# 1959–60 NCAA University Division men's basketball season

The 1959–60 NCAA University Division men's basketball season began in December 1959, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 1960 NCAA University Division basketball tournament championship game on March 19, 1960, at the Cow Palace in Daly City, California. The Ohio State Buckeyes won their first NCAA national championship with a 75–55 victory over the California Golden Bears.

## Season headlines

* The Athletic Association of Western Universities (AAWU) began play. It was renamed the Pacific-8 Conference in 1968, the Pacific-10 Conference in 1978, and the Pac-12 Conference in 2011.

## Season outlook
### Pre-season polls

The Top 20 from the AP Poll and the UPI Coaches Poll during the pre-season.
Associated Press :
| Ranking | Team |
| 1 | Cincinnati |
| 2 | West Virginia |
| 3 | Ohio State |
| 4 | California |
| 5 | Bradley |
| 6 | Utah |
| 7 | Saint Louis |
| 8 | Georgia Tech |
| 9 | Indiana |
| 10 | Illinois |
| 11 | Michigan State |
| 12 | NYU |
| 13 | Kentucky |
| 14 | La Salle |
| 15 | Villanova |
| 16 | Duke |
| 17 | Detroit |
| 18 | Texas A&M |
| 19 | Iowa |
| 20 | USC |
UPI Coaches :
| Ranking | Team |
| 1 | Cincinnati |
| 2 | California |
| 3 | West Virginia |
| 4 | Ohio State |
| 5 | North Carolina |
| 6 | Kentucky |
| 7 | Saint Louis |
| 8 | Indiana |
| 9 | Kansas |
| 10 | Utah |
| 11 | Saint Joseph's |
| 12 | Bradley |
| 13 | Louisville |
| 14 | Kansas State |
| 15 (tie) | USC |
| 15 (tie) | Georgia Tech |
| 17 | Wake Forest |
| 18 (tie) | St. John's |
| 18 (tie) | Villanova |
| 20 (tie) | NC State |
| 20 (tie) | UCLA |

## Conference membership changes

| School | Former conference | New conference |
| California Golden Bears | Pacific Coast Conference | Athletic Association of Western Universities |
| UCLA Bruins | Pacific Coast Conference | Athletic Association of Western Universities |
| Idaho Vandals | Pacific Coast Conference | NCAA University Division independent |
| Oregon Ducks | Pacific Coast Conference | NCAA University Division independent |
| Oregon State Beavers | Pacific Coast Conference | NCAA University Division independent |
| USC Trojans | Pacific Coast Conference | Athletic Association of Western Universities |
| Stanford Cardinal | Pacific Coast Conference | Athletic Association of Western Universities |
| Washington Huskies | Pacific Coast Conference | Athletic Association of Western Universities |
| Washington and Lee Generals | NCAA University Division independent | non-University Division |
| Washington State Cougars | Pacific Coast Conference | NCAA University Division independent |

## 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 | California | None selected | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Atlantic Coast Conference | North Carolina | Lee Shaffer, North Carolina | 1960 ACC men's basketball tournament | Reynolds Coliseum (Raleigh, North Carolina) | Duke |
| Big Eight Conference | Kansas & Kansas State | None selected | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Big Ten Conference | Ohio State | None selected | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Border Conference | New Mexico State | | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Ivy League | Princeton | None selected | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Metropolitan New York Conference | NYU | | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Mid-American Conference | Ohio | None selected | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Middle Atlantic Conference | Saint Joseph's | | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Missouri Valley Conference | Cincinnati | None selected | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Mountain States (Skyline) Conference | Utah | | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Ohio Valley Conference | Western Kentucky State | None selected | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Southeastern Conference | Auburn | None selected | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Southern Conference | Virginia Tech | Jerry West, West Virginia | 1960 Southern Conference men's basketball tournament | Richmond Arena (Richmond, Virginia) | West Virginia |
| Southwest Conference | Texas | Jay Arnette, Texas | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| West Coast Athletic Conference | Santa Clara | Jerry Grote, Loyola (Calif.) | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Yankee Conference | Connecticut | None selected | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |

