NCAA Results

First Round: Villanova 42, Brown 30; Ohio State 64, Wake Forest 52; Oklahoma 50, Utah State 39; Oregon 56, Texas 41.
Western Regional Third Place: Utah State 51, Texas 49
Semifinals: Oregon 55, Oklahoma 37; Ohio State 53, Villanova 36
Third Place: None
Championship: Oregon 46, Ohio State 33
 

Oregon's Leaders: F Laddie Gale 12.0; C Slim Wintermute 10.0; F John Dick 6.7; G Wally Johansen 5.7; G Bobby Anet 5.4.
 

Top 10 Teams

None. Polls began in 1948-49 season.

All-America Team

All NCAA Tournament Team

None Chosen

Team Offense

Rhode Island State, avg. 70 ppg (unofficial)

Notes

• Long Island U., coached by legendary Clair Bee, finished 23-0 and won the NIT, defeating previously unbeaten Loyola of Chicago, 44-32, in the championship game.
• The center jump after every basket was eliminated the previous year.
• This was the first year for the NCAA Tournament, although the National Invitation Tournament began the previous year.
• Oregon finished with a 29-5 record, and the team was called the "Tall Firs" because of their big lineup, featuring 6-8 Slim Wintermute.

NCAA Results

First Round: Duquesne 30, Western Kentucky 29; Indiana 48, Springfield (Mass.) 24; Kansas 50, Rice 44; Southern Cal 38, Colorado 22
Western Regional Third Place: Rice 60, Colorado 56 (OT)
Semifinals: Indiana 39, Duquense 30; Kansas 43, Southern Cal 42
Third Place: None
Championship: Indiana 60, Kansas 42
 

Indiana's Leaders: F Curly Armstrong 8.9; G-F Herman Schaefer 8.0; C Bill Menke 7.7; F-G Bob Dro 6.3; F-G Jay McCreary 4.5; G Marv Huffman 4.3
 

Top 10 Teams

Polls not compiled until 1948.

All-America Team

All NCAA Tournament Team

Team Offense

Unavailable

Notes

• Dr. James Naismith, basketball's founder, died Nov. 28, 1939.
• The first basketball games to be televised occurred on Feb. 28, 1940, at New York's Madison Square Garden. The teams: Pittsburgh vs. Fordham; NYU vs. Georgetown.
• Colorado, behind tournament MVP Bob Doll's 15 points, defeated Duquense, 51-40, for the NIT championship.
• Future baseball Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson led UCLA and the Pacific Coast Conference in scoring at 12.3 ppg.

NCAA Results

First Round: Wisconsin 51, Dartmouth 50; Pittsburgh 26, North Carolina 20; Washington State 48, Creighton 39; Arkansas 52, Wyoming 40
Regional Third Place:
  Eastern: Dartmouth 60, North Carolina 59;
  Western: Creighton 45, Wyoming 44
Semifinals: Wisconsin 36, Pittsburgh 30; Washington State 64, Arkansas 53
Third Place: None
Championship: Wisconsin 39, Washington State 34
 

Wisconsin Leaders: C Gene Englund 13.2; F John Klotz 9.0; G Ted Strain 4.8; F Charlie Epperson 4.5; G Fred Rehm 3.7

 

Top 10 Teams

None. Polls began in 1948-49 season.

All-America Team

All NCAA Tournament Team

MVP: John Klotz, Wisconsin

Team Offense

Unavailable until 1948 season when NCAA began keeping more complete records.

Notes

• Wisconsin finished with a 20-3 record with only one player averaging in double figures.
• George Glamack's 45 points in a single game was the second-highest in collegiate history, topped only by the earlier 50 of Hank Luisetti of Stanford. Glamack scored 31 in a 60-59 playoff loss to Dartmouth to become the first-ever player to exceed 30 points in the tournament.
• Long Island University finished 25-2 and won the NIT again, this time defeating Ohio University, 56-42, for the title.

   

Team Defense

Unavailable until 1948 season when NCAA began keeping more complete records.

