# 1945–46 NCAA men's basketball season

The 1945–46 NCAA men's basketball season began in December 1945, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 1946 NCAA basketball tournament championship game on March 26, 1946, at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. The Oklahoma A&M Aggies won their second NCAA national championship with a 43–40 victory over the North Carolina Tar Heels.

## Season headlines

* The Middle Atlantic States Conference North began play, with five original members.
* The New England Conference disbanded at the end of the season.
* The 1946 NCAA tournament was the first NCAA tournament in which four teams (California, North Carolina, Ohio State, and Oklahoma A&M) advanced to the finals site. However, they advanced from two regional sites, so the NCAA does not consider the first "true" Final Four to have occurred until the 1952 tournament, when the four teams advanced from four separate regional sites.
* The NCAA tournament began holding a national third-place game between the teams which lost in the semifinals. The national third-place game continued through the 1981 tournament.
* Bob Kurland of Oklahoma A&M became the first player to dunk in the NCAA championship game, doing so twice late in the game on March 26.
* Oklahoma A&M defeated North Carolina 43–40 in the championship game of the 1946 NCAA tournament, becoming the first school to repeat as NCAA champion, following its tournament championship in 1945.
* Bob Kurland of Oklahoma A&M became the first two-time NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player. He previously had received the honor in 1945.
* For the first time, the NCAA tournament championship game was televised. WCBS-TV aired the game locally in New York City, with an estimated viewership of 500,000.
* In 1995, the Premo-Porretta Power Poll retroactively selected Oklahoma A&M as its national champion for the 1945–46 season.

## Conference membership changes

| School | Former conference | New conference |
| Brooklyn Bulldogs | Independent | Metropolitan New York Conference |
| Bucknell Bison | Independent | Middle Atlantic States Conference North |
| CCNY Beavers | Independent | Metropolitan New York Conference |
| Fordham Rams | Independent | Metropolitan New York Conference |
| Georgetown Hoyas | No athletic programs | Independent |
| Gettysburg Bullets | No NCAA basketball program | Middle Atlantic States Conference North |
| Harvard Crimson | Eastern Intercollegiate Basketball League | Independent |
| Lafayette Leopards | Independent | Middle Atlantic States Conference North |
| Lehigh Engineers | Independent | Middle Atlantic States Conference North |
| Manhattan Jaspers | Independent | Metropolitan New York Conference |
| Muhlenberg Mules | Independent | Middle Atlantic States Conference North |
| NYU Violets | Independent | Metropolitan New York Conference |
| St. Francis (NY) Terriers | Independent | Metropolitan New York Conference |
| St. John's Redmen | Independent | Metropolitan New York Conference |
| Wichita Shockers | Independent | Missouri Valley Conference |
| Yale Bulldogs | Eastern Intercollegiate Basketball League | Independent |

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

| Conference | Regular season winner | Conference player of the year | Conference tournament | Tournament venue (City) | Tournament winner |
| Big Six Conference | Kansas | None selected | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Big Ten Conference | Ohio State | None selected | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Border Conference | Arizona | None selected | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Eastern Intercollegiate Basketball League | Dartmouth | None selected | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Metropolitan New York Conference | NYU & St. John's | | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Middle Atlantic States Conference North | Lafayette | | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Missouri Valley Conference | Oklahoma A&M | None selected | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Mountain States (Skyline) Conference | Wyoming | | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| New England Conference | Rhode Island State | | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Pacific Coast Conference | Idaho (North); California (South) | | No Tournament; California defeated Idaho in best-of-three conference championship playoff series | No Tournament; California defeated Idaho in best-of-three conference championship playoff series | No Tournament; California defeated Idaho in best-of-three conference championship playoff series |
| Southeastern Conference | Kentucky | None selected | 1946 SEC men's basketball tournament | Jefferson County Armory, (Louisville, Kentucky) | Kentucky |
| Southern Conference | North Carolina | None selected | 1946 Southern Conference men's basketball tournament | Thompson Gym (Raleigh, North Carolina) | Duke |
| Southwest Conference | Baylor | None selected | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |

