NCAA: Most Career Points in College Basketball History

Pete Maravich Scored the Most Points in College Basketball History

When you think about unbreakable records in American sports, DiMaggio’s hitting streak, Wilt’s 100 points, Gretzky’s 215 points, Ripken’s Iron Man Streak…and the usual…usually come to mind.

But let me throw another one on you.  What about Pistol Pete Maravich‘s 3,667 career points in college basketball?  That’s more than 400 points ahead of second place. How is that going to be broken? Tell me.

And Maravich did it in just three seasons.

The biggest roadblock of course in making this list in today’s modern game is most great college players hit the NBA as soon as they can.  If you look at this year’s NBA draft prospects (here and here, for example), it’s astounding how many freshman and sophomores will be declaring once March Madness ends.

Still, a couple players this century have made their mark: Keydren Clark, Tyler Hansbrough and J.J. Redick.

Here are the top 20 players with the most points in NCAA basketball history:

Thanks to the NCAA record book for this one.

Follow me on Twitter @VinGetz.

UPDATED LIST: Through Mar. 8, 2014, the night Creighton’s Doug McDermott became the first Division I college basketball player to surpass 3,000 points since Keydren Clark in 2006 – and only the eighth player ever. No small feat. Where will McDermott wind up? Check back in at season’s end. Or check out my source, sports-reference.com, through the season to watch the tally.

	PLAYER	POS	SCHOOL		PTS	YRS
1.	Pete Maravich	G	LSU	1967-1970	3,667	3
2.	Freeman Williams	F/G	Portland State	1974-1978	3,249	4
3.	Lionel Simmons	F	La Salle	1986-1990	3,217	4
4.	Alphonso Ford	G	Mississippi Valley State	1989-1993	3,165	4
5.	Harry Kelly	F	Texas Southern	1979-1983	3,066	4
6.	Keydren Clark	G	Saint Peter’s	2002-2006	3,058	4
7.	Doug McDermott*	F	Creighton	2010-2014	3,011	4
8.	Hersey Hawkins	G	Bradley	1984-1988	3,008	4
9.	Oscar Robertson	G	Cincinnati	1957-1960	2,973	3
10.	Danny Manning	F	Kansas	1984-1988	2,951	4
11.	Alfredrick Hughes	G	Loyola (IL)	1981-1985	2,914	4
12.	Elvin Hayes	C/F	Houston	1965-1968	2,884	3
13.	Tyler Hansbrough	F	North Carolina	2005-2009	2,872	4
14.	Larry Bird	F	Indiana State	1976-1979	2,850	3
15.	Otis Birdsong	G	Houston	1973-1977	2,832	4
16.	Kevin Bradshaw	G	Bethune-Cookman/USI	1987-1991	2,804	4
17.	Allan Houston	G/F	Tennessee	1989-1993	2,801	4
18.	J.J. Redick	G	Duke	2002-2006	2,769	4
19.	Hank Gathers	F/C	USC/Loyola Marymount	1986-1990	2,723	4
20.	Reggie Lewis	F	Northeastern	1983-1987	2,708	4

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