# 1963–64 NCAA University Division men's basketball season

The 1963–64 NCAA University Division men's basketball season began in December 1963, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 1964 NCAA University Division basketball tournament championship game on March 21, 1964, at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The UCLA Bruins won their first NCAA national championship with a 98–83 victory over the Duke Blue Devils.

## Season headlines

* The Big Sky Conference began play, with six members.

## Season outlook
### Pre-season polls

The Top 10 from the AP Poll and the Top 20 from the UPI Coaches Poll during the pre-season.
Associated Press :
| Ranking | Team |
| 1 | Loyola-Chicago |
| 2 | NYU |
| 3 | Cincinnati |
| 4 | Duke |
| 5 | Wichita |
| 6 | Arizona State |
| 7 | Ohio State |
| 8 | Michigan |
| 9 | Kentucky |
| 10 | Oregon State |
UPI Coaches :
| Ranking | Team |
| 1 | Loyola-Chicago |
| 2 | Cincinnati |
| 3 (tie) | Duke |
| 3 (tie) | NYU |
| 5 | Wichita |
| 6 | Arizona State |
| 7 | Ohio State |
| 8 | Michigan |
| 9 | Oregon State |
| 10 | Texas |
| 11 | Kentucky |
| 12 | Providence |
| 13 (tie) | San Francisco |
| 13 (tie) | UCLA |
| 15 | Villanova |
| 16 (tie) | Kansas State |
| 16 (tie) | Stanford |
| 18 | Minnesota |
| 19 | Oklahoma State |
| 20 | Bradley |

## Conference membership changes

| School | Former conference | New conference |
| Austin Peay Governors | non-NCAA University Division | Ohio Valley Conference |
| Fordham Rams | Metropolitan New York Conference | NCAA University Division independent |
| Gonzaga Bulldogs | NCAA University Division independent | Big Sky Conference |
| Idaho Vandals | NCAA University Division independent | Big Sky Conference |
| Idaho State Bengals | NCAA University Division independent | Big Sky Conference |
| Manhattan Jaspers | Metropolitan New York Conference | NCAA University Division independent |
| Montana Grizzlies | NCAA University Division independent | Big Sky Conference |
| Montana State Bobcats | NCAA University Division independent | Big Sky Conference |
| NYU Violets | Metropolitan New York Conference | NCAA University Division independent |
| St. Francis Terriers | Metropolitan New York Conference | NCAA University Division independent |
| St. John's Redmen | Metropolitan New York Conference | NCAA University Division independent |
| UC-Santa Barbara Gauchos | non-NCAA University Division | West Coast Athletic Conference |
| Washington State Cougars | NCAA University Division independent | Athletic Association of Western Universities |
| Weber State Wildcats | non-NCAA University Division | Big Sky Conference |

## Regular season
### Conferences
#### Conference winners and tournaments

| Conference | Regular season winner | Conference player of the year | Conference tournament | Tournament venue (City) | Tournament winner |
| Athletic Association of Western Universities | UCLA | None selected | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Atlantic Coast Conference | Duke | Jeff Mullins, Duke | 1964 ACC men's basketball tournament | Reynolds Coliseum (Raleigh, North Carolina) | Duke |
| Big Eight Conference | Kansas State | None selected | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Big Sky Conference | Montana State | None selected | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Big Ten Conference | Michigan & Ohio State | None selected | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Ivy League | Princeton | None selected | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Mid-American Conference | Ohio | None selected | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Middle Atlantic Conference | Temple | | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Missouri Valley Conference | Drake & Wichita | None selected | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Ohio Valley Conference | Murray State | Jim Jennings, Murray State | 1964 Ohio Valley Conference men's basketball tournament | Jefferson County Armory (Louisville, Kentucky) | Murray State |
| Southeastern Conference | Kentucky | None selected | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Southern Conference | Davidson | Fred Hetzel, Davidson | 1964 Southern Conference men's basketball tournament | Charlotte Coliseum (Charlotte, North Carolina) | VMI |
| Southwest Conference | Texas A&M | Bennie Lenox, Texas A&M | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| West Coast Athletic Conference | San Francisco | Ollie Johnson, San Francisco | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Western Athletic Conference | Arizona State & New Mexico | None selected | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Yankee Conference | Connecticut & Rhode Island | None selected | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |

