# 1973–74 NCAA Division I men's basketball season

The 1973–74 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began in November 1973, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 1974 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Championship Game on March 25, 1974, at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina. The North Carolina State Wolfpack won its first NCAA national championship with a 76–64 victory over the Marquette Warriors.

## Rule changes

Holding or grabbing an opposing player away from the ball became fouls, as did illegal screens.

## Season headlines

* Prior to the beginning of the season, NCAA Division I replaced the NCAA University Division as the subdivision of the NCAA made up of colleges and universities competing at the highest level of college sports. In addition, NCAA Division II and NCAA Division III replaced the NCAA College Division for colleges and universities competing at a lower level, with Division II consisting of schools awarding limited athletic scholarships and Division III consisting of schools offering no athletic scholarships.
* On August 5, 1973, the NCAA handed down a two-year "death penalty" (i.e., ban on competing) to the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette; athletically branded "Louisiana" since the 1999–2000 season) after discovering over 100 rules violations, the most egregious of which were payments to players and falsified high school transcripts. All other Ragin' Cajun teams were placed on four years' probation and banned from competing for national championships during that period. The NCAA also proposed expelling the university from the organization, but that penalty was reduced to forfeiture of voting rights at the annual convention for three years. Additionally, the Ragin' Cajuns' participation in the 1972 and 1973 University Division tournaments was scrubbed from the record books, and the university was required to return all tournament revenue. Southwestern Louisiana became the first university to have a season cancelled by the NCAA since Kentucky in the 1952–53 season.
* In 1973, the first public draw for tickets to the NCAA tournament's Final Four games took place. The tickets were for the 1974 Final Four.
* In the Pacific 8 Conference, UCLA won its eighth of what would ultimately be 13 consecutive conference titles.
* To compete with the National Invitation Tournament, the NCAA created the Collegiate Commissioners Association Tournament as a new postseason tournament which debuted in 1974. Renamed the National Commissioners Invitational Tournament the following season, it lasted only two years.

## Season outlook
### Pre-season polls

The top 20 from the AP Poll and UPI Coaches Poll during the pre-season.
Associated Press :
| Ranking | Team |
| 1 | UCLA |
| 2 | NC State |
| 3 | Indiana |
| 4 | Maryland |
| 5 | North Carolina |
| 6 | Providence |
| 7 | Marquette |
| 8 | Notre Dame |
| 9 | Louisville |
| 10 | Kentucky |
| 11 | San Francisco |
| 12 | Long Beach State |
| 13 | Kansas |
| 14 | Houston |
| 15 | Arizona |
| 16 | Penn |
| 17 | Jacksonville |
| 18 | Alabama |
| 19 | UNLV |
| 20 | Memphis State |
UPI Coaches :
| Ranking | Team |
| 1 | UCLA |
| 2 | NC State |
| 3 | Indiana |
| 4 | North Carolina |
| 5 | Maryland |
| 6 | Marquette |
| 7 | Notre Dame |
| 8 | Providence |
| 9 | Memphis State |
| 10 | Louisville |
| 11 | Alabama |
| 12 | Long Beach State |
| 13 | South Carolina |
| 14 | Kansas State |
| 15 | Cincinnati |
| 16 | New Mexico |
| 17 (tie) | Penn |
| 17 (tie) | Arizona |
| 19 | USC |
| 20 | Vanderbilt |

## Conference membership changes

| School | Former conference | New conference |
| Abilene Christian Wildcats | Southland Conference | Lone Star Conference (NAIA) |
| Trinity Tigers | University Division independent | non-Division I |

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

| Conference | Regular season winner | Conference player of the year | Conference tournament | Tournament venue (City) | Tournament winner |
| Atlantic Coast Conference | NC State | David Thompson, NC State | 1974 ACC men's basketball tournament | Greensboro Coliseum (Greensboro, North Carolina) | NC State |
| Big Eight Conference | Kansas | Lon Kruger, Kansas State | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Big Sky Conference | Idaho State & Montana | None selected | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Big Ten Conference | Indiana & Michigan | None selected | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Ivy League | Penn | None selected | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Mid-American Conference | Ohio | Walter Luckett, Ohio | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Middle Atlantic Conference | La Salle & Saint Joseph's (East); Rider (West) | Bill Taylor, La Salle, & Earl Brown, Lafayette | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Missouri Valley Conference | Louisville | Junior Bridgeman, Louisville | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Ohio Valley Conference | Austin Peay & Morehead State | Fly Williams, Austin Peay | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Pacific 8 Conference | UCLA | None selected | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Pacific Coast Athletic Association | Long Beach State | Leonard Gray, Long Beach State | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Southeastern Conference | Alabama & Vanderbilt | Jan van Breda Kolff, Vanderbilt | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Southern Conference | Furman | Clyde Mayes, Furman | 1974 Southern Conference men's basketball tournament | Richmond Coliseum (Richmond, Virginia) (Semifinals and Finals) | Furman |
| Southland Conference | Arkansas State | Steve Brooks, Arkansas State | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Southwest Conference | Texas | Larry Robinson, Texas | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| West Coast Athletic Conference | San Francisco | Frank Oleynick, Seattle | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Western Athletic Conference | New Mexico | None selected | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Yankee Conference | Massachusetts | None selected | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |

