1943–44 NCAA men's basketball season explained

Year:	1943
Tourney Start:	March 24
Nc Date:	28, 1944
Champ Stad:	Madison Square Garden
Champ City:	New York, New York
Champ:	Utah
Helmschamp:	Army
Nit Champ:	St. John's
Helmspoy:	George Mikan, DePaul

The 1943–44 NCAA men's basketball season began in December 1943, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 1944 NCAA basketball tournament championship game on March 28, 1944, at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. The Utah Redskins won their first NCAA national championship with a 42–40 victory over the Dartmouth Indians.

Season headlines

• The Metropolitan New York Conference and the Mountain States (or Skyline) Conference did not compete during the season. Their members played as independents.
• Two teams from the same conference took part in the NCAA tournament for the first time, when Iowa State and Missouri, both of the Big Six Conference, participated in the Western regionals of the 1944 NCAA tournament.^[1]
• Arkansas was selected for the 1944 NCAA tournament but was forced to withdraw after a March 1944 automobile accident injured two Razorbacks starters and killed a physical education teacher who traveled with the team as a coaching assistant.^{[2] [3]}
• Utah replaced Arkansas in the NCAA Tournament and became the first team to play in both the National Invitation Tournament and the NCAA tournament in the same season.
• Arnie Ferrin of Utah became the first freshman named NCAA tournament Most Outstanding Player.^[1]
• Army went undefeated (15–0), and the Helms Athletic Foundation selected Army rather than 1944 NCAA Tournament winner Utah as its national champion. It was the third time in history that the Helms champion differed from the NCAA champion.
• In 1995, the Premo-Porretta Power Poll retroactively selected Army as its national champion for the 1943–44 season.^[4]

Conference membership changes

School	Former conference	New conference
	Metropolitan New York Conference	Independent
	Metropolitan New York Conference	Independent
	Metropolitan New York Conference	Independent
	Independent	No athletic programs
	Eastern Intercollegiate Basketball League	Independent
	Metropolitan New York Conference	Independent
	Metropolitan New York Conference	Independent
	New England Conference	Independent
	Metropolitan New York Conference	Independent
	Metropolitan New York Conference	Independent
	Eastern Intercollegiate Basketball League	Independent

Regular season

Conferences

Conference winners and tournaments

Conference	Regular season winner^[5]	Conference player of the year	Conference tournament	Tournament venue (City)	Tournament winner
		None selected	No Tournament
		None selected	No Tournament
	&	None selected	No Tournament
		None selected	No Tournament
	Did not play as conference
		None selected	No Tournament
			No Tournament
			No Tournament
	Did not play as conference
		None selected		Jefferson County Armory, (Louisville, Kentucky)	Kentucky
		None selected		Thompson Gym (Raleigh,	Duke^[6]
		None selected	No Tournament

Conference standings

Major independents

A total of 61 college teams played as major independents. Army (15–0) was undefeated. (22–4), (22–4), (22–4), and Utah (22–4) finished with the most wins.^[7]

Statistical leaders

Post-season tournaments

NCAA tournament

See main article: 1944 NCAA basketball tournament and 1944 NCAA Basketball Championship Game.

Semifinals & finals

National Invitation tournament

See main article: 1944 National Invitation Tournament.

Semifinals & finals

• Third Place – Kentucky 45, Oklahoma A&M 29

Awards

Consensus All-American teams

See main article: 1944 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans.

Consensus First Team

Player	Position	Class	Team
Bob Brannum	C	Sophomore	Kentucky
Audley Brindley	F	Sophomore	Dartmouth
Otto Graham	F	Senior	Northwestern
Leo Klier	F	Junior	Notre Dame
Bob Kurland	C	Sophomore	Oklahoma A&M
George Mikan	C	Sophomore	DePaul
Allie Paine	G	Junior	Oklahoma

Consensus Second Team

Player	Position	Class	Team
Bob Dille	F	Sophomore	Valparaiso
Arnie Ferrin	F	Freshman	Utah
Don Grate	G	Junior	Ohio State
Dale Hall	F	Junior	Army
Bill Henry	C	Junior	Rice
Dick Triptow	G	Senior	DePaul

Major player of the year awards

• Helms Player of the Year: George Mikan, DePaul
• Sporting News Player of the Year

Dale Hall, Army

Other major awards

• NIT/Haggerty Award (Top player in New York City metro area): Dick McGuire, St. John's

Coaching changes

A number of teams changed coaches during the season and after it ended.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Playing Rules History . . . ncaa.org . NCAA . June 25, 2024 . 11.
2. Web site: Chipman . Kit . University of Utah 1944 NCAA Basketball Championship . Utah Communication History Encyclopedia . 30 April 2010 . 9 March 2020.
3. Book: Reed . William F. . A Barn Raising . April 1994 . Sports Illustrated . 8.
4. Book: ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia: The Complete History of the Men's Game. ESPN. ESPN Books. New York, NY. 2009. 526, 529–587. 978-0-345-51392-2.
5. News: 2009 NCAA Men's Basketball Record Book – Conferences Section. 2009. NCAA. 2009-02-14.
6. http://www.soconsports.com/fls/4000/socon/files/0809mbkguide/standingsandresults.pdf?SPSID=35819&SPID=1798&DB_OEM_ID=4000 2008–09 SoCon Men's Basketball Media Guide – Postseason Section
7. Web site: 1943-44 Men's Independent Season Summary . . August 4, 2024.