1971–72 NCAA University Division men's basketball season

Men's collegiate basketball season August 2023 March 2026 1971 247px UCLA BruinsESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia 978-0-345-51392-2 Random House 2009 846 March 11 25, 1972 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena Los Angeles, California UCLA Bruins UCLA Bruins Maryland Terrapins Bill Walton, UCLA Bruins (Naismith) Bill Walton, UCLA Bruins The 1971–72 NCAA University Division men's basketball season began in December 1971, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 1972 NCAA University Division basketball tournament championship game on March 25, 1972, at Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena in Los Angeles, California. The UCLA Bruins won their eighth NCAA national championship with an 81–76 victory over the Florida State Seminoles. Season headlines At Illinois State, Will Robinson became the first African-American head coach at an NCAA University Division (now NCAA Division I) school.http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_basketball_RB/2010/Rules.pdf Playing Rules History ncaa.org NCAA June 25, 2024 12 UCLA went undefeated (30–0) and won its sixth NCAA championship in a row, eighth overall, and eighth in nine seasons. In the Pacific 8 Conference, it also won its sixth of what ultimately would be 13 consecutive conference titles. The NCAA national championship game was played on Saturday for the last time. It moved to Monday night in 1973. Season outlook Pre-season polls 1971–72 NCAA University Division men's basketball rankings The Top 20 from the AP Poll and Coaches Poll during the pre-season.ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia 978-0-345-51392-2 Random House 2009 836 Associated PressRankingTeam1UCLA2North Carolina3USC4Marquette5Ohio State6Maryland7Houston8Long Beach State9Louisville10Kentucky11Jacksonville12South Carolina13Michigan14Kansas15Penn16New Mexico17St. John's18Villanova19BYU20Oklahoma UPI CoachesRankingTeam1UCLA2Marquette3USC4North Carolina5Ohio State6Houston7Maryland8Louisville9Long Beach State10Kentucky11Jacksonville12New Mexico State13South Carolina14BYU15St. John's16Kansas17Villanova18Michigan19Harvard20Pacific Conference membership changes SchoolFormer conferenceNew conference Ball State Ball State Cardinals non-University Division University Division independent Georgia Southern Georgia Southern Eagles non-University Division University Division independent Illinois State Illinois State Redbirds non-University Division University Division independent Indiana State Indiana State Sycamores non-University Division University Division independent Louisiana Tech Louisiana Tech Bulldogs Gulf States Conference (College Division) Southland Conference Miami Miami (Fla.) Hurricanes University Division independent Discontinued basketball program New York NYU Violets University Division independent Discontinued basketball program Oral Roberts Oral Roberts Titans non-University Division University Division independent Pacific Pacific Tigers West Coast Athletic Conference Pacific Coast Athletic Association Seattle Seattle Redhawks University Division independent West Coast Athletic Conference South Alabama South Alabama Jaguars non-University Division University Division independent South Carolina South Carolina Gamecocks Atlantic Coast Conference University Division independent Southwest Louisiana Southwest Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Gulf States Conference (College Division) Southland Conference Stetson Stetson Hatters non-University Division University Division independent Regular season Conferences Conference winners and tournaments ConferenceRegular season winnerhttp://web1.ncaa.org/web_files/stats/m_basketball_RB/2009/Standings.pdf 2009 NCAA Men's Basketball Record Book – Conferences Section 2009 NCAA 2009-02-14Conference player of the yearConference tournamentTournament venue (City)Tournament winnerAtlantic Coast Conference North Carolina Barry Parkhill,Virginia2008–09 ACC Men's Basketball Media Guide – Year by