#### Conference standings

1973–74 ACC men's basketball standings :
| 1973–74 ACC men's basketball standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L PCTW L PCT No. 1 NC State †12–0 1.00030–1  .968 No. 4 Maryland9–3 .75023–5  .821 No. 12 North Carolina9–3 .75022–6  .786 Virginia4–8 .33311–16  .407 Clemson3–9 .25014–12  .538 Wake Forest3–9 .25013–13  .500 Duke2–10 .16710–16  .385 † 1974 ACC tournament winner Rankings from AP Poll | 1973–74 Big Eight Conference men's basketball standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L PCTW L PCT No. 7 Kansas13–1 .92923–7  .767 Kansas State11–3 .78619–8  .704 Oklahoma9–5 .64318–8  .692 Nebraska7–7 .50014–12  .538 Iowa State6–8 .42915–11  .577 Colorado4–10 .2869–17  .346 Missouri3–11 .21412–14  .462 Oklahoma State3–11 .2149–17  .346 Rankings from AP Poll | 1973–74 Big Sky men's basketball standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Idaho State †11–3 .78620–8  .714 Montana11–3 .78619–8  .704 Weber State8–6 .57114–12  .538 Gonzaga7–7 .50013–13  .500 Boise State6–8 .42912–14  .462 Idaho5–9 .35712–14  .462 Montana State5–9 .35711–15  .423 Northern Arizona3–11 .2143–18  .143 † One-game playoff winner |
| 1973–74 Big Ten Conference men's basketball standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L PCTW L PCT No. 9 Indiana12–2 .85723–5  .821 No. 6 Michigan12–2 .85722–5  .815 No. 11 Purdue10–4 .71421–9  .700 Wisconsin8–6 .57116–8  .667 Michigan State8–6 .57113–11  .542 Minnesota6–8 .42912–12  .500 Iowa5–9 .3578–16  .333 Ohio State4–10 .2869–15  .375 Northwestern3–11 .2149–15  .375 Illinois2–12 .1435–18  .217 Rankings from AP Poll | 1973–74 Ivy League men's basketball standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Pennsylvania13–1 .92921–6  .778 Brown11–3 .78617–9  .654 Princeton11–3 .78616–10  .615 Harvard9–5 .64311–13  .458 Yale5–9 .3578–16  .333 Columbia4–10 .2865–20  .200 Dartmouth2–12 .1434–22  .154 Cornell1–13 .0713–23  .115 Rankings from AP Poll | 1973–74 Mid-American Conference men's basketball standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Ohio9–3 .75016–11  .593 Toledo8–4 .66719–9  .679 Bowling Green State7–5 .58315–11  .577 Central Michigan6–6 .50014–12  .538 Miami (Ohio)6–6 .50013–13  .500 Western Michigan5–7 .41713–13  .500 Kent State1–11 .0839–17  .346 Rankings from AP Poll |
| 1973–74 MAC men's basketball standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L PCTW L PCT University–Eastern Saint Joseph's †5–1 .83319–10  .655 La Salle5–1 .83318–10  .643 American4–2 .66716–10  .615 Temple4–2 .66716–9  .640 Drexel2–4 .33315–9  .625 Hofstra1–5 .1678–16  .333 West Chester0–6 .00011–15  .423 University–Western Rider8–2 .80013–13  .500 Lafayette7–3 .70017–9  .654 Delaware7–3 .70015–11  .577 Gettysburg4–6 .40015–10  .600 Bucknell2–8 .2008–16  .333 Lehigh2–8 .2003–21  .125 † 1974 MAC men's basketball tournament winner Rankings from AP Poll | 1973–74 Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Louisville11–1 .91721–7  .750 Bradley9–3 .75020–8  .714 Tulsa7–6 .53818–8  .692 New Mexico State7–6 .53814–11  .560 Wichita State6–7 .46211–15  .423 West Texas State5–8 .38511–15  .423 North Texas State4–8 .33313–13  .500 Saint Louis4–8 .3339–16  .360 Drake3–9 .25013–13  .500 Rankings from AP Poll | 1973–74 Ohio Valley Conference men's basketball standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Morehead State10–4 .71417–9  .654 Austin Peay State10–4 .71417–10  .630 Middle Tennessee9–5 .64318–8  .692 Western Kentucky8–6 .57115–10  .600 Murray State6–8 .42912–13  .480 Eastern Kentucky6–8 .4298–15  .348 Tennessee Tech4–10 .2867–18  .280 East Tennessee State3–11 .2148–18  .308 Rankings from AP Poll |
