List of NCAA Division I men's basketball career scoring leaders
In basketball, points are the sum of the score accumulated through free throw or field goal.[1] In National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I basketball, where a player's career is at most four seasons long, it is considered a notable achievement to reach the 1,000-points scored threshold. In even rarer instances, players have reached the 2,000- and 3,000-point plateaus (no player has ever scored 4,000 or more points at the Division I level). The top 25 highest scorers in NCAA Division I men's basketball history are listed below. The NCAA did not split into its current divisions format until August 1973.[2] From 1906 to 1955, there were no classifications to the NCAA nor its predecessor, the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States (IAAUS).[2] Then, from 1956 to spring 1973, colleges were classified as either "NCAA University Division (Major College)" or "NCAA College Division (Small College)".[2][3]
Some of the top 25 scorers in Division I history played before the three-point line was officially instituted in 1986–87. All of the players with a dash through the three-point field goals made column were affected by this rule. Hank Gathers of Loyola Marymount is the only three-point shot era player on this list who did not make a single three-point shot. From the 1986–87 season through the 2007–08 season, the three-point perimeter was marked at 19 ft 9 in (6.02 m) for both men's and women's college basketball.[4] On May 3, 2007, the NCAA men's basketball rules committee passed a measure to extend the distance of the men's three-point line back to 20 ft 9 in (6.32 m); the women's line would remain at the original distance until it was moved to match the men's distance effective in 2011–12.[4]
Additionally, several of the players on this list played during an era when college freshmen were ineligible to compete at the varsity level and were forced to participate on either freshman or junior varsity teams. Since freshman and junior varsity points do not count toward official NCAA records, three players—Pete Maravich, Oscar Robertson and Elvin Hayes—only had three seasons to compile their totals. Larry Bird redshirted (sat out) his freshman year, and therefore, like Maravich, Robertson, and Hayes, his totals also cover only three seasons (though in Bird's case, unlike the others, it was his own choice not to play a fourth season at the college level). With the added benefits of a three-point line and a full extra year of varsity eligibility, their already-historical statistics would have been much higher. Maravich, a guard from LSU, not only owns the three highest single season averages in Division I history, but also the highest career total. Remarkably, he scored 3,667 points (over 400 more than the next closest player) in a mere 83 games. His record is considered nearly unbreakable; the only player who could have potentially overtaken him as the top scorer in Division I history is Stephen Curry of Davidson, who had scored 2,635 points through his first three seasons of college basketball. However, Curry opted to forgo his final year of NCAA eligibility and moved on to the National Basketball Association (NBA) following his junior season in 2008–09.
Five players on this list are enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame: Pete Maravich,[5] Oscar Robertson,[6] Elvin Hayes,[7] Larry Bird[8] and David Robinson.[9]
Key
|
|
Career scoring leaders
Player | Pos. | Team | Career start |
Career end |
Games played |
Field goals made |
3-point field goals made |
Free throws made |
Points | PPG | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pete Maravich* | G | LSU | 1967 | 1970 | 83 | 1,387 | 893 | 3,667 | 44.2 | [10] | |
Freeman Williams | F/G | Portland State | 1974 | 1978 | 106 | 1,369 | 511 | 3,249 | 30.7 | [11] | |
Lionel Simmons | F | La Salle | 1986 | 1990 | 131 | 1,244 | 56 | 673 | 3,217 | 24.6 | [12] |
Alphonso Ford | G | Mississippi Valley State | 1989 | 1993 | 109 | 1,121 | 333 | 590 | 3,165 | 29.0 | [13] |
Doug McDermott | F | Creighton | 2010 | 2014 | 145 | 1,141 | 274 | 594 | 3,150 | 21.7 | [14] |
