| Year: | 1959 |
| Teams: | 23 |
| Finalfourarena: | Freedom Hall |
| Finalfourcity: | Louisville, Kentucky |
| Champions: | California Golden Bears |
| Titlecount: | 1st |
| Champgamecount: | 1st |
| Champffcount: | 2nd |
| Runnerup: | West Virginia Mountaineers |
| Gamecount: | 1st |
| Runnerffcount: | 1st |
| Semifinal1: | Cincinnati Bearcats |
| Finalfourcount: | 1st |
| Semifinal2: | Louisville Cardinals |
| Finalfourcount2: | 1st |
| Coach: | Pete Newell |
| Coachcount: | 1st |
| Mop: | Jerry West |
| Mopteam: | West Virginia |
| Attendance: | 161,809 |
| Topscorer: | Jerry West |
| Topscorerteam: | West Virginia |
| Points: | 160 |
| Thirdplace: | Cincinnati Bearcats |
| Fourthplace: | Louisville Cardinals |
The 1959 NCAA University Division basketball tournament involved 23 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball in the United States. It began on March 7, 1959, and ended with the championship game on March 21 in Louisville, Kentucky. A total of 27 games were played, including a third place game in each region and a national third place game.
California, coached by Pete Newell, won the national title with a 71–70 victory in the final game over West Virginia, coached by Fred Schaus. Jerry West of West Virginia was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.
| Round | Region | Site | Venue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Round | East | New York, New York | Madison Square Garden | |
| Mideast | Lexington, Kentucky | Memorial Coliseum | ||
| Midwest | Portland, Oregon | Pacific International Livestock Exposition | ||
| West | Las Cruces, New Mexico | Las Cruces High School Gym | ||
| Regionals | East | Charlotte, North Carolina | Charlotte Coliseum | |
| Mideast | Evanston, Illinois | McGaw Memorial Hall | ||
| Midwest | Lawrence, Kansas | Allen Fieldhouse | ||
| West | San Francisco, California | Cow Palace | ||
| Final Four | Louisville, Kentucky | Freedom Hall | ||
| Region | Team | Coach | Conference | Finished | Final Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East | ||||||
| East | Independent | Regional Runner-up | West Virginia | L 86–82 | ||
| East | Hugh Greer | First round | Boston University | L 60–58 | ||
| East | First round | West Virginia | L 82–68 | |||
| East | Independent | Regional third place | Saint Joseph's | W 70–56 | ||
| East | First round | Navy | L 76–63 | |||
| East | Regional Fourth Place | Navy | L 70–56 | |||
| East | Runner Up | California | L 71–70 | |||
| Mideast | ||||||
| Mideast | First round | Marquette | L 89–71 | |||
| Mideast | First round | Louisville | L 77–63 | |||
| Mideast | Regional third place | Marquette | W 98–69 | |||
| Mideast | Independent | Fourth Place | Cincinnati | L 98–85 | ||
| Mideast | Independent | Regional Fourth Place | Kentucky | L 98–69 | ||
| Mideast | Regional Runner-up | Louisville | L 88–81 | |||
| Midwest | ||||||
| Midwest | Third Place | Louisville | W 98–85 | |||
| Midwest | Independent | Regional Fourth Place | TCU | L 71–65 | ||
| Midwest | Regional Runner-up | Cincinnati | L 85–75 | |||
| Midwest | Independent | First round | DePaul | L 57–56 | ||
| Midwest | Regional third place | DePaul | W 71–65 | |||
| West | ||||||
| West | Champion | West Virginia | W 71–70 | |||
| West | Independent | Regional third place | Utah | W 71–65 | ||
| West | First round | Idaho State | L 62–61 | |||
| West | Regional Runner-up | California | L 66–46 | |||
| West | Regional Fourth Place | Idaho State | L 71–65 | |||