Individual Scoring

Unavailable until 1948 season when NCAA began keeping more complete records.

Individual Rebounding

Unavailable until 1948 season when NCAA began keeping more complete records.

NCAA Results

First Round: Dartmouth 44, Penn State 39; Kentucky 46, Illinois 44; Stanford 53, Rice 47; Colorado 46, Kansas 44.
Regional Third Place:
  Eastern: Penn State 41, Illinois 34
  Western: Kansas 55, Rice 53
Regional Finals:
  Eastern: Dartmouth 48, Kentucky 28
  Western: Stanford 48, Kentucky 35
Championship: Stanford 53, Dartmouth 38
 

Stanford Season Leaders: Jim Pollard, 10.5; Ed Voss, 8.7; Don Burness, 8.5; Howie Dallmar, 7.3; Bill Cowden, 5.5.
 

Top 10 Teams

None. Polls began in 1948-49 season.

All-America Team

Notes

• Stanford finished 27-4 despite having only one player average in double figures: F Jim Pollard at 10.5 ppg.
   
• Rhode Island’s Stan “Stutz” Modzelewski set a major college career scoring record with 1,730 points.
   
• Price Brookfield of West Texas State set a collegiate single-season record with 520 points.
   
• West Virginia ended Long Island’s hold on the NIT championship, defeating Western Kentucky 47-45 for the title. The Moutaineers finished 19-4. Before the NIT began, West Virginia was considered the weakest entry.
   
• World War II broke out shortly after the season began, and many teams lost players to the armed services.

All NCAA Tournament Team

MVP: Howie Dallmar, Stanford

Team Offense

Unavailable until 1948 season when NCAA began keeping more complete records.

Team Defense

Unavailable until 1948 season when NCAA began keeping more complete records.

Individual Scoring

Unavailable until 1948 season when NCAA began keeping more complete records.

Individual Rebounding

Unavailable until 1948 season when NCAA began keeping more complete records.

NCAA Results

First Round: Georgetown 55, New York Univ. 36; DePaul 46, Dartmouth 35; Texas 59, Washington 55; Wyoming 53, Oklahoma 50.
Regional Third Place:
  Eastern: Dartmouth 51, NYU 49
  Western: Oklahoma 48, Washington 43
Regional Finals:
  Eastern: Georgetown 53, DePaul 49
  Western: Wyoming 58, Texas 54
Championship Game: Wyoming 46, Georgetown 34
 

Wyoming Season Leaders: Milo Komenich, 16.7; Kenny Sailors, 15.0; Jim Weir, 10.1; Floyd Walker, 6.4; Jimmie Reese, 4.3

 

Top 10 Teams

None. Polls began in 1948-49 season.

All-America Team

All NCAA Tournament Team

MVP: Kenny Sailors, Wyoming

Team Offense

Rhode Island, 80.7

Notes

• Illinois’ “Whiz Kids” did not particpate in the NCAA tournament because school officials did not want to keep them out of school that long (three weeks). However, at season’s end, all five entered the military.
• Wyoming defeated St. John’s, the NIT champion, 52-47 in the first of three Red Cross Games played to raise money during the war years.
• NIT 1st Place: St. John’s (21-3) def. Toledo, 48-27.

Team Defense

Unavailable until 1948 season when NCAA began keeping more complete records.

Individual Scoring

Unavailable until 1948 season when NCAA began keeping more complete records.

Individual Rebounding

Unavailable until 1948 season when NCAA began keeping more complete records.

NCAA Results

Championship: Utah 42, Dartmouth 40 (OT)
Third Place: None
Semifinals: Utah 40, Iowa State 31; Dartmouth 60, Ohio State 53.
Regionals: Dartmouth 63, Catholic 38; Ohio State 57, Temple 47; Iowa State 44, Pepperdine 39; Utah 45, Missouri 35.

Top 10 Teams

None. Polls began in 1948-49 season.