#### Conference standings

1959–60 AAWU Conference men's basketball standings :
| 1959–60 AAWU Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT No. 2 California11–1 .91728–2  .933 UCLA7–5 .58314–12  .538 USC5–7 .41716–11  .593 Stanford4–7 .36411–14  .440 Washington2–9 .18215–13  .536 Rankings from AP Poll | 1959–60 ACC men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT North Carolina12–2 .85718–6  .750 No. 19 Wake Forest12–2 .85721–7  .750 Maryland9–5 .64315–8  .652 No. 18 Duke †7–7 .50017–11  .607 South Carolina6–8 .42910–16  .385 NC State5–9 .35711–15  .423 Clemson4–10 .28610–16  .385 Virginia1–13 .0716–18  .250 † 1960 ACC tournament winner Rankings from AP Poll | 1959–60 Big Eight Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Kansas10–4 .71419–9  .679 Kansas State10–4 .71416–10  .615 Oklahoma9–5 .64314–11  .560 Colorado7–7 .50013–11  .542 Iowa State7–7 .50015–9  .625 Missouri5–9 .35712–13  .480 Oklahoma State4–10 .28610–15  .400 Nebraska4–10 .2867–17  .292 Rankings from AP Poll |
| 1959–60 Big Ten Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT No. 3 Ohio State13–1 .92925–3  .893 No. 7 Indiana11–3 .78620–4  .833 Illinois8–6 .57116–7  .696 Minnesota8–6 .57112–12  .500 Northwestern8–6 .57111–12  .478 Iowa6–8 .42914–10  .583 Purdue6–8 .42911–12  .478 Michigan State5–9 .35710–11  .476 Wisconsin4–10 .2868–16  .333 Michigan1–13 .0714–20  .167 Rankings from AP Poll | 1959–60 Border Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT New Mexico A&M8–2 .80020–7  .741 Arizona State–Tempe7–3 .70016–7  .696 West Texas State7–3 .70011–9  .550 Arizona4–6 .40010–14  .417 Hardin–Simmons3–7 .3008–18  .308 Texas Western1–9 .1006–19  .240 Rankings from AP Poll | 1959–60 Ivy League men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Princeton11–3 .78615–9  .625 Dartmouth10–4 .71414–9  .609 Cornell8–6 .57113–10  .565 Pennsylvania8–6 .57114–11  .560 Brown8–6 .57113–12  .520 Harvard6–8 .42912–11  .522 Yale3–11 .2146–17  .261 Columbia2–12 .1439–14  .391 Rankings from AP Poll |
| 1959–60 Metropolitan New York Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT No. 12 NYU4–0 1.00022–5  .815 No. 20 St. John's5–1 .83317–8  .680 St. Francis (NY)2–1 .66713–8  .619 Manhattan2–2 .50013–11  .542 Fordham1–3 .2508–18  .308 CCNY1–5 .1674–14  .222 Brooklyn0–3 .0005–13  .278 Rankings from AP Poll | 1959–60 Mid-American Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Ohio10–2 .83316–8  .667 Toledo9–3 .75018–6  .750 Bowling Green State6–6 .50010–14  .417 Miami (Ohio)6–6 .5008–16  .333 Western Michigan5–7 .41713–11  .542 Marshall4–8 .33310–13  .435 Kent State2–10 .1677–16  .304 Rankings from AP Poll | 1959–60 MAC men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT University Saint Joseph's*7–1 .87520–7  .741 La Salle6–1 .85716–6  .727 Temple9–2 .81817–9  .654 Gettysburg7–3 .70015–11  .577 Bucknell6–5 .54510–11  .476 Rutgers4–4 .50011–14  .440 Lafayette6–7 .46212–13  .480 Lehigh4–10 .2866–16  .273 Muhlenberg3–11 .2148–18  .308 Delaware1–9 .1007–16  .304 College–Northern Wagner10–0 1.000–  – Albright10–3 .76916–8  .667 Wilkes– –6–7  .462 Juniata– –5–12  .294 Elizabethtown– ––  – Lebanon Valley– ––  – Moravian– ––  – Stevens**– ––  – Hofstra– ––  – Susquehanna– ––  – Lycoming– ––  – Scranton– ––  – Upsala– ––  – College–Southern Drexel †10–4 .71412–7  .632 Pennsylvania Military10–7 .58812–8  .600 Ursinus– –9–6  .600 Haverford3–9 .2507–9  .438 Washington (MD)**– –10–9  .526 Franklin & Marshall– –3–14  .176 Johns Hopkins– ––  – Swarthmore– ––  – West Chester**– ––  – Western Maryland– ––  – Dickinson– ––  – † College Division playoff game winner * – University Division regular-season champion ** – Ineligible for championship |