Year section https://web.archive.org/web/20160303192652/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/acc/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/09mbkguide083112.pdf 2016-03-03 , retrieved 2009-02-14 1972 ACC men's basketball tournament Greensboro Coliseum(Greensboro, North Carolina) North CarolinaBig Eight Conference Kansas State Isaac "Bud" Stallworth, Kansas2008–09 Big 12 Men's Basketball Media Guide – Awards section, Big 12 Conference, retrieved 2009-02-04 No TournamentBig Sky Conference Weber State None selected No TournamentBig Ten Conference Minnesota None selected No TournamentIvy League Penn None selected No TournamentMid-American Conference Ohio Tom Kozelko, Toledo2008–09 MAC Men's Basketball Media Guide – Records Section, Mid-American Conference, retrieved 2009-02-14 No TournamentMiddle Atlantic Conference Temple (East); Rider (West) No TournamentMissouri Valley Conference Louisville & Memphis State Larry Finch, Memphis State LouisvilleOhio Valley Conference Eastern Kentucky, Morehead State, & Western Kentucky Les Taylor, Murray State No TournamentPacific 8 Conference UCLA None selected No TournamentPacific Coast Athletic Association Long Beach State Ed Ratleff, Long Beach State No TournamentSoutheastern Conference Kentucky & Tennessee Mike Edwards, Tennessee, & Tom Parker, Kentucky2008–09 SEC Men's Basketball Record Book, Southeastern Conference, retrieved 2009-02-06 No TournamentSouthern Conference Davidson Russ Hunt,Furman2008–09 SoCon Men's Basketball Media Guide – Honors Section https://web.archive.org/web/20110723151437/http://www.soconsports.com/fls/4000/socon/files/0809mbkguide/honorsandawards.pdf?SPSID=35819&SPID=1798&DB_OEM_ID=4000 July 23, 2011 , Southern Conference, retrieved 2009-02-09 1972 Southern Conference men's basketball tournament Greenville Memorial Auditorium(Greenville, South Carolina)(Semifinals and Finals) East Carolina2008–09 SoCon Men's Basketball Media Guide – Postseason Section https://web.archive.org/web/20110930163611/http://www.soconsports.com/fls/4000/socon/files/0809mbkguide/standingsandresults.pdf?SPSID=35819&SPID=1798&DB_OEM_ID=4000 September 30, 2011 , Southern Conference, retrieved 2009-02-09Southland Conference Louisiana Tech Dwight "Bo" Lamar,Southwest Louisianahttp://www.southland.org/pdf7/153625.pdf?ATCLID=1287496&SPSID=97316&SPID=10825&temp_site=NO&DB_OEM_ID=18400 2008–09 Southland Conference Men's Basketball Media Guide Southland Conference 2009-02-07 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20110613101942/http://www.southland.org/pdf7/153625.pdf?ATCLID=1287496&SPSID=97316&SPID=10825&temp_site=NO&DB_OEM_ID=18400 Jun 13, 2011 No TournamentSouthwest Conference SMU & Texas Larry Robinson, Texas No TournamentWest Coast Athletic Conference San Francisco Mike Stewart, Santa Clara No TournamentWestern Athletic Conference BYU None selected No TournamentYankee Conference Rhode Island None selected No Tournament Conference standings University Division independents A total of 67 college teams played as University Division independents. Among them, 1971 Oral Roberts Titans Oral Roberts (26–2) had the best winning percentage (.929) and Florida State (28–5) finished with the most wins.https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/conferences/independent/men/1972.html Sports Reference 1971-72 Men's Independent Season Summary August 16, 2024 Informal championships ConferenceRegular season winnerMost Valuable PlayerPhiladelphia Big 5 Penn & Temple Corky Calhoun, Penn, & Chris Ford, Villanova Penn and Temple both finished with 3–1 records in head-to-head competition among the Philadelphia Big 5. Post-season tournaments NCAA tournament 1972 NCAA University Division basketball tournament Final Four National semifinals National finals Third place E North Carolina 75 ME Florida State 79 MW Louisville 77 MW UCLA 96 ME Florida State 76 W UCLA 81 E North Carolina 105 MW Louisville 91 National Invitation tournament 1972 National Invitation Tournament Semifinals & finals no Semifinals Finals   Jacksonville 77   Maryland 91   St. John's 