All-America Team

All NCAA Tournament Team

MVP: Arnie Ferrin, Utah

Team Offense

Rhode Island, 78.8

Notes

• Utah, which started four freshmen, was invited into the tournament when Arkansas withdrew. The Razorbacks dropped out of the tournament after several players were severely injured in an automobile accident. Further, Utah was originally in the NIT, where it lost to Kentucky, 46-38, before moving into the NCAA tourney.
• The average age of Utah’s roster was 18 years, 6 months.
• Army finished 15-0 and was ranked # 1 in the nation by the Converse-Dunkel Ratings, but did not participate in post-season play.
• NIT: St. John's 47, DePaul 39

Team Defense

Oklahoma A&M, 28.8

Individual Scoring

Ernie Calverley, Rhode Island, 26.7

Individual Rebounding

Unvailable

Top 10 Teams

None. Polls began in 1948-49 season.

All-America Team

All NCAA Tournament Team

MVP: Bob Kurland, Oklahoma A&M

Team Offense

Rhode Island, 80.7

Notes

• NIT 1st Place: DePaul 71, Bowling Green 54. Mikan scored 34 points. His season high was 53 against Rhode Island in the NIT semifinal. Mikan averaged 23.3 on the season, and set an NIT record with 120 points in three games.
• With the 6-10 Mikan and Oklahoma A&M 7-footer Bob Kurland dominating, the goal-tending rule was introduced. The pair ran into each other in the Red Cross game at season’s end, with A&M winning, 52-44. Kurland finished with 14 points and Mikan 9, but Mikan fouled out after only 14 minutes.
• Oregon played a massive 43-game schedule, finishing 30-13.

Team Defense

Unavailable

Individual Scoring

Unavailable

Individual Rebounding

Unavailable

NCAA Results

First Round: Ohio State 46, Harvard 38; North Carolina 57, New York University 49; Oklahoma A&M 44, Baylor 29; California 50, Colorado 44.
Regional Third Place:
  Eastern: New York Univ. 67, Harvard 61
  Western: Colorado 59, Baylor 44
Regional Finals:
  Eastern: North Carolina 60, Ohio State 57
  Western: Oklahoma A&M 52, California 35
National Third Place: Ohio State 63, California 45
Championship Game: Oklahoma A&M 43, North Carolina 40
 

Oklahoma A&M Leaders: Bob Kurland, 19.5; Weldon Kern, 8.2; J.L. Parks, 5.7; Blake Williams, 4.5; A.L. Bennett, 3.8.

 

Top 10 Teams

None. Polls began in 1948-49 season.

All-America Team

All NCAA Tournament Team

MVP: Bob Kurland, Oklahoma A&M

Team Offense

Unavailable

Notes

• NIT 1st Place: Kentucky (28-2) def. Rhode Island, 46-45, on freshman Ralph Beard’s free throw.
• Oklahoma A&M became the first two-time NCAA winner, finishing 31-2. Kurland averaged 19.5 ppg, including a high of 58 vs. St. Louis in his final home game.
• Future U.S. Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall played for Arizona, which lost 77-53 to Kentucky in the NIT quarterfinals.
• West Virginia finished 24-3 and in third place in the NIT, despite starting three sophomores and two freshmen.

Team Defense

Unavailable

Individual Scoring

Unavailable

Individual Rebounding

Unavailable

NCAA Results

First Round: Holy Cross 55, Navy 47; City College of New York 70, Wisconsin 56; Texas 42, Wyoming 40; Oklahoma 56, Oregon State 54.
Regional Third Place:
  Eastern: Wisconsin 50, Navy 49
  Western: Oregon State 63, Wyoming 46
Regional Finals:
  Eastern: Holy Cross 60, CCNY 45
  Western: Oklahoma 55, Texas 54
National Third Place: Texas 54, CCNY 50
Championship Game: Holy Cross 58, Oklahoma 47
 

Holy Cross Leaders: George Kaftan, 11.1; Dermie O'Connell, 9.0; Bob Cousy, 7.6; Ken Haggerty, 5.7; Andy Laska, 5.6; Joe Mullaney, 5.0.

