The 1961–62 NCAA University Division men's basketball season began in December 1961, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 1962 NCAA University Division basketball tournament championship game on March 24, 1962, at Freedom Hall in Louisville, Kentucky. The Cincinnati Bearcats won their second NCAA national championship with a 71–59 victory over the Ohio State Buckeyes.
| 1961–62 NCAA Division I men's basketball season | |
|---|---|
| Preseason AP No. 1 | Ohio State[1][2] |
| NCAA Tournament | 1962 |
| Tournament dates | March 12 – 24, 1962 |
| National Championship | Freedom Hall Louisville, Kentucky |
| NCAA Champions | Cincinnati |
| Helms National Champions | Cincinnati |
| Other champions | Dayton (NIT) |
| Player of the Year (Helms) | Paul Hogue, Cincinnati |
Season headlines
- The Associated Press (AP) Poll changed format, abandoning the Top 20 format it had used since its inception in the 1948–49 season and becoming a Top 10 poll.[3]
- Cincinnati's national championship was its second in a row as well as second overall, and the national championship game was a rematch from the year before between Cincinnati and Ohio State.
- The 1962 NCAA University Division basketball tournament set a new attendance record for an NCAA tournament, with a combined 177,469 fans attending its 29 games.[4]
- The Border Conference and Skyline Conference both disbanded at the end of the season.
Season outlook
Pre-season polls
The Top 10 from the AP Poll and the UPI Coaches Poll during the pre-season.[5][6]
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Regular season
Conference winners and tournaments
Informal championships
| Conference | Regular season winner | Conference player of the year | Conference tournament | Tournament venue (City) | Tournament winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia Big 5 | Villanova | None selected | No Tournament | ||
Statistical leaders
Post-season tournaments
NCAA tournament
Final Four
| National semifinals | National finals | ||||||||
| E | Wake Forest | 68 | |||||||
| ME | Ohio State | 84 | |||||||
| ME | Ohio State | 59 | |||||||
| MW | Cincinnati | 71 | |||||||
| MW | Cincinnati | 72 | |||||||
| W | UCLA | 70 | |||||||
- Third Place – Wake Forest 82, UCLA 80
National Invitation tournament
Semifinals & finals
| Semifinals | Finals | ||||||||
| Dayton | 98 | ||||||||
| Loyola-Chicago | 82 | ||||||||
| Dayton | 73 | ||||||||
| St. John's | 67 | ||||||||
| Duquesne | 65 | ||||||||
| St. John's | 75 | ||||||||
- Third Place – Loyola-Chicago 95, Duquesne 84
Awards
Consensus All-American teams
| Player | Position | Class | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| Len Chappell | C/F | Senior | Wake Forest |
| Terry Dischinger | F | Senior | Purdue |
| Jerry Lucas | F/C | Senior | Ohio State |
| Billy McGill | C | Senior | Utah |
| Chet Walker | F | Senior | Bradley |
| Player | Position | Class | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jack Foley | G/F | Senior | Holy Cross |
| John Havlicek | F | Senior | Ohio State |
| Art Heyman | F | Junior | Duke |
| Cotton Nash | F | Sophomore | Kentucky |
| John Rudometkin | F | Senior | USC |
| Rod Thorn | G/F | Junior | West Virginia |
Major player of the year awards
- Helms Player of the Year: Paul Hogue, Cincinnati
- Associated Press Player of the Year:Jerry Lucas, Ohio State
- UPI Player of the Year: Jerry Lucas, Ohio State
- Oscar Robertson Trophy (USBWA):Jerry Lucas, Ohio State
- Sporting News Player of the Year: Jerry Lucas, Ohio State
Major coach of the year awards
- Henry Iba Award: Fred Taylor, Ohio State
- NABC Coach of the Year: Fred Taylor, Ohio State
- UPI Coach of the Year: Fred Taylor, Ohio State
Other major awards
- Robert V. Geasey Trophy (Top player in Philadelphia Big 5): Hubie White, Villanova
- NIT/Haggerty Award (Top player in New York City metro area): LeRoy Ellis, St. John's
Coaching changes
A number of teams changed coaches during the season and after it ended.
| Team | Former Coach | Interim Coach | New Coach | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardin–Simmons | Bill Scott | Lou Henson |
References
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