| 1959–60 Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT No. 1 Cincinnati13–1 .92928–2  .933 No. 4 Bradley12–2 .85727–2  .931 No. 15 Saint Louis9–5 .64319–8  .704 Wichita Municipal6–8 .42914–12  .538 Houston6–8 .42913–12  .520 Tulsa5–9 .3579–17  .346 Drake4–10 .28611–14  .440 North Texas State1–13 .0717–19  .269 Rankings from AP Poll | 1959–60 Mountain States Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT No. 6 Utah13–1 .92926–3  .897 No. 8 Utah State12–2 .85724–5  .828 Colorado State10–4 .71413–10  .565 Denver8–6 .57113–11  .542 BYU5–9 .3578–17  .320 Montana3–11 .2147–17  .292 New Mexico3–11 .2146–19  .240 Wyoming2–12 .1435–19  .208 Rankings from AP Poll | 1959–60 Ohio Valley Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Western Kentucky State10–2 .83321–7  .750 Eastern Kentucky State9–3 .75014–8  .636 Tennessee Tech7–4 .63613–9  .591 Murray State7–4 .63612–11  .522 Morehead State3–7 .3005–14  .263 East Tennessee State2–10 .1679–14  .391 Middle Tennessee2–10 .1679–14  .391 Rankings from AP Poll |
| 1959–60 Southeastern Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT No. 11 Auburn12–2 .85719–3  .864 No. 13 Georgia Tech11–3 .78622–6  .786 Kentucky10–4 .71418–7  .720 Ole Miss8–6 .57115–9  .625 Tulane8–6 .57113–11  .542 Vanderbilt7–7 .50014–9  .609 Tennessee7–7 .50012–11  .522 Georgia6–8 .42912–13  .480 Mississippi State5–9 .35712–13  .480 Alabama4–10 .2867–17  .292 Florida3–11 .2146–16  .273 LSU3–11 .2145–18  .217 Rankings from AP Poll | 1959–60 Southern Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Virginia Tech12–1 .92320–6  .769 No. 5 West Virginia †9–2 .81826–5  .839 William & Mary10–5 .66715–11  .577 The Citadel8–4 .66715–8  .652 George Washington7–5 .58315–11  .577 Furman6–7 .4629–16  .360 VMI3–11 .2144–16  .200 Richmond2–12 .1437–18  .280 Davidson0–10 .0005–19  .208 † Southern Conference Tournament winner Rankings from AP Poll | 1959–60 Southwest Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Texas11–3 .78618–8  .692 Texas A&M10–4 .71419–5  .792 SMU10–4 .71417–7  .708 Arkansas7–7 .50012–11  .522 Texas Tech7–7 .50010–14  .417 Baylor6–8 .42912–12  .500 TCU4–10 .2867–17  .292 Rice1–13 .0714–20  .167 Rankings from AP Poll |
| 1959–60 West Coast Athletic Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Santa Clara†9–3 .75021–10  .677 Loyola (Calif.)9–3 .75019–8  .704 Pepperdine8–4 .66714–11  .560 Saint Mary's7–5 .58315–11  .577 San Francisco5–7 .4179–16  .360 Pacific2–10 .1679–17  .346 San Jose State– –6–19  .240 † Regular-season championship winner Rankings from AP Poll | 1959–60 Yankee Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Connecticut 8–2 .80017–9  .654 Maine 6–4 .60019–4  .826 Massachusetts 6–4 .60014–10  .583 Rhode Island 6–4 .60012–14  .462 Vermont 2–8 .2009–11  .450 New Hampshire 2–8 .2009–14  .391 |

