1994–95 NCAA Division I men's basketball season

The 1994–95 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began in November 1994 and concluded with the 64-team 1995 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, whose finals were held at the Kingdome in Seattle, Washington. The UCLA Bruins earned their eleventh national championship by defeating the Arkansas Razorbacks 89–78 on April 3, 1995. They were coached by Jim Harrick, and the NCAA Division I basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player was UCLA's Ed O'Bannon. In the 32-team 1995 National Invitation Tournament, the Virginia Tech Hokies defeated the Marquette Warriors at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Following the season, the 1995 NCAA Men's Basketball All-American Consensus First Team included Ed O'Bannon, Shawn Respert, Joe Smith, Jerry Stackhouse, and Damon Stoudamire. == Season headlines == The American West Conference began play, with four original members. On February 13, 1995, Connecticut became the first school ranked No. 1 in both men's and women's basketball at the same time. In the 1995 NCAA tournament, two former NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player award winners returned to the Final Four for the first time. They were 1993 winner Donald Williams of North Carolina and 1994 winner Corliss Williamson of Arkansas. Jim Harrick led the UCLA Bruins to their eleventh national championship, his first. The 1994–95 season was the last season of play for the Great Midwest Conference and the Metro Conference, which merged after the season to form Conference USA. == Pre-season polls == The top 25 from the pre-season AP Poll. == Conference membership changes == These schools joined new conferences for the 1994–95 season. == Regular season == === Conferences === ==== Conference winners and tournaments ==== Thirty conferences concluded their seasons with a single-elimination tournament, with only the Big Ten Conference, Ivy League. and Pac-10 Conference choosing not to conduct conference tournaments. Conference tournament winners, with the exception of those of the American West Conference, Big South Conference, Great Midwest Conference, and Mid-Continent Conference, received an automatic bid to the 1995 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. ==== Conference standings ==== === Division I independents === Two schools played as Division I independents. They had no postseason play. === Informal championships === For the fourth consecutive season, the Philadelphia Big 5 did not play a full round-robin schedule in which each team met each other team once, a format it had used from its first season of competition in 1955–56 through the 1990–91 season. Instead, each team played only two games against other Big 5 members, and Saint Joseph's and Temple both finished with 2–0 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 === Source for additional stats categories == Post-season tournaments == === NCAA tournament === ==== Final Four – Kingdome, Seattle, Washington ==== === National Invitation tournament === ==== Semifinals & finals ==== == Award winners == === Consensus All-American teams === === Major player of the year awards === Wooden Award: Ed O'Bannon, UCLA Naismith Award: Joe Smith, Maryland Associated Press Player of the Year: Joe Smith, Maryland NABC Player of the Year: Shawn Respert, Michigan State Oscar Robertson Trophy (USBWA): Ed O'Bannon, UCLA Adolph Rupp Trophy: Joe Smith, Maryland Sporting News Player of the Year: Shawn Respert, Michigan State UPI College Basketball Player of the Year: Joe Smith, Maryland === Major freshman of the year awards === USBWA Freshman of the Year: No Award Given === Major coach of the year awards === Associated Press Coach of the Year: Kelvin Sampson, Oklahoma Henry Iba Award (USBWA): Kelvin Sampson, Oklahoma NABC Coach of the Year: Jim Harrick, UCLA Naismith College Coach of the Year: Jim Harrick, UCLA Sporting News Coach of the Year: Jud Heathcote, Michigan State === Other major awards === NABC Defensive Player of the Year: Tim Duncan, Wake Forest Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award (Best player under 6'0): Tyus Edney, UCLA Robert V. Geasey Trophy (Top player in Philadelphia Big 5): Kerry Kittles, Villanova NIT/Haggerty Award (Top player in New York City metro area): Joe Griffin, Long Island == Coaching changes == A number of teams changed coaches during the season and after it ended. == References ==