#### Conference standings

1945–46 Big Six Conference men's basketball standings :
| 1945–46 Big Six Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Kansas10–0 1.00019–2  .905 Oklahoma7–3 .70011–10  .524 Iowa State5–5 .5008–8  .500 Missouri3–7 .3006–11  .353 Nebraska3–7 .3007–13  .350 Kansas State2–8 .2004–20  .167 | 1945–46 Big Ten Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Ohio State10–2 .83316–5  .762 Indiana9–3 .75018–3  .857 Iowa8–4 .66714–4  .778 Northwestern8–4 .66715–5  .750 Illinois7–5 .58314–7  .667 Minnesota7–5 .58314–7  .667 Michigan6–6 .50012–7  .632 Purdue4–8 .33310–11  .476 Wisconsin1–11 .0834–17  .190 Chicago0–12 .0006–14  .300 | 1945–46 Border Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Arizona13–2 .86725–5  .833 West Texas State9–2 .81819–8  .704 Texas Tech7–4 .63615–10  .600 New Mexico13–8 .61916–9  .640 Arizona State–Tempe6–7 .46212–16  .429 Arizona State–Flagstaff4–6 .40012–8  .600 Texas State M&M4–7 .3644–11  .267 New Mexico A&M2–12 .1435–16  .238 Hardin–Simmons0–10 .0002–10  .167 |
| 1945–46 Eastern Intercollegiate Basketball League standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Dartmouth7–1 .87513–3  .813 Cornell6–2 .75012–5  .706 Pennsylvania4–4 .5007–10  .412 Columbia3–5 .37511–9  .550 Princeton0–8 .0007–12  .368 | 1945–46 Metropolitan New York Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT NYU5–1 .83319–3  .864 St. John's5–1 .83317–6  .739 CCNY4–1 .80014–4  .778 St. Francis (NY)3–2 .60012–6  .667 Manhattan2–4 .33315–8  .652 Brooklyn1–5 .1678–9  .471 Fordham0–6 .0004–17  .190 | 1945–46 Middle Atlantic States Conference North men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Lafayette7–1 .87517–3  .850 Muhlenberg7–1 .87523–5  .821 Gettysburg3–5 .37511–6  .647 Bucknell2–6 .2506–11  .353 Lehigh1–7 .1253–13  .188 |
| 1945–46 Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Oklahoma A&M12–0 1.00031–2  .939 Wichita Municipal6–4 .60014–9  .609 Saint Louis6–5 .54513–11  .542 Drake5–7 .41711–15  .423 Washington University3–6 .33310–17  .370 Creighton3–7 .3009–10  .474 Tulsa3–9 .2506–12  .333 | 1945–46 Mountain States Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Wyoming10–2 .83322–4  .846 Colorado9–3 .75012–6  .667 Utah8–4 .66712–8  .600 Colorado State6–6 .50015–9  .625 BYU6–6 .50012–13  .480 Utah State2–10 .1677–12  .368 Denver1–11 .0839–15  .375 | 1945–46 New England Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Rhode Island State 4–0 1.00021–3  .875 Connecticut 4–2 .66711–6  .647 Maine 4–4 .50010–4  .714 Northeastern 2–4 .3334–13  .235 New Hampshire 0–3 .0003–7  .300 |
| 1945–46 Pacific Coast Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT North Idaho11–5 .68823–11  .676 Oregon State10–6 .62513–11  .542 Oregon8–8 .50016–17  .485 Washington6–10 .37514–14  .500 Washington State5–11 .31316–13  .552 South California †11–1 .91730–6  .833 USC8–4 .66714–7  .667 UCLA5–7 .4178–16  .333 Stanford0–12 .0006–18  .250 † Conference championship playoff series winner | 1945–46 Southeastern Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Kentucky †6–0 1.00028–2  .933 LSU8–0 1.00018–3  .857 Tennessee8–3 .72714–4  .778 Alabama8–4 .66711–5  .688 Auburn7–6 .5387–9  .438 Georgia Tech7–7 .50010–11  .476 Georgia6–6 .50012–9  .571 Tulane4–5 .44415–7  .682 Vanderbilt2–5 .2863–10  .231 Florida2–6 .2507–14  .333 Ole Miss2–8 .2008–11  .421 Mississippi State3–13 .1885–14  .263 † Regular-season championship and SEC Tournament winner |
| 1945–46 Southern Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT North Carolina13–1 .92930–5  .857 Duke †12–2 .85721–6  .778 Virginia Tech7–3 .70011–8  .579 Wake Forest8–5 .61512–6  .667 Maryland5–4 .5569–12  .429 William & Mary5–5 .50010–10  .500 Furman4–4 .50016–3  .842 George Washington4–5 .4447–8  .467 Clemson5–7 .4179–11  .450 North Carolina State5–7 .4176–12  .333 South Carolina4–7 .3649–11  .450 Davidson5–9 .35713–12  .520 Richmond3–7 .3008–12  .400 The Citadel1–6 .1437–11  .389 VMI1–6 .1431–10  .091 Washington and Lee0–4 .0002–11  .154 † Southern Conference tournament winner | 1945–46 Southwest Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Baylor11–1 .91725–5  .833 Arkansas9–3 .75016–7  .696 Texas7–5 .58316–7  .696 TCU6–6 .50013–11  .542 Rice5–7 .41710–11  .476 Texas A&M4–8 .3339–14  .391 SMU0–12 .0007–16  .304 |