#### Conference standings

1963–64 AAWU Conference men's basketball standings :
| 1963–64 AAWU Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT No. 1 UCLA15–0 1.00030–0  1.000 Stanford9–6 .60015–10  .600 California8–7 .53313–14  .481 USC6–9 .40010–16  .385 Washington5–10 .3339–17  .346 Washington State2–13 .1335–21  .192 Rankings from AP Poll | 1963–64 ACC men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT No. 3 Duke †13–1 .92926–5  .839 Wake Forest9–5 .64316–11  .593 Clemson8–6 .57113–12  .520 South Carolina7–7 .50010–14  .417 North Carolina6–8 .42912–12  .500 Maryland5–9 .3579–17  .346 Virginia4–10 .2868–16  .333 NC State4–10 .2868–11  .421 † 1964 ACC tournament winner Rankings from AP Poll | 1963–64 Big Eight Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Kansas State12–2 .85722–7  .759 Colorado9–5 .64315–10  .600 Kansas8–6 .57113–12  .520 Oklahoma State7–7 .50015–10  .600 Missouri7–7 .50013–11  .542 Iowa State5–9 .3579–16  .360 Nebraska5–9 .3577–18  .280 Oklahoma3–11 .2147–18  .280 Rankings from AP Poll |
| 1963–64 Big Sky men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Montana State8–2 .80016–9  .640 Weber State7–3 .70017–8  .680 Idaho State5–5 .50010–15  .400 Gonzaga5–5 .50011–13  .458 Idaho4–6 .4007–19  .269 Montana1–9 .1006–17  .261 | 1963–64 Big Ten Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT No. 2 Michigan11–3 .78623–5  .821 Ohio State11–3 .78616–8  .667 Minnesota10–4 .71417–7  .708 Michigan State8–6 .57114–10  .583 Purdue8–6 .57112–12  .500 Illinois6–8 .42913–11  .542 Northwestern6–8 .4298–13  .381 Indiana5–9 .3579–15  .375 Iowa3–11 .2148–15  .348 Wisconsin2–12 .1438–16  .333 Rankings from AP Poll | 1963–64 Ivy League men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Princeton12–2 .85720–9  .690 Yale11–3 .78616–8  .667 Pennsylvania10–4 .71414–10  .583 Cornell9–5 .64315–10  .600 Harvard6–8 .42912–10  .545 Columbia6–8 .42911–12  .478 Brown2–12 .1436–19  .240 Dartmouth0–14 .0002–23  .080 Rankings from AP Poll |
| 1963–64 Mid-American Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Ohio10–2 .83321–6  .778 Miami (Ohio)9–3 .75017–7  .708 Bowling Green State7–5 .58314–9  .609 Western Michigan6–6 .50010–14  .417 Kent State5–7 .41711–13  .458 Toledo4–8 .33313–11  .542 Marshall1–11 .0836–17  .261 Rankings from AP Poll | 1963–64 MAC men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Temple6–1 .85717–8  .680 Saint Joseph's5–1 .83318–10  .643 La Salle5–1 .83316–9  .640 Delaware4–3 .57113–10  .565 Lafayette4–4 .50015–8  .652 Gettysburg4–5 .44415–9  .625 Bucknell3–7 .3008–13  .381 Lehigh1–10 .0915–17  .227 Rankings from AP Poll | 1963–64 Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT No. 5 Wichita Municipal10–2 .83323–6  .793 Drake10–2 .83321–7  .750 Bradley7–5 .58323–6  .793 Cincinnati6–6 .50017–9  .654 Saint Louis6–6 .50013–12  .520 Tulsa2–10 .16710–15  .400 North Texas State1–11 .0837–17  .292 Rankings from AP Poll |
| 1963–64 Ohio Valley Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Murray State11–3 .78616–9  .640 Eastern Kentucky State9–5 .64315–9  .625 East Tennessee State8–6 .57112–10  .545 Austin Peay State7–7 .50014–9  .609 Tennessee Tech7–7 .50011–11  .500 Morehead State6–8 .42910–11  .476 Middle Tennessee5–9 .35711–10  .524 Western Kentucky State3–11 .2145–16  .238 Rankings from AP Poll | 1963–64 Southeastern Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT No. 4 Kentucky11–3 .78621–6  .778 Tennessee9–5 .64316–8  .667 Georgia Tech9–5 .64317–9  .654 Vanderbilt8–6 .57119–6  .760 LSU8–6 .57112–13  .480 Georgia8–6 .57112–14  .462 Alabama7–7 .50014–12  .538 Ole Miss7–7 .50010–12  .455 Florida6–8 .42912–10  .545 Auburn6–8 .42911–12  .478 Mississippi State4–10 .2869–17  .346 Tulane1–13 .0711–22  .043 Rankings from AP Poll | 1963–64 Southern Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT No. 10 Davidson9–2 .81822–4  .846 West Virginia11–3 .78618–10  .643 Virginia Tech7–3 .70016–7  .696 VMI †7–7 .50012–12  .500 Furman7–8 .46711–15  .423 George Washington5–7 .41711–15  .423 William & Mary5–9 .3579–13  .409 The Citadel4–8 .33311–10  .524 Richmond4–12 .2506–16  .273 † Southern Conference Tournament winner Rankings from AP Poll |
| 1963–64 Southwest Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Texas A&M13–1 .92918–7  .720 Texas Tech11–3 .78616–7  .696 Rice8–6 .57115–9  .625 Texas8–6 .57115–9  .625 SMU8–6 .57112–12  .500 Arkansas6–8 .4299–14  .391 Baylor2–12 .1437–17  .292 TCU0–14 .0004–20  .167 Rankings from AP Poll | 1963–64 West Coast Athletic Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT San Francisco12–0 1.00023–5  .821 Pacific7–5 .58315–11  .577 Loyola (Calif.)6–6 .50012–13  .480 San Jose State– –14–10  .583 Saint Mary's5–7 .4177–19  .269 Pepperdine3–9 .2506–19  .240 Santa Clara3–9 .2506–20  .231 UC Santa Barbara– –18–11  .621 Rankings from AP Poll |
| 1963–64 WAC men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT New Mexico7–3 .70023–6  .793 Arizona State7–3 .70016–11  .593 BYU5–5 .50013–12  .520 Utah4–6 .40019–9  .679 Arizona4–6 .40015–11  .577 Wyoming3–7 .30012–14  .462 Rankings from AP Poll | 1963–64 Yankee Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Rhode Island 8–2 .80019–8  .704 Connecticut 8–2 .80016–11  .593 Massachusetts 5–5 .50015–9  .625 Vermont 4–6 .40011–10  .524 Maine 3–7 .30012–11  .522 New Hampshire 2–8 .2008–15  .348 |