 

Top 10 Teams

None. Polls began in 1948-49 season.

All-America Team

All NCAA Tournament Team

MVP: George Kaftan, Holy Cross

Team Offense

Rhode Island, 82.5

Notes

• NIT 1st Place: Utah (19-5) 49, Kentucky (34-3) 45.
• Holy Cross had no home arena, but put together a 23-game road winning streak en route to a 27-3 record.
• St. John’s Harry Boykoff had the top single-game scoring performance, getting 54 vs. St. Francis (N.Y.)

Team Defense

Oklahoma A&M, 34.8

Individual Scoring

Unavailable

Individual Rebounding

Unavailable

NCAA Results

First Round: Kentucky 76, Columbia 53; Holy Cross 63, Michigan 45; Kansas State 58, Wyoming 48; Baylor 64, Washington 62.
Regional Third Place:
  Eastern: Michigan 66, Columbia 49
  Western: Washington 57, Wyoming 47
Regional Finals:
  Eastern: Kentucky 60, Holy Cross 52
  Western: Baylor 60, Kansas State 52
National Third Place: Holy Cross 60, Kansas State 54
Championship Game: Kentucky 58, Baylor 42
 

Kentucky Wildcats Regulars: Wallace Jones, Cliff Barker, Alex Groza, Ralph Beard, Ken Rollins.

 

Top 10 Teams

None. Polls began in 1948-49 season.

All-America Team

All NCAA Tournament Team

MVP: Alex Groza, Kentucky

Team Offense

Rhode Island, 76.3

Notes

• Oregon State led the nation in field goal percentage (36.7), while Texas was # 1 in free throw shooting (73 percent).
• St. Bonaventure’s Sam Urzetta became the first 90+ free throw shooter with a 92.2 percentage. NIT 1st Place: St. Louis 65, NYU 52. "Easy Ed” Macauley led St. Louis (24-3), outscoring NYU’s Dolph Schayes 24-8 in a 65-52 victory. NYU ended 22-4. The leading scorer in the NIT was Ed Mikan of DePaul, brother of the famed George Mikan.

Team Defense

Oklahoma A&M, 32.5

Individual Scoring

Individual Rebounding

Unavailable

NCAA Results

First Round: Illinois 71, Yale 67; Kentucky 85, Villanova 72; Oklahoma A&M 40, Wyoming 39; Oregon State 56, Arkansas 38
Regional Third Place:
  Eastern: Villanova 78, Yale 67
  Western: Arkansas 61, Wyoming 48
Regional Finals:
  Eastern: Kentucky 76, Illinois 47
  Western: Oklahoma A&M 55, Oregon State 30
National Third Place: Illinois 57, Oregon State 53
Championship Game: Kentucky 46, Oklahoma A&M 36
 

Kentucky Leaders: Alex Groza, Ralph Beard, Wallace Jones, Cliff Barker, Dale Barnstable.
 

Top 10 Teams

All-America Team

All NCAA Tournament Team

MVP: Alex Groza, Kentucky

Team Offense

Rhode Island, 71.6

Notes

• NITE 1st Place: San Francisco def. Loyola of Chicago 48-47. Don Lofgran led USF with 20 points and scored two for Loyola, on an accidental tip-in. Lofgran was chosen MVP.
• NCAA champ Kentucky lost to Loyola 61-56 in the NIT quarterfinals. Later, Wildcats Alex Groza, Ralph Beard and Dale Barnstable admitted taking $1,500 to throw the game, and they admitted shaving points in other games. Ironcially, Groza was chosen MVP in the NCAA tourney.
• The NIT’s top teams — Kentucky, St. Louis, Western Kentucky, and Utah — all lost in the first round, a day called the “Manhattan Massacre.”

Team Defense

Oklahoma A&M, 35.2

Individual Scoring

Individual Rebounding

Unavailable