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1991–92 NCAA Division I men's basketball season
Reference material by Wikipedia contributors. This retains its source identity and is not 411 news reporting.
Basketball season
August 2023
March 2026
1991 File:NCAA primary logo 1980.svg Duke Blue Devils March 19 April 6, 1992 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome Minneapolis, Minnesota Duke Blue Devils Virginia Cavaliers Christian Laettner, Duke Blue Devils
The 1991–92 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began in November 1991 and ended with the Final Four at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota on April 6, 1992.
Season headlines
Michigan became the first program to land four McDonald's All-Americans – Chris Webber, Juwan Howard, Jalen Rose, and Jimmy King – in a single recruiting class. Joined by Ray Jackson, the group of freshmen was known as the Fab Five.
The Great Midwest Conference began play, with six original members.
The 1992 East Regional Final, a 104–103 Duke win over Kentucky in overtime, is considered by many to be the greatest NCAA tournament game (or college basketball game overall) of all time.Greatest 63 games in NCAA Tournament history https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/college/basketball/men/02tourney/greatest-games.htm USA Today March 25, 2002 March 10, 2018 Top 10 NCAA Tournament games of all-time http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/college/top-10-ncaa-tournament-games-all-time-article-1.2155914 New York Daily News March 19, 2015 March 10, 2018 Kentucky-Duke: The greatest game ever played http://www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-basketball/news/duke-kentucky-christian-laettner-the-shot-1992-elite-eight-march-madness-ncaa-tournament/1il0u2eypyw791o46c6cv4c1v8 The Sporting News March 25, 2017 March 10, 2018 Best team, moment and players recognized on tournament's 75th anniversary https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/2013/04/05/ncaa-tournament-anniversary-indiana-1976-christian-laettner-duke/2056837/ USA Today April 5, 2013 March 10, 2018 Revisiting the Greatest Game Ever Played: The 1992 East Regional Finals https://bleacherreport.com/articles/147231-revisiting-the-greatest-game-ever-played-the-1992-east-regional-finals Bleacher Report March 29, 2009 March 10, 2018
Duke held the #1 ranking in both polls for the entire season, played in its fifth consecutive Final Four, and became the first repeat national champion since the 1972–73 UCLA Bruins.
Season outlook
Pre-season polls
The top 25 from the AP Poll and Coaches Poll during the pre-season.*ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia: The Complete History of the Men's Game Random House 998 2009 978-0-345-51392-2
Associated PressRankingTeam1 Duke2 Indiana3 Arkansas4 Kentucky5 Arizona6 LSU7 Ohio State8 North Carolina9 Seton Hall10 St. John's11 UCLA12 Kansas13 1991 men Oklahoma State Cowboys Oklahoma State14 1991 men Utah Utes Utah15 Connecticut16 Georgetown17 Alabama18 DePaul19 Oklahoma20 Michigan21 Iowa22 Wake Forest23 Georgia Tech24 1991 men Arizona State Sun Devils Arizona State25 Louisville UPI CoachesRankingTeam1 Duke2 Indiana3 Arkansas4 North Carolina5 Ohio State6 LSU7 Arizona8 Kentucky9 Seton Hall 10 St. John's 11 UCLA12 1991 men Oklahoma State Cowboys Oklahoma State 13 Kansas 14 Georgetown15 Connecticut16 Alabama17 1991 men Utah Utes Utah18 Wake Forest19 Michigan20 Iowa21 Oklahoma22 1991 men Arizona State Sun Devils Arizona State23 DePaul24 Georgia Tech25 Texas
Conference membership changes
SchoolFormer conferenceNew conference Alabama Birmingham Alabama–Birmingham (UAB) Blazers Sun Belt Conference Great Midwest Conference Arkansas Arkansas Razorbacks Southwest Conference Southeastern Conference Arkansas-Little Rock Arkansas-Little Rock Trojans Trans America Athletic Conference Sun Belt Conference Arkansas State Arkansas State Red Wolves American South Conference Sun Belt Conference Augusta State Augusta State Jaguars Big South Conference Peach Belt Conference (D-II) Brooklyn Brooklyn Bulldogs NCAA Division I independent East Coast Conference Buffalo Buffalo Bulls NCAA Division III independent East Coast Conference Central Florida Central Florida (UCF) Knights American South Conference Sun Belt Conference Charleston College of Charleston Cougars NAIA independent NCAA Division I independent Charlotte UNC Charlotte 49ers Sun Belt Conference Metro Conference Cincinnati Cincinnati Bearcats Metro Conference Great Midwest