1959 NCAA University Division basketball tournament

1959 NCAA University Division
basketball tournament
Season1958–59
Teams23
Finals siteFreedom Hall
Louisville, Kentucky
ChampionsCalifornia Golden Bears (1st title, 1st title game,
2nd Final Four)
Runner-upWest Virginia Mountaineers (1st title game,
1st Final Four)
Third placeCincinnati Bearcats (1st Final Four)
Fourth placeLouisville Cardinals (1st Final Four)
Winning coachPete Newell (1st title)
MOPJerry West (West Virginia)
Attendance161,809
Top scorerJerry West (West Virginia)
(160 points)
NCAA Division I men's tournaments
«1958 1960»

The 1959 NCAA University Division basketball tournament involved 23 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball in the United States. It began on March 7, 1959, and ended with the championship game on March 21 in Louisville, Kentucky. A total of 27 games were played, including a third place game in each region and a national third place game.

California, coached by Pete Newell, won the national title with a 71–70 victory in the final game over West Virginia, coached by Fred Schaus. Jerry West of West Virginia was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.

Locations

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Round Region Site Venue
First Round East New York, New York Madison Square Garden
Mideast Lexington, Kentucky Memorial Coliseum
Midwest Portland, Oregon Pacific International Livestock Exposition
West Las Cruces, New Mexico Las Cruces High School Gym
Regionals East Charlotte, North Carolina Charlotte Coliseum
Mideast Evanston, Illinois McGaw Memorial Hall
Midwest Lawrence, Kansas Allen Fieldhouse
West San Francisco, California Cow Palace
Final Four Louisville, Kentucky Freedom Hall

Teams

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Region Team Coach Conference Finished Final Opponent Score
East
East Boston University Matt Zunic Independent Regional Runner-up West Virginia L 86–82
East Connecticut Hugh Greer Yankee First round Boston University L 60–58
East Dartmouth Doggie Julian Ivy League First round West Virginia L 82–68
East Navy Ben Carnevale Independent Regional third place Saint Joseph's W 70–56
East North Carolina Frank McGuire Atlantic Coast First round Navy L 76–63
East Saint Joseph's Jack Ramsay Middle Atlantic Regional Fourth Place Navy L 70–56
East West Virginia Fred Schaus Southern Runner Up California L 71–70
Mideast
Mideast Bowling Green Harold Anderson Mid-American First round Marquette L 89–71
Mideast Eastern Kentucky Paul McBrayer Ohio Valley First round Louisville L 77–63
Mideast Kentucky Adolph Rupp Southeastern Regional third place Marquette W 98–69
Mideast Louisville Peck Hickman Independent Fourth Place Cincinnati L 98–85
Mideast Marquette Eddie Hickey Independent Regional Fourth Place Kentucky L 98–69
Mideast Michigan State Forddy Anderson Big Ten Regional Runner-up Louisville L 88–81
Midwest
Midwest Cincinnati George Smith Missouri Valley Third Place Louisville W 98–85
Midwest DePaul Ray Meyer Independent Regional Fourth Place TCU L 71–65
Midwest Kansas State Tex Winter Big 8 Regional Runner-up Cincinnati L 85–75
Midwest Portland Al Negratti Independent First round DePaul L 57–56
Midwest TCU Buster Brannon Southwest Regional third place DePaul W 71–65
West
West California Pete Newell Pacific Coast Champion West Virginia W 71–70
West Idaho State John Grayson Independent Regional third place Utah W 71–65
West New Mexico State Presley Askew Border First round Idaho State L 62–61
West Saint Mary's James Weaver West Coast Athletic Regional Runner-up California L 66–46
West Utah Jack Gardner Mountain States Regional Fourth Place Idaho State L 71–65

Bracket

[edit]

East region

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Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
         
  Saint Joseph's 92
  West Virginia 95
  West Virginia 82
  Dartmouth 68
  West Virginia 86
  Boston University 82
  Boston University 60
  Connecticut 58
  Boston University 62
  Navy 55
  Navy 76
  North Carolina 63

Mideast region

[edit]
Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
         
  Kentucky 61
  Louisville 76
  Louisville 77
  Eastern Kentucky 63
  Louisville 88
  Michigan State 81
  Michigan State 74
  Marquette 69
  Marquette 89
  Bowling Green 71

Midwest region

[edit]
Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
         
  Kansas State 102
  DePaul 70
  DePaul 57
  Portland 56
  Kansas State 75
  Cincinnati 85
  Cincinnati 77
  TCU 73

West region

[edit]
Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
         
  Saint Mary's 80
  Idaho State 71
  Idaho State 62
  New Mexico State 61
  Saint Mary's 46
  California 66
  California 71
  Utah 53

Final Four

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National Semifinals National Finals
      
E West Virginia 94
ME Louisville 79
E West Virginia 70
W California 71
MW Cincinnati 58
W California 64

National Third Place Game

[edit]
National Third Place Game[1]
   
MW Cincinnati 98
ME Louisville 85

Regional third place games

[edit]

See also

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Notes

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  • Mississippi State qualified for the tournament but university president Benjamin F. Hilbun supported the social degradation of African-American citizens and would not permit the team to participate in the tournament where they would face African-American players.[2]
  • Five teams - Boston University, Bowling Green, Portland, Saint Joseph's, and Saint Mary's - made their tournament debut.
  • This would be the most recent tournament appearance, as of 2024, for Dartmouth College. Their 65-year drought is the longest active drought in the NCAA among active Division I schools, and the second longest overall after Harvard's 66-year drought from 1946 to 2012.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "1954 NCAA basketball tournament Bracket". Retrieved October 14, 2011.
  2. ^ "Mississippi State Can't Go To Tourney". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Sarasota, Florida. March 1, 1959. p. 13.
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