There was a time when the greater New York City area was the epicenter of college basketball.
St. John’s, Long Island University, New York University, City College of New York and Manhattan College were national powerhouses. The Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association established the National Invitational Tournament in 1938, one year before the NCAA established its tournament. The two tournaments were roughly equal in stature until the NCAA expanded in 1951.
Basketball players dreamed of playing in Madison Square Garden the way concert pianists dreamed of Carnegie Hall.
Practice, practice, practice.
In 1950 CCNY won both the NCAA and NIT tournaments.