Conference Delaware Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens East Coast Conference North Atlantic Conference DePaul DePaul Blue Demons NCAA Division I independent Great Midwest Conference Drexel Drexel Dragons East Coast Conference North Atlantic Conference Florida International Florida International Panthers NCAA Division I independent Trans America Athletic Conference Florida State Florida State Seminoles Metro Conference Atlantic Coast Conference Greensboro UNC Greensboro Spartans NCAA Division II independent NCAA Division I independent Lamar Lamar Cardinals American South Conference Sun Belt Conference Liberty Liberty Flames NCAA Division I independent Big South Conference Louisiana Tech Louisiana Tech Bulldogs American South Conference Sun Belt Conference Marquette Marquette Warriors Midwestern Collegiate Conference Great Midwest Conference Memphis State Memphis State Tigers Metro Conference Great Midwest Conference Miami Miami (Fla.) Hurricanes NCAA Division I independent Big East Conference Navy Navy Midshipmen Colonial Athletic Association Patriot League New Orleans New Orleans Privateers American South Conference Sun Belt Conference Nicholls State Nicholls State Colonels NCAA Division I independent Southland Conference Northern Iowa Northern Iowa Panthers Mid-Continent Conference Missouri Valley Conference Old Dominion Old Dominion Monarchs Sun Belt Conference Colonial Athletic Association Penn State Penn State Nittany Lions Atlantic 10 Conference NCAA Division I independent Sacramento State Sacramento State Hornets NCAA Division II independent NCAA Division I independent Saint Louis Saint Louis Billikens Midwestern Collegiate Conference Great Midwest Conference South Carolina South Carolina Gamecocks Metro Conference Southeastern Conference South Florida South Florida Bulls Sun Belt Conference Metro Conference Southeast Missouri State Southeast Missouri State Redhawks MIAA (D-II) Ohio Valley Conference Southeastern Louisiana Southeastern Louisiana Lions NCAA Division I independent Trans America Athletic Conference Southwestern Louisiana Southwestern Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns American South Conference Sun Belt Conference Texas Pan American Texas–Pan American Broncs American South Conference Sun Belt Conference Texas San Antonio Texas–San Antonio (UTSA) Roadrunners Trans America Athletic Conference Southland Conference United States International US International Gulls NCAA Division I independent Discontinued athletic programs Virginia Commonwealth Virginia Commonwealth (VCU) Rams Sun Belt Conference Metro Conference Wright State Wright State Raiders NCAA Division I independent Mid-Continent Conference
Regular season
Conferences
Conference winners and tournaments
ConferenceRegular season first placeConference player of the yearConference Coach of the YearConference tournamentTournament venue (city)Tournament winner Atlantic 10 Conference UMass Harper Williams, UMass Al Skinner, Rhode Island 1992 Atlantic 10 men's basketball tournament McGonigle Hall & The PalestraPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania;Curry Hicks CageAmherst, Massachusetts UMass Atlantic Coast Conference Duke Christian Laettner, Duke Pat Kennedy, Florida State 1992 ACC men's basketball tournament Charlotte ColiseumCharlotte, North Carolina Duke Big East Conference Georgetown, St. John's, & Seton Hall Alonzo Mourning, Georgetown John Thompson, Georgetown 1992 Big East men's basketball tournament Madison Square GardenNew York, New York Syracuse Big Eight Conference Kansas Anthony Peeler, Missouri Roy Williams, Kansas 1992 Big Eight Conference men's basketball tournament Kemper ArenaKansas City, Missouri Kansas Big Sky Conference Montana Kevin Soares, Nevada, & Delvon Anderson, Montana Blaine Taylor, Montana 1992 Big Sky Conference men's basketball tournament Dahlberg ArenaMissoula, Montana Montana Big South Conference Radford Tony Dunkin, Coastal Carolina Ron Bradley, Radford 1992 Big South Conference men's basketball tournament Civic Center of AndersonAnderson, South Carolina Campbell Big Ten Conference Ohio State Jim Jackson, Ohio State Randy Ayers, Ohio StateNo Tournament Big West Conference UNLV Lucius Davis, UC Santa Barbara Jerry Pimm, UC Santa Barbara, & Jerry Tarkanian, UNLV 1992 Big West Conference men's basketball tournament Long Beach ArenaLong Beach, California New Mexico State Colonial Athletic Association James Madison & Richmond Curtis Blair, Richmond Lefty Driesell, James Madison 1992 CAA men's