### University Division independents

A total of 47 college teams played as University Division independents. Among them, Miami of Florida (23–4) had the best winning percentage (.852) and Providence (24–5) finished with the most wins.
1959–60 NCAA University Division men's basketball independents standings :
* 1959–60 NCAA University Division men's basketball independents standings
* vteConfOverall
* TeamW L PCTW L PCT
* No. 10 Miami (Fla.)– –23–4
* .852
* No. 14 Providence– –24–5
* .828
* Idaho State– –21–5
* .808
* No. 9 St. Bonaventure– –21–5
* .808
* Memphis State– –18–5
* .783
* No. 16 Holy Cross– –20–6
* .769
* No. 17 Villanova– –20–6
* .769
* Dayton– –21–7
* .750
* Detroit– –20–7
* .741
* Navy– –16–6
* .727
* Iona– –13–5
* .722
* DePaul– –17–7
* .708
* Seton Hall– –16–7
* .696
* Oregon– –19–10
* .655
* Notre Dame– –17–9
* .654
* Xavier– –17–9
* .654
* Syracuse– –13–8
* .619
* Seattle– –16–10
* .615
* Army– –14–9
* .609
* Saint Francis (Pa.)– –14–9
* .609
* Boston University– –14–10
* .583
* Butler– –15–11
* .577
* Louisville– –15–11
* .577
* Oregon State– –15–11
* .577
* Air Force– –12–10
* .545
* Creighton– –13–11
* .542
* Gonzaga– –14–12
* .538
* Marquette– –13–12
* .520
* Niagara– –13–12
* .520
* Centenary (La.)– –12–12
* .500
* Penn State– –11–11
* .500
* Washington State– –13–13
* .500
* Loyola (La.)– –12–13
* .480
* Oklahoma City– –12–13
* .480
* Colgate– –11–12
* .478
* Georgetown– –11–12
* .478
* Washington University– –11–13
* .458
* Loyola (Ill.)– –10–12
* .455
* Boston College– –11–14
* .440
* Montana State– –11–14
* .440
* Pittsburgh– –11–14
* .440
* Canisius– –10–13
* .435
* Idaho– –11–15
* .423
* Portland– –11–15
* .423
* Florida State– –10–15
* .400
* Duquesne– –8–15
* .348
* Siena– –3–18
* .143
* Rankings from AP Poll

### Informal championships

| Conference | Regular season winner | Most Valuable Player |
| Philadelphia Big 5 | Saint Joseph's & Villanova | Bill Kennedy, Temple |
Saint Joseph's and Villanova both finished with 3–1 records 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 | NYU | 54 | | | |
| ME | Ohio State | 76 | | | |
| ME | Ohio State | 76 | ME | Ohio State | 75 |
| | | | W | California | 55 |
| MW | Cincinnati | 69 | W | California | 55 |
| W | California | 77 | Third place | Third place | Third place |
| | | | E | NYU | 71 |
| | | | MW | Cincinnati | 95 |

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

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Finals | Finals |
| Utah State | 62 | | |
| Providence | 68 | | |
| Providence | 68 | Providence | 72 |
| | | Bradley | 88 |
| Bradley | 82 | Bradley | 88 |
| St. Bonaventure | 71 | Third place | Third place |
| | | Utah State | 99 |
| | | St. Bonaventure | 83 |

## Awards
### Consensus All-American teams

Consensus First Team :
| Player | Position | Class | Team |
| Darrall Imhoff | C | Senior | California |
| Jerry Lucas | F/C | Sophomore | Ohio State |
| Oscar Robertson | G | Senior | Cincinnati |
| Tom Stith | G/F | Junior | St. Bonaventure |
| Jerry West | G | Senior | West Virginia |
Consensus Second Team :
| Player | Position | Class | Team |
| Terry Dischinger | F | Sophomore | Purdue |
| Tony Jackson | G | Junior | St. John's |
| Roger Kaiser | G | Junior | Georgia Tech |
| Lee Shaffer | F | Senior | North Carolina |
| Len Wilkens | G | Senior | Providence |

### Major player of the year awards

* Helms Player of the Year: Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati
* UPI Player of the Year: Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati
* Oscar Robertson Trophy (USBWA): Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati
* Sporting News Player of the Year: Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati

### Major coach of the year awards

* Henry Iba Award: Pete Newell, California
* NABC Coach of the Year: Pete Newell, California
* UPI Coach of the Year: Pete Newell, California

### Other major awards

* Robert V. Geasey Trophy (Top player in Philadelphia Big 5): Bill Kennedy, Temple
* NIT/Haggerty Award (Top player in New York City metro area): Satch Sanders, NYU

## Coaching changes

A number of teams changed coaches during the season and after it ended.
| Team | Former Coach | Interim Coach | New Coach | Reason |
| Davidson | Tom Scott | | Lefty Driesell | |
| Georgetown | Tom Nolan | | Tommy O'Keefe | After four seasons, Nolan resigned to focus on his role as head coach of Georgetown's baseball team, a position he had assumed in 1959 and held until 1978. His assistant O'Keefe succeeded him. |