Harry Kelly | F | Texas Southern | 1979 | 1983 | 110 | 1,234 | 598 | 3,066 | 27.9 | [15] | |
Keydren Clark | G | Saint Peter's | 2002 | 2006 | 118 | 967 | 435 | 689 | 3,058 | 25.9 | [16] |
Hersey Hawkins | G | Bradley | 1984 | 1988 | 125 | 1,100 | 118 | 690 | 3,008 | 25.5 | [17] |
Oscar Robertson* | G | Cincinnati | 1957 | 1960 | 88 | 1,052 | 869 | 2,973 | 33.8 | [18] | |
Danny Manning | F | Kansas | 1984 | 1988 | 147 | 1,216 | 10 | 509 | 2,951 | 20.1 | [19] |
Alfredrick Hughes | G | Loyola (IL) | 1981 | 1985 | 120 | 1,226 | 462 | 2,914 | 24.3 | [20] | |
Elvin Hayes* | C/F | Houston | 1965 | 1968 | 93 | 1,215 | 454 | 2,884 | 31.0 | [21] | |
Tyler Hansbrough | F | North Carolina | 2005 | 2009 | 142 | 939 | 12 | 982 | 2,872 | 20.2 | [22] |
Larry Bird* | F | Indiana State | 1976 | 1979 | 94 | 1,154 | 542 | 2,850 | 30.3 | [23] | |
Otis Birdsong | G | Houston (2) | 1973 | 1977 | 116 | 1,176 | 480 | 2,832 | 24.4 | [24] | |
Kevin Bradshaw | G | Bethune-Cookman / U.S. International |
1987 | 1991 | 111 | 1,027 | 132 | 618 | 2,804 | 25.3 | [3] |
Allan Houston | G/F | Tennessee | 1989 | 1993 | 128 | 902 | 346 | 651 | 2,801 | 21.9 | [25] |
J. J. Redick | G | Duke | 2002 | 2006 | 139 | 825 | 457 | 662 | 2,769 | 19.9 | [26] |
Hank Gathers | F/C | Southern California / Loyola Marymount |
1985 | 1990 | 117 | 1,127 | 0 | 469 | 2,723 | 23.3 | [27] |
Tyler Haws | G | BYU | 2009 | 2015[n 1] | 139 | 917 | 162 | 724 | 2,720 | 19.6 | [28] |
Reggie Lewis | F | Northeastern | 1983 | 1987 | 122 | 1,043 | 30 | 592 | 2,709 | 22.2 | [29] |
Daren Queenan | G/F | Lehigh | 1984 | 1988 | 118 | 1,024 | 29 | 626 | 2,703 | 22.9 | [30] |
Byron Larkin | G | Xavier | 1984 | 1988 | 121 | 1,022 | 51 | 601 | 2,696 | 22.3 | [31] |
Bo McCalebb | G | New Orleans | 2003 | 2008 | 128 | 977 | 115 | 610 | 2,679 | 20.9 | [32] |
David Robinson* | C | Navy | 1983 | 1987 | 127 | 1,032 | 1 | 604 | 2,669 | 21.0 | [33] |
All-time conference scoring leaders
The following list contains current and defunct Division I conferences' all-time scoring leaders. The "conference founded" column indicates when each respective conference first began intercollegiate athletic competition, not necessarily when they began basketball. For example, the Great West Conference was established as a football-only conference in 2004 but became an all-sports conference in 2008 (with basketball actually beginning in 2009–10).[34] Also note that some of the schools on this list are no longer in the conference in which they are identified. Utah, for instance, is currently a member of the Pac-12 Conference, but when Keith Van Horn set the scoring record they were still a member of the Western Athletic Conference. Similarly, BYU is currently in the West Coast Conference, but their final four seasons in the Mountain West Conference were the years in which Jimmer Fredette played at the school and set that conference's scoring record.
Footnotes
- ↑ After playing as a freshman in 2009–10, Haws spent two years on a Mormon mission and did not play his sophomore season until 2012–13.
- 1 2 The original Big East Conference, founded in 1979 with basketball competition starting at that time, split along football lines in July 2013. The seven schools that did not sponsor Division I FBS football reorganized as a new Big East Conference, while the FBS football schools that had not left for other conferences, plus several new members, began operating as the American Athletic Conference. The American now considers its basketball history to have begun with the 2013 split,[36] while the current Big East maintains the basketball history of the original Big East.[37]
- ↑ The Big East Conference recognizes Lawrence Moten, who played at Syracuse between 1991 and 1995, as its all-time conference scoring leader, using the criterion of points scored in regular-season conference games only. Moten scored 1,405 points in games that counted toward the record.[43] Troy Bell, who is technically second on the list with 1,388 points, scored more career points than Moten when all games are taken into account. The above conference scoring leaders list uses overall career totals, not conference-career totals, as its criterion.
