec. 6. That’s the longest run for a DI team against a DI opponent in NCAA history. 

 

Dec. 2, 2020 — Illinois State sets single-game record for assists, field-goal percentage

The Redbirds finished with 57 assists and shot 84.3 percent (70-of-83) from the floor in their 177-108 victory over Greenville on Dec. 2. Both are DI records. Illinois State and Greenville also combined for the fourth-highest scoring total ever in a DI game with 285 points.  

 

Nov. 30, 2020 — Kansas is ranked in the AP Top 25 poll for the 222nd-straight week

Kansas set a record on Nov. 30 for consecutive weeks ranked in the AP poll. The Jayhawks have now appeared in the Top 25 for 222 straight weeks — a streak that began on Feb. 2, 2009. That broke the previous record of 221, set by UCLA from 1966-80. 

 

Nov. 25, 2020 — Villanova reaches 1,800 victories

Villanova became the 21st program in DI history to win 1,800 games after its 76-67 victory over Boston College on Nov. 25, according to the official NCAA record book. The Wildcats had been sitting at 1,799 since they defeated Georgetown back on March 7. Everyone knows what happened next.

 

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