You know what today is?

The official start of college basketball season as Midnight Madness gets underway at numerous schools all across the country. Madness is an annual event on college campuses celebrating the first day in mid-October that the NCAA permits formal, official basketball practices. The event’s name originates from those specific events that start at midnight- the very first moment it’s allowed.

Today, I attended a Chicago college basketball media luncheon featuring all five city teams (DePaul, Loyola, UIC, Northwestern and Chicago St.). One of the coaches mentioned on dais that midnight madness began with legendary Maryland coach Lefty Driesell turning his car’s headlights on in the parking lot and making his Terps players run outside.

So I thought I would look it up; and see how it led to where we are today when it comes to this tradition.

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