- ↑ The Southland Conference recognizes Dwight "Bo" Lamar, who played at Southwestern Louisiana (now Louisiana) between 1968 and 1972, as their all-time conference scoring leader, using the criterion of points scored against conference opponents only.[67] He scored 1,054 points in conference games.[67] Additionally, Southwestern Louisiana did not join the Southland Conference until 1971, so all of Lamar's points prior to then do not count toward Southland Conference scoring. Joe Dumars, who is technically second on the list with 819 points, actually scored more career points than Lamar since McNeese State was a member of the Southland Conference for the duration of Dumars' career. The above conference scoring leaders list uses overall career totals, not conference-career totals, as its criterion.
- ↑ Hank Gathers' scoring total in this table includes only games played for WCC member Loyola Marymount; he played his freshman season of 1985–86 at USC in what was then known as the Pacific-10 Conference. He transferred from USC after that season; after sitting out the 1986–87 season due to NCAA transfer rules, he played at Loyola Marymount until his death during his senior season in 1990.
References
- General
- "2017–18 NCAA Men's Basketball Records" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. 2017. Retrieved February 18, 2018.
- Specific
- ↑ "Basketball glossary". FIBA.com. Retrieved July 7, 2010.
- 1 2 3 "History of the NCAA". NCAA.org. National Collegiate Athletic Association. Archived from the original on September 24, 2010. Retrieved July 7, 2010.
- 1 2 "2009–10 NCAA Men's Basketball Records" (PDF). 2009–10 NCAA Men's Basketball Media Guide. National Collegiate Athletic Association. 2009. Retrieved July 7, 2010.
- 1 2 Katz, Andy (May 3, 2007). "Committee extends men's 3-point line to 20-9". ESPN. Retrieved July 7, 2010.
- ↑ "Peter P. "Pete" Maravich". Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. hoophall.com. 2009. Archived from the original on August 31, 2012. Retrieved July 7, 2010.
- ↑ "Oscar P. Robertson". Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. hoophall.com. 2009. Archived from the original on March 4, 2010. Retrieved July 7, 2010.
- ↑ "Elvin E. Hayes". Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. hoophall.com. 2009. Archived from the original on September 12, 2012. Retrieved July 7, 2010.
- ↑ "Larry J. Bird". hoophall.com. Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. 2009. Archived from the original on August 29, 2009. Retrieved July 7, 2010.
- ↑ "David Robinson". hoophall.com. Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. 2009. Archived from the original on November 7, 2009. Retrieved July 7, 2010.
- ↑ "Pete Maravich". sports-reference.com. Sports Reference, LLC. 2015. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
- ↑ "Freeman Williams". sports-reference.com. Sports Reference, LLC. 2015. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
- ↑ "Lionel Simmons". sports-reference.com. Sports Reference, LLC. 2015. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
- ↑ "Alphonso Ford". sports-reference.com. Sports Reference, LLC. 2015. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
- ↑ "Doug McDermott". sports-reference.com. Sports Reference, LLC. 2014. Retrieved March 23, 2014.
- ↑ Nance, Roscoe (March 31, 2010). "Harry "Machine Gun" Kelly". SWAC Men's Basketball Profiles. Southwestern Athletic Conference. Archived from the original on June 21, 2010. Retrieved July 7, 2010.
- ↑ "Keydren Clark". sports-reference.com. Sports Reference, LLC. 2015. Retrieved March 2, 2015.
- ↑ "Hersey Hawkins". sports-reference.com. Sports Reference, LLC. 2015. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
- ↑ "Oscar Robertson". sports-reference.com. Sports Reference, LLC. 2015. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
- ↑ "Danny Manning". sports-reference.com. Sports Reference, LLC. 2015. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
- ↑ "Alfredrick Hughes". sports-reference.com. Sports Reference, LLC. 2010. Retrieved July 7, 2010.