### Major independents

A total of 54 college teams played as major independents. Yale (14–1) had the best winning percentage (.933) and Nevada (28–5) finished with the most wins.
1945–46 NCAA men's basketball independents standings :
* 1945–46 NCAA men's basketball independents standings
* vteConfOverall
* TeamW L PCTW L PCT
* Yale– –14–1
* .933
* West Virginia– –24–3
* .889
* Harvard– –20–3
* .870
* Boston University– –12–2
* .857
* Loyola (Ill.)– –23–4
* .852
* Syracuse– –23–4
* .852
* Nevada– –28–5
* .848
* Bowling Green State– –27–5
* .844
* Notre Dame– –17–4
* .810
* Holy Cross– –12–3
* .800
* Navy– –12–3
* .800
* St. Bonaventure– –12–3
* .800
* DePaul– –19–5
* .792
* Louisville– –22–6
* .786
* Indiana State– –15–5
* .750
* Toledo– –20–7
* .741
* Marshall– –24–10
* .706
* Virginia– –12–5
* .706
* Loyola (Md.)– –18–8
* .692
* Western Michigan– –15–7
* .682
* Colgate– –12–6
* .667
* Saint Mary's– –10–5
* .667
* Detroit– –15–8
* .652
* Rutgers– –13–7
* .650
* Temple– –12–7
* .632
* Montana State– –17–10
* .630
* Marquette– –11–7
* .611
* LIU– –14–9
* .609
* Valparaiso– –17–11
* .607
* Army– –9–6
* .600
* Butler– –12–8
* .600
* Hamline– –12–8
* .600
* Santa Clara– –9–6
* .600
* Niagara– –11–8
* .579
* Michigan State– –12–9
* .571
* Georgetown– –11–9
* .550
* Miami (Ohio)– –10–9
* .526
* Kent State– –10–10
* .500
* Pittsburgh– –7–7
* .500
* Bradley– –11–12
* .478
* St. Joseph's– –9–11
* .450
* Montana– –13–16
* .448
* Western Kentucky State– –15–19
* .441
* Penn State– –7–9
* .438
* Villanova– –10–13
* .435
* San Francisco– –9–12
* .429
* Canisius– –8–11
* .421
* La Salle– –9–14
* .391
* Cincinnati– –8–13
* .381
* Merchant Marine– –5–10
* .333
* Brown– –5–15
* .250
* Boston College– –3–11
* .214
* Dayton– –3–13
* .188
* Xavier– –3–16
* .158

### Statistical leaders
## Post-season tournaments
### NCAA tournament
#### Semifinals & finals

| National Semifinals | National Semifinals | National Finals | National Finals |
| Ohio State | 57 | | |
| North Carolina | 60$^{OT}$ | | |
| North Carolina | 60$^{OT}$ | North Carolina | 40 |
| | | Oklahoma A&M | 43 |
| Oklahoma A&M | 52 | Oklahoma A&M | 43 |
| California | 35 | Third place | Third place |
| | | Ohio State | 63 |
| | | California | 45 |

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

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Finals | Finals |
| Rhode Island State | 59 | | |
| Muhlenberg | 49 | | |
| Muhlenberg | 49 | Rhode Island State | 45 |
| | | Kentucky | 46 |
| West Virginia | 51 | Kentucky | 46 |
| Kentucky | 59' | Third place | Third place |
| | | Muhlenberg | 40 |
| | | West Virginia | 65 |

## Awards
### Consensus All-American teams

Consensus First Team :
| Player | Position | Class | Team |
| Leo Klier | F | Senior | Notre Dame |
| Bob Kurland | C | Senior | Oklahoma A&M |
| George Mikan | C | Senior | DePaul |
| Max Morris | F | Senior | Northwestern |
| Sid Tanenbaum | G | Junior | NYU |
Consensus Second Team :
| Player | Position | Class | Team |
| Charles B. Black | F | Junior | Kansas |
| John Dillon | G | Sophomore | North Carolina |
| Billy Hassett | G | Senior | Notre Dame |
| Tony Lavelli | F | Freshman | Yale |
| Jack Parkinson | G | Junior | Kentucky |
| Ken Sailors | G | Senior | Wyoming |

### Major player of the year awards

* Helms Player of the Year: Bob Kurland, Oklahoma A&M

### Other major awards

* NIT/Haggerty Award (Top player in New York City metro area): Sid Tanenbaum, NYU

## Coaching changes

A number of teams changed coaches during the season and after it ended.
| Team | Former Coach | New Coach | Reason |
| Georgetown | Ken Engles | Elmer Ripley | Engles – the only player-coach in Georgetown men's basketball history – stepped aside at the end of the year after coaching the Hoyas for a single season as they reconstituted their basketball program with a mostly walk-on team after a two-season hiatus due to World War II, making way for Ripley to return after a three-year absence for a third stint as coach. |
| Kansas State | Fitz Knorr | Jack Gardner | |
| NC State | Leron Jay | Everett Case | |
| North Carolina | Ben Carnevale | Tom Scott | |
| Notre Dame | Elmer Ripley | Moose Krause | |
| Purdue | Ward Lambert | Mel Taube | |