| 1973–74 Pacific-8 Conference men's basketball standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L PCTW L PCT No. 2 UCLA12–2 .85726–4  .867 USC11–3 .78624–5  .828 Oregon9–5 .64315–11  .577 Washington7–7 .50016–10  .615 Oregon State6–8 .42913–13  .500 Stanford5–9 .35711–14  .440 California3–11 .2149–17  .346 Washington State3–11 .2148–21  .276 Rankings from AP Poll | 1973–74 Pacific Coast Athletic Association men's basketball standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L PCTW L PCT No. 10 Long Beach State12–0 1.00024–2  .923 Cal State Los Angeles8–4 .66717–10  .630 UC Santa Barbara7–5 .58316–10  .615 Fresno State5–7 .41716–9  .640 Pacific4–8 .33314–12  .538 San Diego State4–8 .3337–19  .269 San Jose State2–10 .16711–15  .423 Rankings from AP Poll | 1973–74 Southeastern Conference men's basketball standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L PCTW L PCT No. 14 Alabama15–3 .83322–4  .846 No. 13 Vanderbilt15–3 .83323–5  .821 Tennessee12–6 .66717–9  .654 Ole Miss9–9 .50015–10  .600 Florida9–9 .50015–11  .577 Kentucky9–9 .50013–13  .500 Mississippi State8–10 .44416–10  .615 LSU6–12 .33312–14  .462 Auburn5–13 .27810–16  .385 Georgia2–16 .1116–20  .231 Rankings from AP Poll |
| 1973–74 Southern Conference men's basketball standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Furman †11–1 .91722–9  .710 Richmond10–4 .71416–12  .571 Davidson7–3 .70018–9  .667 East Carolina8–6 .57113–12  .520 William & Mary5–6 .4559–18  .333 The Citadel4–9 .30810–14  .417 VMI3–9 .2506–18  .250 Appalachian State1–11 .0835–20  .200 † Southern Conference Tournament winner Rankings from AP Poll | 1973–74 Southland Conference men's basketball standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Arkansas State†4–0 1.00017–8  .680 Texas-Arlington2–2 .5007–18  .280 Lamar0–4 .0006–19  .240 McNeese State0–0 –20–5  .800 Louisiana Tech0–0 –8–13  .381 Southwestern Louisiana*– –0–0  – † Regular-season championship winner * – Served first season of NCAA two-season ban on competing. Rankings from AP Poll | 1973–74 Southwest Conference men's basketball standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Texas11–3 .78612–15  .444 Texas Tech10–4 .71417–9  .654 SMU10–4 .71415–12  .556 Texas A&M7–7 .50015–11  .577 Arkansas6–8 .42910–16  .385 Baylor5–9 .35712–13  .480 Rice5–9 .35711–17  .393 TCU2–12 .1438–17  .320 Rankings from AP Poll |
| 1973-74 West Coast Athletic Conference men's basketball standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L PCTW L PCT San Francisco12–2 .85719–9  .679 Seattle11–3 .78615–11  .577 UNLV10–4 .71420–6  .769 Loyola Marymount6–8 .42913–14  .481 Saint Mary's5–9 .35715–13  .536 Nevada4–10 .28611–15  .423 Pepperdine4–10 .2868–18  .308 Santa Clara4–10 .2868–19  .296 Rankings from AP Poll | 1973–74 WAC men's basketball standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L PCTW L PCT New Mexico10–4 .71422–7  .759 No. 15 Utah9–5 .64322–8  .733 Arizona9–5 .64319–7  .731 Arizona State9–5 .64318–9  .667 UTEP8–6 .57118–7  .720 BYU6–8 .42911–15  .423 Colorado State5–9 .35712–14  .462 Wyoming0–14 .0004–22  .154 Rankings from AP Poll | 1973–74 Yankee Conference men's basketball standings vteConf.Overall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Massachusetts 11–1 .91721–5  .808 Connecticut 9–3 .75019–8  .704 New Hampshire 8–4 .66716–9  .640 Rhode Island 6–5 .54511–14  .440 Vermont 3–9 .2509–17  .346 Boston University 2–9 .1829–16  .360 Maine 2–10 .16714–10  .583 |