basketball tournament Richmond ColiseumRichmond, Virginia Old Dominion East Coast Conference Hofstra Terrance Jacobs, Towson State 1992 East Coast Conference men's basketball tournament RAC ArenaCatonsville, Maryland Towson State Great Midwest Conference Cincinnati & DePaul Penny Hardaway, Memphis State 1992 Great Midwest Conference men's basketball tournament Chicago StadiumChicago, Illinois Cincinnati Ivy League Princeton Sean Jackson, Princeton Not namedNo Tournament Metro Conference Tulane Clarence Weatherspoon, Southern Miss Perry Clark, Tulane 1992 Metro Conference men's basketball tournament Freedom HallLouisville, Kentucky UNC Charlotte Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Manhattan Randy Woods, La Salle Steve Lappas, Manhattan 1992 MAAC men's basketball tournament Knickerbocker ArenaAlbany, New York La Salle Mid-American Conference Miami (OH) Lewis Geter, Ohio Bob Donewald, Western Michigan 1992 MAC men's basketball tournament Cobo ArenaDetroit, Michigan Miami (OH) Mid-Continent Conference Wisconsin–Green Bay Tony Bennett, Wisconsin–Green Bay Dick Bennett, Wisconsin–Green Bay 1992 Mid-Continent Conference men's basketball tournament CSU Convocation CenterCleveland, Ohio Eastern Illinois Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Howard & North Carolina A&T DeLon Turner, Florida A&M Butch Beard, Howard 1992 MEAC men's basketball tournament Norfolk ScopeNorfolk, Virginia Howard Midwestern Collegiate Conference Evansville Parrish Casebier, Evansville Jim Crews, Evansville 1992 Midwestern Collegiate Conference men's basketball tournament Riverfront ColiseumCincinnati, Ohio Evansville Missouri Valley Conference Illinois State & Southern Illinois Ashraf Amaya, Southern Illinois Bob Bender, Illinois State 1992 Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball tournament St. Louis ArenaSt. Louis, Missouri Southwest Missouri State North Atlantic Conference Delaware Kevin Roberson, Vermont Steve Steinwedel, Delaware 1992 North Atlantic Conference men's basketball tournament Delaware Field House, Newark, Delaware Delaware Northeast Conference Robert Morris Myron Walker, Robert Morris Tim Capstraw, Wagner 1992 Northeast Conference men's basketball tournament Charles L. Sewall CenterMoon Township, Pennsylvania Robert Morris Ohio Valley Conference Murray State Brett Roberts, Morehead State Scott Edgar, Murray State 1992 Ohio Valley Conference men's basketball tournament Rupp ArenaLexington, Kentucky Murray State Pacific-10 Conference UCLA Harold Miner, USC George Raveling, USCNo Tournament Patriot League Bucknell & Fordham Patrick King, Bucknell Jack Bruen, Colgate 1992 Patriot League men's basketball tournament Stabler ArenaBethlehem, Pennsylvania Fordham Southeastern Conference Kentucky (East)Arkansas (West) Shaquille O'Neal, LSU Lon Kruger, Florida 1992 SEC men's basketball tournament Birmingham-Jefferson Convention ComplexBirmingham, Alabama Kentucky Southern Conference Chattanooga & East Tennessee State Terry Boyd, Western Carolina, & Keith Nelson, Chattanooga Mack McCarthy, Chattanooga 1992 Southern Conference men's basketball tournament Asheville Civic CenterAsheville, North Carolina East Tennessee State Southland Conference Texas–San Antonio Ryan Stuart, Northeast Louisiana Rickey Broussard, Nicholls State 1992 Southland Conference men's basketball tournament Convocation CenterSan Antonio, Texas Northeast Louisiana Southwest Conference Houston & Texas Will Flemons, Texas Tech James Dickey, Texas Tech, & Pat Foster, Houston 1992 Southwest Conference men's basketball tournament Reunion ArenaDallas, Texas Houston Southwestern Athletic Conference Mississippi Valley State & Texas Southern Steve Rogers, Alabama State Lafayette Stribling, Mississippi Valley State 1992 SWAC men's basketball tournament Riverside CentroplexBaton Rouge, Louisiana Mississippi Valley State Sun Belt Conference Louisiana Tech & Southwestern Louisiana Ron Ellis, Louisiana Tech Marty Fletcher, Louisiana Tech 1992 Sun Belt Conference men's basketball tournament Mississippi Coast ColiseumBiloxi, Mississippi Southwestern Louisiana Trans America Athletic Conference Georgia Southern Tony Windless, Georgia Southern Frank Kerns, Georgia Southern 1992 TAAC men's basketball tournament Hanner FieldhouseStatesboro, Georgia Georgia Southern West Coast Athletic Conference Pepperdine Doug Christie, Pepperdine Tom Asbury, Pepperdine 1992 West Coast Conference men's basketball tournament Chiles CenterPortland, Oregon Pepperdine Western Athletic Conference BYU & UTEP Reggie Slater, Wyoming Roger Reid, BYU 1992 WAC men's basketball tournament Moby ArenaFort Collins, Colorado BYU
