Inductees

A two-time All-American and All-Missouri Valley Conference forward at the University of Missouri, J. Craig Ruby took over the head coaching position of his alma mater in 1920. Ruby coached the Tigers for two seasons, compiling a record of 33 wins and only 2 losses. Both of Ruby’s Missouri teams were retroactively named national champions by the Premo-Porreta Power Poll, which is a retroactive end-of-year ranThe Premo-Porretta Power Poll is a retroactive end-of-year ranking for American college basketball teams competing in the 1895–96 through the 1947–48 seasons. Ruby was subsequently recruited by University of Illinois athletic director George Huff to take over the men’s basketball coaching duties.

Beginning in 1922 and continuing for the next 14 years, Ruby compiled a record of 148 wins and 95 losses. While playing in the Big Ten Conference, Ruby’s teams recorded 94 wins and 74 losses and won the conference championship 2 times. Ruby left the program in 1936; his successor was Douglas R. Mills.

Ruby and legendary Kansas coach Phog Allen actively campaigned together for higher baskets to offset the advantage of tall centers. He also advocated the elimination of the dribble to do away with stalling and suggested the hoop be enlarged to 20 inches in diameter rather than the standard 18. In 1930 Ruby served as the president of the National Association of Basketball Coaches.