1959 NCAA University Division Basketball Tournament

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.

1959 NCAA University Division
Basketball Tournament
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)
Semifinalists
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»

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
RoundRegionSiteVenue
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

For the second straight year, Freedom Hall in Louisville hosted the Final Four. The tournament saw two new venues, both used in the first round. The city of Portland hosted the tournament for the first time, hosting at the Pacific International Livestock Exposition. It would be the only time the building would host, as the Memorial Coliseum would open the next year. The state of New Mexico hosted the tournament for the first time, with New Mexico A&M hosting games at its home arena at the time, the Las Cruces High School Arena. This would mark the third time in three years a high school hosted the tournament, and the last time it would happen. The next time the Aggies would host the tournament would be at their own on-campus arena, the Pan American Center. All other venues, and all nine host cities, would host tournament games again in the future.

Teams
RegionTeamCoachFinishedFinal OpponentScore
East
EastBoston UniversityMatt ZunicRegional Runner-upWest VirginiaL 86–82
EastConnecticutHugh GreerFirst roundBoston UniversityL 60–58
EastDartmouthDoggie JulianFirst roundWest VirginiaL 82–68
EastNavyBen CarnevaleRegional Third PlaceSaint Joseph'sW 70–56
EastNorth CarolinaFrank McGuireFirst roundNavyL 76–63
EastSaint Joseph'sJack RamsayRegional Fourth PlaceNavyL 70–56
EastWest VirginiaFred SchausRunner UpCaliforniaL 71–70
Mideast
MideastBowling GreenHarold AndersonFirst roundMarquetteL 89–71
MideastEastern KentuckyPaul McBrayerFirst roundLouisvilleL 77–63
MideastKentuckyAdolph RuppRegional Third PlaceMarquetteW 98–69
MideastLouisvillePeck HickmanFourth PlaceCincinnatiL 98–85
MideastMarquetteEddie HickeyRegional Fourth PlaceKentuckyL 98–69
MideastMichigan StateForddy AndersonRegional Runner-upLouisvilleL 88–81
Midwest
MidwestCincinnatiGeorge SmithThird PlaceLouisvilleW 98–85
MidwestDePaulRay MeyerRegional Fourth PlaceTCUL 71–65
MidwestKansas StateTex WinterRegional Runner-upCincinnatiL 85–75
MidwestPortlandAl NegrattiFirst roundDePaulL 57–56
MidwestTCUBuster BrannonRegional Third PlaceDePaulW 71–65
West
WestCaliforniaPete NewellChampionWest VirginiaW 71–70
WestIdaho StateJohn GraysonRegional Third PlaceUtahW 71–65
WestNew Mexico StatePresley AskewFirst roundIdaho StateL 62–61
WestSaint Mary'sJames WeaverRegional Runner-upCaliforniaL 66–46
WestUtahJack GardnerRegional Fourth PlaceIdaho StateL 71–65

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.[1]

Bracket

East region
  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
  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
  Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
                           
       
    Kansas State 102  
      DePaul 70  
  DePaul 57
    Portland 56  
      Kansas State 75
    Cincinnati 85
         
       
  Cincinnati 77
      TCU 73  
     

West region
  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
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
National Third Place Game[2]
   
MW Cincinnati 98
ME Louisville 85

Regional Third Place Games

See also

References
  1. "Mississippi State Can't Go To Tourney". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Sarasota, Florida. March 1, 1959. p. 13.
  2. "1954 NCAA Basketball Tournament Bracket". Retrieved October 14, 2011.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.