Conference standings
Division I independents
A total of 12 college teams played as Division I independents. Among them, UMKC (21–7) had the best winning percentage (.750), and UMKC and Penn State (21–8) had the most wins.https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/conferences/independent/men/1992.html Sports Reference 1991-92 Men's Independent Season Summary August 28, 2024
Informal championships
ConferenceRegular season winnerMost Valuable PlayerPhiladelphia Big 5 La Salle, Penn, Saint Joseph's, Temple, & Villanova Randy Woods, La Salle
For the first time since its first season of competition in the 1955–56 season, the Philadelphia Big 5 did not play a full round-robin schedule in which each team met each other team once. Instead, each team played only two games against other Big 5 members, and all five teams finished with 1–1 records in head-to-head competition among the Big 5. The Big 5 did not revive its full round-robin schedule until the 1999–2000 season.
Statistical leaders
Points per game Rebounds per game Assists per game Blocked shots per game Player School PPG Player School RPG Player School APG Player School BPG Brett Roberts Morehead State 28.1 Popeye Jones Murray State 14.4 Van Usher Tennessee Tech 8.8 Shaquille O'Neal LSU 5.2 Vin Baker Hartford 27.6 Shaquille O'Neal LSU 14.0 Sam Crawford New Mexico State 8.5 Alonzo Mourning Georgetown 5.0 Alphonso Ford Mississippi Valley State 27.5 Tim Burroughs Jacksonville 13.2 Orlando Smart San Francisco 8.3 Kevin Roberson Vermont 5.0 Randy Woods La Salle 27.3 Adam Keefe Stanford 12.2 Kevin Soares Nevada 7.8 Acie Earl Iowa 4.0 Steve Rogers Alabama State 27.3 Leonard White Southern 12.2 Chuck Evans Mississippi State 7.8 Vin Baker Hartford 3.7
Postseason tournaments
NCAA Tournament
1992 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament
Final Four - Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota
National semifinals National championship game
E1
Duke
81
W2
Indiana
78
S6
Michigan#
76
M4
Cincinnati
72
E1
Duke
71
S6
Michigan#
51
# signifies Michigan's final two games, in the 1992 Final Four, were vacated on November 7, 2002, as part of the settlement of the University of Michigan basketball scandal. Unlike forfeiture, a vacated game does not result in the other school being credited with a win, only with the removal of any Michigan wins from all records.
National Invitation Tournament
1992 National Invitation Tournament
NIT Semifinals and Final
Semifinals Finals
Florida
56
Virginia
62
Notre Dame
58
Utah
55
Virginia
81OT
Notre Dame
76
Third place game Florida 78 Utah 81
Award winners
Consensus All-American teams
1992 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans
+ Consensus First Team Player Position Class Team Jimmy Jackson G/F Junior Ohio State Christian Laettner F Senior Duke Harold Miner G Junior Southern California Alonzo Mourning C Senior Georgetown Shaquille O'Neal C Junior LSU
+ Consensus Second Team Player Position Class Team Byron Houston F Senior Oklahoma State Don MacLean F Senior UCLA Anthony Peeler G Senior Missouri Malik Sealy G/F Senior St. John's Walt Williams G Senior Maryland
Major player of the year awards
Wooden Award: Christian Laettner, Duke
Naismith Award: Christian Laettner, Duke
Associated Press Player of the Year: Christian Laettner, Duke
UPI Player of the Year: Jim Jackson, Ohio State
NABC Player of the Year: Christian Laettner, Duke
Oscar Robertson Trophy (USBWA): Christian Laettner, Duke
Adolph Rupp Trophy: Christian Laettner, Duke
Sporting News Player of the Year: Christian Laettner, Duke
Major coach of the year awards
Associated Press Coach of the Year: Roy Williams, Kansas
UPI Coach of the Year: Perry Clark, Tulane
Henry Iba Award (USBWA): Perry Clark, Tulane
NABC Coach of the Year: George Raveling, USC
Naismith College Coach of the Year: Mike Krzyzewski, Duke
CBS/Chevrolet Coach of the Year: George Raveling, USC
Sporting News Coach of the Year: Mike Krzyzewski, Duke
Other major awards
Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award (Best player under 6'0): Tony Bennett, Wisconsin-Green Bay
Robert V. Geasey Trophy (Top player in Philadelphia Big 5): Randy Woods, La Salle
NIT/Haggerty Award (Top player in New York City metro area): Malik Sealy, St. John's
USBWA National Freshman of the Year: Chris Webber, Michigan
Coaching changes
A number of teams changed coaches during the season and after it ended.