67   Niagara 69   Maryland 100   Niagara 69   Jacksonville 83   St. John's 80 Awards Consensus All-American teams 1972 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans + Consensus First Team Player Position Class Team Henry Bibby G Senior UCLA Jim Chones C Junior Marquette Dwight Lamar G Junior Southwestern Louisiana Bob McAdoo F Junior North Carolina Ed Ratleff F Junior Long Beach State Tom Riker F/C Senior South Carolina Bill Walton C Sophomore UCLA + Consensus Second Team Player Position Class Team Rich Fuqua G Junior Oral Roberts Barry Parkhill G Junior Virginia Jim Price G Senior Louisville Bud Stallworth F Senior Kansas Henry Wilmore G/F Junior Michigan Major player of the year awards Naismith Award: Bill Walton, UCLA Helms Player of the Year: Bill Walton, UCLA Associated Press Player of the Year: Bill Walton, UCLA UPI Player of the Year: Bill Walton, UCLA Oscar Robertson Trophy (USBWA): Bill Walton, UCLA Adolph Rupp Trophy: Bill Walton, UCLA Sporting News Player of the Year: Bill Walton, UCLA Major coach of the year awards Associated Press Coach of the Year: John Wooden, UCLA Henry Iba Award (USBWA): John Wooden, UCLA NABC Coach of the Year: John Wooden, UCLA UPI Coach of the Year: John Wooden, UCLA Sporting News Coach of the Year: John Wooden, UCLA Other major awards Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award (Best player under 6'0): Scott Martin, Oklahoma Robert V. Geasey Trophy (Top player in Philadelphia Big 5): Corky Calhoun, Penn, & Chris Ford, Villanova NIT/Haggerty Award (Top player in New York City metro area): Richie Garner, Manhattan, & Tom Sullivan, Fordham Coaching changes A number of teams changed coaches during the season and after it ended. TeamFormerCoachInterimCoachNewCoachReasonArizonaBruce LarsonFred Snowden Snowden was an assistant at Michigan.Ball StateBud GetchellJim Holstein BucknellDon SmithJim Valvano BYUStan WattsGlenn Potter CaliforniaJim PadgettDick Edwards Padgett left to coach Nevada.CanisiusBob MacKinnonJohn Morrison MacKinnon left to join the coaching staff for the Buffalo BravesCincinnatiTay BakerGale Catlett Baker left to coach Xavier. Catlett was formerly an assistant with Kentucky.ColgateEd AshnaultBill Vesp Ashnault left to coach William & Mary.CornellJerry LaceTony Coma DartmouthGeorge BlaneyTom O'Connor Blaney left to coach Holy Cross.DenverJim KarabetsosAl Harden GeorgetownJack MageeJohn ThompsonMcGee was fired at the end of the season after the 1971–72 Georgetown team finished with a record of 3–23.GonzagaHank AndersonAdrian Buoncristiani Hardin–SimmonsGlen WhitisRussell Berry HofstraPaul LynnerRoger Gaeckler Holy CrossJack DonohueGeorge Blaney KentuckyAdolph RuppJoe B. HallRupp retired as the NCAA all-time leader in victories after reaching the Commonwealth of Kentucky's mandatory retirement age of 70. He was replaced by lead assistant Hall, who coached the Wildcats for 13 seasons and led UK to the 1978 national championship.LehighRoy HeckmanTom Pugliese LSUPress MaravichDale BrownMaravich, father of NCAA career scoring leader Pete Maravich, was fired after the Tigers finished 10–16 in their first season in the LSU Assembly Center (later renamed for Pete Maravich in 1988). He was succeeded by Washington State assistant Brown, who remained at LSU for 25 seasons. Maravich left to coach Appalachian State.MarshallCarl TacyBob DanielsTacy left after the season to become the head coach at Wake Forest.Montana StateGary HulstHank Anderson NevadaJack SpencerJim Padgett Spencer stepped down to take an assistant coaching job under new head coach Jim Padgett.New MexicoBob KingNorm Ellenberger King left to be the athletic director at Indiana State.PacificDick EdwardsStan Morrison PurdueGeorge KingFred Schaus Saint Peter'sDon KennedyBernie Ockene SeattleMorris BuckwalterBill O'Connor VermontArthur LochePeter Salzberg VMIMike SchulerBill Blair Wake ForestJack McCloskeyCarl TacyMcCloskey left after the season to become the head coach for the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers.Washington StateBob GreenwoodGeorge Raveling References 2