### University Division independents

A total of 54 college teams played as University Division independents. Among them, Texas Western (25–3) had the best winning percentage (.893), and Texas Western and Oregon State (25–4) finished with the most wins.
1963–64 NCAA University Division men's basketball independents standings :
* 1963–64 NCAA University Division men's basketball independents standings
* vteConfOverall
* TeamW L PCTW L PCT
* Texas Western– –25–3
* .893
* No. 6 Oregon State– –25–4
* .862
* No. 7 Villanova– –24–4
* .857
* No. 9 DePaul– –21–4
* .840
* No. 8 Loyola Chicago– –22–6
* .786
* Seattle– –22–6
* .786
* Providence– –20–6
* .769
* Creighton– –22–7
* .759
* Iona– –15–5
* .750
* Miami (FL)– –20–7
* .741
* Army– –19–7
* .731
* Utah State– –21–8
* .724
* Boston University– –16–7
* .696
* Duquesne– –16–7
* .696
* Penn State– –16–7
* .696
* Pittsburgh– –17–8
* .680
* Syracuse– –17–8
* .680
* Centenary– –16–8
* .667
* St. Bonaventure– –16–8
* .667
* Portland– –17–9
* .654
* Holy Cross– –15–8
* .652
* Colorado State– –16–9
* .640
* NYU– –17–10
* .630
* Houston– –16–10
* .615
* Xavier– –16–10
* .615
* Dayton– –15–10
* .600
* Georgetown– –15–10
* .600
* Louisville– –15–10
* .600
* West Texas State– –13–9
* .591
* Oklahoma City– –15–11
* .577
* Regis– –12–9
* .571
* Detroit– –14–11
* .560
* Memphis State– –14–11
* .560
* St. John's– –14–11
* .560
* Oregon– –14–11
* .560
* Seton Hall– –13–12
* .520
* Butler– –13–13
* .500
* Loyola (LA)– –12–12
* .500
* Manhattan– –11–11
* .500
* Air Force– –11–12
* .478
* Boston College– –10–11
* .476
* Navy– –10–12
* .455
* Fordham– –9–11
* .450
* Florida State– –11–14
* .440
* Canisius– –10–14
* .417
* Notre Dame– –10–14
* .417
* Saint Francis (PA)– –10–14
* .417
* Niagara– –8–12
* .400
* St. Francis (NY)– –10–16
* .385
* New Mexico State– –8–15
* .348
* Colgate– –7–16
* .304
* Denver– –6–20
* .231
* Rutgers– –5–17
* .227
* Marquette– –5–21
* .192
* Rankings from AP Poll