- ↑ "Elvin Hayes". sports-reference.com. Sports Reference, LLC. 2015. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
- ↑ "Tyler Hansbrough". sports-reference.com. Sports Reference, LLC. 2015. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
- ↑ "Larry Bird". sports-reference.com. Sports Reference, LLC. 2015. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
- ↑ "Otis Birdsong". sports-reference.com. Sports Reference, LLC. 2015. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
- ↑ "Allan Houston". sports-reference.com. Sports Reference, LLC. 2015. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
- ↑ "J. J. Redick". sports-reference.com. Sports Reference, LLC. 2015. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
- ↑ Maurer, Matthew (July 23, 2008). "Honorable Draftee: The Case for Hank Gathers". TheDraftReview.com. Retrieved July 7, 2010.
- ↑ "Tyler Haws". sports-reference.com. Sports Reference, LLC. March 18, 2015. Retrieved March 18, 2015.
- ↑ "Reggie Lewis". sports-reference.com. Sports Reference, LLC. 2015. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
- ↑ "Lehigh's Hall of Famer: Daren Queenan". history.lehighsports.com. Lehigh University. 2010. Archived from the original on May 11, 2005. Retrieved July 7, 2010.
- ↑ "Byron K. Larkin". Player profile. Xavier University. 2010. Retrieved July 7, 2010.
- ↑ "Bo McCalebb". sports-reference.com. Sports Reference, LLC. 2015. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
- ↑ "David Robinson". sports-reference.com. Sports Reference, LLC. 2015. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
- ↑ "About the Great West". greatwestconference.org. Great West Conference. 2011. Retrieved February 12, 2011.
- ↑ "2010–11 America East Conference Men's Basketball Media Guide". Career leaders. America East Conference. 2010. Archived from the original on 2011-07-16. Retrieved February 12, 2011.
- ↑ "2014–15 American Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Media Guide" (PDF). American Athletic Conference. Retrieved December 15, 2014. See especially "Miscellaneous Records", p. 90, in which year-by-year conference standings only include 2013–14.
- ↑ "2014–15 BIG EAST Men's Basketball Guide" (PDF). Big East Conference. Retrieved December 15, 2014. See, e.g., "Year-By-Year Standings", pp. 109–112, which have entries for all Big East seasons starting with the creation of the original conference in 1979.
- ↑ Duarte, Joseph (February 11, 2018). "UH's Rob Gray becomes AAC's all-time scoring leader". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
- ↑ "2010–11 Atlantic 10 Conference Men's Basketball Media Guide" (PDF). Career records. Atlantic 10 Conference. 2010. Retrieved February 12, 2011.
- ↑ "Tyler Hansbrough Bio Page". NBA.com. NBA Media Ventures, LLC. Archived from the original on February 25, 2011. Retrieved February 12, 2011.
- ↑ "Centenary Places Two on Atlantic Sun's List of 30 Shining Moments". GoCentenary.com. Centenary College of Louisiana. September 19, 2008. Archived from the original on July 11, 2011. Retrieved February 12, 2011.
- ↑ "Buddy Hield becomes Big 12's all-time leading scorer". SI.com. Sports Illustrated. April 3, 2016. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
- ↑ "Career Leaders: Points" (PDF). 2014-15 BIG EAST Men's Basketball Guide. Big East Conference. p. 89. Retrieved December 15, 2014.
- ↑ "Troy Bell player biography". Boston College. 2003. Retrieved August 20, 2013.
- ↑ Douchant, Mike (1998). Inside sports college basketball. Visible Ink Press. ISBN 1-57859-009-4. pg. 598
- ↑ Allen, Jim (March 9, 2018). "Bogdan Bliznyuk becomes Big Sky's all-time leading scorer while leading Eastern Washington to title game". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved March 10, 2018.
- ↑ "2010–11 Big South Conference Basketball Media Guide". Men's basketball career records. Big South Conference. 2010. Retrieved February 12, 2011.
- ↑ "2010–11 Big Ten Conference Men's Basketball Media Guide" (PDF). 2,000 Point Club (All Games). Big Ten Conference. 2010. Retrieved February 12, 2011.
- ↑ "2010–11 Big West Conference Men's Basketball Media Guide" (PDF). Career Records: Points Scored. Big West Conference. 2010. Retrieved February 12, 2011.
