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1944 NCAA basketball tournament

Edition of USA college basketball tournament


Edition of USA college basketball tournament

FieldValue
Year1944
Image1944 NCAA Program.png
CaptionChampionship game program
Teams8
FinalFourArenaMadison Square Garden
FinalFourCityNew York City, New York
Champions[Utah Redskins](1943-44-utah-redskins-men-s-basketball-team)
TitleCount1st
ChampGameCount1st
ChampFFCount1st
RunnerUp[Dartmouth Indians](1943-44-dartmouth-big-green-men-s-basketball-team)
GameCount2nd
RunnerFFCount2nd
Semifinal1[Iowa State Cyclones](1943-44-iowa-state-cyclones-men-s-basketball-team)
FinalFourCount1st
Semifinal2[Ohio State Buckeyes](1943-44-ohio-state-buckeyes-men-s-basketball-team)
FinalFourCount22nd
CoachVadal Peterson
CoachCount1st
MOPArnie Ferrin
MOPTeamUtah
Attendance59,369
TopScorerAudley Brindley
TopScorerTeamDartmouth
Points52

The 1944 NCAA basketball tournament involved eight schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of the 1943–44 NCAA men's basketball season. The 6th annual edition of the tournament began on March 24, 1944, and ended with the championship game on March 28, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. A total of nine games were played, including a third place game in each region.

Utah, coached by Vadal Peterson, won the national title with a 42–40 victory in the final game over Dartmouth, coached by Earl Brown. Arnie Ferrin of Utah was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. Utah became the third team to play in both the NIT and NCAA tournament in the same season. Utah was given a second chance to play in the NCAA Tournament after a March 1944 automobile accident killed a coaching aide and seriously injured two players on the Arkansas team.

Utah's winning team featured Wataru Misaka, who later joined the New York Knicks to become the first person of color (in his case, being an Asian-American by being of Japanese descent) to play in modern professional basketball.

Locations

The following are the sites selected to host each round of the 1944 tournament:

Regionals

;March 24 and 25 :East Regional, Madison Square Garden, New York, New York (Host: Metropolitan New York Conference) :West Regional, Municipal Auditorium, Kansas City, Missouri (Host: Missouri Valley Conference)

Championship Game

;March 28: :Madison Square Garden, New York, New York (Host: Metropolitan New York Conference)

Teams

RegionTeamCoachConferenceFinishedFinal OpponentScoreEastWest
EastCatholicJohn LongIndependentRegional Fourth PlaceTempleL 55–35
EastDartmouthEarl BrownEIBLRunner Up[Utah](1943-44-utah-redskins-men-s-basketball-team)L 42–40
EastOhio StateHarold OlsenBig TenNational SemifinalsDartmouthL 60–53
EastTempleJosh CodyMiddle AtlanticRegional third placeCatholicW 55–35
West[Iowa State](1943-44-iowa-state-cyclones-men-s-basketball-team)Louis MenzeBig SixNational Semifinals[Utah](1943-44-utah-redskins-men-s-basketball-team)L 40–31
WestMissouriGeorge R. EdwardsBig SixRegional third placePepperdineW 61–46
WestPepperdineAl DuerIndependentRegional Fourth PlaceMissouriL 61–46
West[Utah](1943-44-utah-redskins-men-s-basketball-team)Vadal PetersonSkyline**Champion***DartmouthW 42–40OT

Bracket

| RD1-seed1= | RD1-team1=Dartmouth | RD1-score1=63 | RD1-seed2= | RD1-team2=Catholic | RD1-score2=38 | RD1-seed3= | RD1-team3=Ohio State | RD1-score3=57 | RD1-seed4= | RD1-team4=Temple | RD1-score4=47 | RD1-seed5= | RD1-team5=Iowa State | RD1-score5=44 | RD1-seed6= | RD1-team6=Pepperdine | RD1-score6=39 | RD1-seed7= | RD1-team7=Utah | RD1-score7=45 | RD1-seed8= | RD1-team8=Missouri | RD1-score8=35 | RD2-seed1= | RD2-team1=Dartmouth | RD2-score1=60 | RD2-seed2= | RD2-team2=Ohio State | RD2-score2=53 | RD2-seed3= | RD2-team3=Iowa State | RD2-score3=31 | RD2-seed4= | RD2-team4=Utah | RD2-score4=40 | RD3-seed1= | RD3-team1=Dartmouth | RD3-score1=40 | RD3-seed2= | RD3-team2=Utah | RD3-score2=42OT

Regional third place

| RD1-seed1= | RD1-team1=Catholic | RD1-score1=35 | RD1-seed2= | RD1-team2=Temple | RD1-score2=55 | RD1-seed1= | RD1-team1=Pepperdine | RD1-score1=46 | RD1-seed2= | RD1-team2=Missouri | RD1-score2=61

References

References

  1. Chipman, Kit. (April 30, 2010). "University of Utah 1944 National Basketball Championship". University of Utah Department of Communication.
  2. "New York Times".
  3. "1944 NCAA basketball tournament". College Basketball Reference.
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