### Informal championships

| Conference | Regular season winner | Most Valuable Player |
| Philadelphia Big 5 | La Salle | Steve Courtin, Saint Joseph's, & Wali Jones, Villanova |
La Salle finished with a 3–1 record in head-to-head competition among the Philadelphia Big 5.

### Statistical leaders
## Post-season tournaments
### NCAA tournament
#### Final Four

| National semifinals | National semifinals | National semifinals | National finals | National finals | National finals |
| E | Duke | 91 | | | |
| ME | Michigan | 80 | | | |
| ME | Michigan | 80 | E | Duke | 83 |
| | | | W | UCLA | 98 |
| MW | Kansas State | 84 | W | UCLA | 98 |
| W | UCLA | 90 | Third place | Third place | Third place |
| | | | ME | Michigan | 100 |
| | | | MW | Kansas State | 90 |

### National Invitation tournament
#### Semifinals & finals

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Finals | Finals |
| Bradley | 67 | | |
| Army | 52 | | |
| Army | 52 | Bradley | 86 |
| | | New Mexico | 54 |
| New Mexico | 72 | New Mexico | 54 |
| NYU | 65 | Third place | Third place |
| | | Army | 60 |
| | | NYU | 59 |

## Awards
### Consensus All-American teams

Consensus First Team :
| Player | Position | Class | Team |
| Gary Bradds | F | Senior | Ohio State |
| Bill Bradley | F | Junior | Princeton |
| Walt Hazzard | G | Senior | UCLA |
| Cotton Nash | F | Senior | Kentucky |
| Dave Stallworth | F | Junior | Wichita |
Consensus Second Team :
| Player | Position | Class | Team |
| Ron Bonham | F | Senior | Cincinnati |
| Mel Counts | C | Senior | Oregon State |
| Fred Hetzel | F | Junior | Davidson |
| Jeff Mullins | G | Senior | Duke |
| Cazzie Russell | F | Sophomore | Michigan |

### Major player of the year awards

* Helms Player of the Year: Walt Hazzard, UCLA
* Associated Press Player of the Year: Gary Bradds, Ohio State
* UPI Player of the Year: Gary Bradds, Ohio State
* Oscar Robertson Trophy (USBWA): Walt Hazzard, UCLA
* Sporting News Player of the Year: Bill Bradley, Princeton

### Major coach of the year awards

* Henry Iba Award: John Wooden, UCLA
* NABC Coach of the Year: John Wooden, UCLA
* UPI Coach of the Year: John Wooden, UCLA
* Sporting News Coach of the Year: John Wooden, UCLA

### Other major awards

* Robert V. Geasey Trophy (Top player in Philadelphia Big 5): Steve Courtin, Saint Joseph's, & Wali Jones, Villanova
* NIT/Haggerty Award (Top player in New York City metro area): Nick Werkman, Seton Hall

## Coaching changes

A number of teams changed coaches during the season and after it ended.
| Team | Former Coach | Interim Coach | New Coach |
| Dayton | Tom Blackburn | | Don Donoher |
| Iowa | Sharm Scheuerman | | Ralph Miller |
| Marquette | Eddie Hickey | | Al McGuire |
| NC State | Everett Case | | Press Maravich |
| Oregon State | Slats Gill | | Paul Valenti |
| South Carolina | Chuck Noe | Dwane Morrison | Frank McGuire |
| Western Kentucky State | Edgar Diddle | | John Oldham |
| Wichita State | Ralph Miller | | Gary Thompson |