- ↑ "CAA names Robinson, Smith among its 25 Silver Stars". The Baltimore Sun. February 9, 2010. Retrieved February 12, 2011.
- ↑ "2010–11 Conference USA Men's Basketball Media Guide" (PDF). Individual Career Records. Conference USA. 2010. Retrieved February 12, 2011.
- ↑ "Nine to be Inducted into Billiken Hall of Fame". Saint Louis University. January 16, 2001. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved February 12, 2011.
- ↑ "2010–11 Horizon League Men's Basketball Media Guide" (PDF). Men's Basketball Individual Records. Horizon League. 2010. Retrieved February 12, 2011.
- ↑ "2010–11 Ivy League Men's Basketball Media Guide" (PDF). Men's Individual Records. Ivy League. 2010. Retrieved February 12, 2011.
- ↑ "2010–11 MAAC Men's Basketball Media Guide" (PDF). Points. Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. 2010. Retrieved February 12, 2011.
- ↑ Douchant, Mike (1998). Inside sports college basketball. Visible Ink Press. ISBN 1-57859-009-4. pg. 599
- ↑ "2010–11 MAC Men's Basketball Record Book" (PDF). Most Points in a Career. Mid-American Conference. 2010. Retrieved February 12, 2011.
- ↑ Hunt, Donald (March 25, 1991). "Tom Davis Sets Sights On NBA". The Philadelphia Inquirer. philly.com. Retrieved August 17, 2011.
- ↑ "2010–11 MVC Men's Basketball Media Guide". All-Time Scorers and Rebounders. Missouri Valley Conference. 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 14, 2011. Retrieved February 12, 2011.
- ↑ "Fredette Breaks Mountain West Scoring Record in BYU Win". Sporting News. February 2011. Archived from the original on February 8, 2011. Retrieved February 12, 2011.
- ↑ "2010–11 Northeast Conference Men's Basketball Media Guide" (PDF). NEC Coaching & Individual Records. Northeast Conference. 2010. Retrieved February 12, 2011.
- ↑ "2010–11 OVC Men's Basketball Media Guide" (PDF). Records and Awards. Ohio Valley Conference. 2010. Retrieved February 12, 2011.
- ↑ "2010–11 Pac-10 Conference Men's Basketball Media Guide" (PDF). History. Pacific-10 Conference. 2010. Retrieved February 12, 2011.
- ↑ "McCollum breaks record in 91–77 win at Sacred Heart". Sports. Lehigh University. November 25, 2012. Archived from the original on December 10, 2012. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
- ↑ "2010–11 Southeastern Conference Men's Basketball Media Guide" (PDF). Individual Records – Points Scored. Southeastern Conference. 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 18, 2011. Retrieved February 12, 2011.
- ↑ "2010–11 Southern Conference Men's Basketball Media Guide". Individual Record Book. Southern Conference. 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 14, 2011. Retrieved February 12, 2011.
- 1 2 "Records (page 103)". 2011–12 Southland Conference Men's Basketball Media Guide. Southland Conference. 2011. Retrieved January 28, 2012.
- ↑ "2011–12 McNeese State Cowboys Basketball Media Guide". Records. McNeese State University. 2011. Retrieved January 28, 2012.
- ↑ "2010–11 Summit League Men's Basketball Media Guide" (PDF). Career Leaders: Points. The Summit League. 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 28, 2011. Retrieved February 12, 2011.
- ↑ "2010–11 Sun Belt Conference Men's Basketball Media Guide" (PDF). Sun Belt Records – Top 25 (Scoring). Sun Belt Conference. 2010. Retrieved February 12, 2011.
- ↑ Douchant, Mike (1998). Inside sports college basketball. Visible Ink Press. ISBN 1-57859-009-4. pg. 600
- ↑ "Career Leaders: All Games" (PDF). 2012–13 West Coast Conference Men's Basketball Record Book. West Coast Conference. Retrieved February 4, 2014.
- ↑ "2010–11 WAC Men's Basketball Media Guide". Career Records. Western Athletic Conference. 2010. Retrieved February 12, 2011.