TeamFormerCoachInterimCoachNewCoachReasonAlabamaWimp SandersonDavid Hobbs Sanderson resigned after the season after having an affair with his secretary. Alabama elevated Hobbs from assistant to head coach.BaylorGene IbaDarrel Johnson Iba's contract was not renewed. Johnson was hired after winning back to back NAIA national championships for Oklahoma City.Cal State FullertonJohn SneedBrad Holland Holland was hired from the UCLA coaching staff.CanisiusMarty MarbachJohn Beilein The CitadelRandy NesbitPat Dennis Eastern KentuckyMike PollioMike Calhoun Kent StateJohn McDonaldDave Grube Loyola MarymountJay HillockJohn Olive Olive was hired from the Villanova coaching staff.ManhattanSteve LappasFran FraschillaLappas left for Villanova and Providence assistant Fraschilla replaced him.Manhattan hires Fraschilla https://www.nytimes.com/1992/05/04/sports/pro-basketball-manhattan-hires-fraschilla.html May 4, 1992 New York Times May 8, 2021Maryland Eastern ShoreBob HopkinsBob WilkersonRob ChavezNavyPete HerrmannDon DeVoe Herrmann was left go after the season and joined the Kansas State coaching staff.New HampshireJim BoylanGib Chapman Chapman was hired as athletic director in 1989 and stepped in to be head coach to save costs for school.Ole MissEd MurphyRob Evans Evans was hired from the Oklahoma State coaching staff.OregonDon MonsonJerry Green Green was hired from the Kansas coaching staff.RiceScott ThompsonWillis Wilson Thompson left to coach Wichita State. Wilson was hired from the Stanford coaching staff.Sacramento StateJoseph AndersDon Newman Newman was hired from the Washington State coaching staff.Saint Francis (PA)Jim BaronTom McConnell Baron left to coach St. Bonaventure.Saint LouisRich GrawerCharlie SpoonhourSan Diego StateJim BrandenburgJim Harrick Jr.Tom Fuller Brandenburg was fired in the middle of the season after a 2–19 start. Harrick Jr. came on and finished the season 0–7. Fuller was hired from the UCLA coaching staff.Santa ClaraCarroll WilliamsDick Davey Williams was promoted to athletic director after 22 years at Santa Clara. Davey was promoted to head coach after being Williams assistant for 15 years.Southeastern LouisianaDon WilsonNorm Picou Southwest Missouri StateCharlie SpoonhourMark Bernsen Spoonhour left to coach Saint Louis.Southern UtahNeil RobertsBill Evans Roberts resigned midseason after allegations of stealing a necktie.St. BonaventureTom ChapmanJim Baron St. John'sLou CarneseccaBrian MahoneyCarnesecca retired after 27 years and assistant Mahoney replaced him.Muscatine Alison Carnesecca of St. John's announces retirement https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1992/04/14/carnesecca-of-st-johns-announces-retirement/e2d5b9d2-6c22-4a23-b851-463ee2cfe615/ April 14, 1992 The Washington Post May 8, 2021Texas–Rio Grande ValleyKevin WallMark Adams Adams was hired from Division II West Texas A&MUNLVJerry TarkanianRollie MassiminoTarkanian left to coach the San Antonio Spurs and Massimino replaced him.UT ArlingtonMark NixonEddie McCarter VillanovaRollie MassiminoSteve LappasMassimino left to coach UNLV and Lappas replaced him.Western IllinoisJack MargenthalerJim Kerwin Kerwin was hired from the Kansas State staff.Wichita StateMike CohenScott Thompson WinthropSteve VacendakDan Kenney WisconsinSteve YoderStu Jackson Yoder was forced to resign after the end of the season.
References
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