### Division I independents

A total of 81 college teams played as Division I independents. Among them, Notre Dame (26–3) had the best winning percentage (.897) and Providence (28–4) finished with the most wins.
1973–74 NCAA Division I men's basketball independents standings :
* 1973–74 NCAA Division I men's basketball independents standings
* vteConf.Overall
* TeamW L PCTW L PCT
* No. 5 Notre Dame
* – –26–3
* .897
* No. 8 Providence
* – –28–4
* .875
* No. 16 Pittsburgh
* – –25–4
* .862
* UNC Charlotte
* – –22–4
* .846
* Centenary
* – –21–4
* .840
* Marquette
* – –26–5
* .839
* No. 19 South Carolina
* – –22–5
* .815
* No. 18 Oral Roberts
* – –23–6
* .793
* South Alabama
* – –22–6
* .786
* Creighton
* – –23–7
* .767
* St. John's
* – –20–7
* .741
* Georgia Southern
* – –19–7
* .731
* Southern Illinois
* – –19–7
* .731
* Syracuse
* – –19–7
* .731
* VCU
* – –17–7
* .708
* Cincinnati
* – –19–8
* .704
* Boston College
* – –21–9
* .700
* Florida State
* – –18–8
* .692
* Rutgers
* – –18–8
* .692
* No. 20 Dayton
* – –20–9
* .690
* Hawaii
* – –19–9
* .679
* Jacksonville
* – –20–10
* .667
* Manhattan
* – –18–9
* .667
* Mercer
* – –16–8
* .667
* Detroit
* – –17–9
* .654
* Fairfield
* – –17–9
* .654
* Houston
* – –17–9
* .654
* Illinois State
* – –17–9
* .654
* Marshall
* – –17–9
* .654
* St. Bonaventure
* – –17–9
* .654
* Stetson
* – –17–9
* .654
* DePaul
* – –16–9
* .640
* Memphis State
* – –19–11
* .633
* Northeast Louisiana
* – –16–10
* .615
* Utah State
* – –16–10
* .615
* Colgate
* – –15–10
* .600
* Portland State
* – –16–11
* .593
* Seton Hall
* – –16–11
* .593
* Pan American
* – –13–9
* .591
* George Washington
* – –15–11
* .577
* Portland
* – –15–11
* .577
* Saint Francis (PA)
* – –15–11
* .577
* Ball State
* – –14–12
* .538
* Butler
* – –14–12
* .538
* Canisius
* – –14–12
* .538
* Milwaukee
* – –14–12
* .538
* Penn State
* – –14–12
* .538
* Northeastern
* – –12–11
* .522
* Long Island
* – –13–12
* .520
* Duquesne
* – –12–12
* .500
* Georgetown
* – –13–13
* .500
* Oklahoma City
* – –13–13
* .500
* Virginia Tech
* – –13–13
* .500
* Indiana State
* – –12–14
* .462
* Loyola Chicago
* – –12–14
* .462
* Niagara
* – –12–14
* .462
* Tulane
* – –12–14
* .462
* Air Force
* – –11–13
* .458
* Iona
* – –11–13
* .458
* St. Francis (NY)
* – –11–13
* .458
* Fairleigh Dickinson
* – –11–14
* .440
* Hardin-Simmons
* – –11–14
* .440
* South Florida
* – –11–14
* .440
* Denver
* – –11–15
* .423
* Southern Mississippi
* – –11–15
* .423
* Navy
* – –9–13
* .409
* West Virginia
* – –10–15
* .400
* Fordham
* – –8–17
* .320
* Northern Illinois
* – –8–17
* .320
* Eastern Michigan
* – –8–18
* .308
* Holy Cross
* – –8–18
* .308
* Saint Peter's
* – –8–18
* .308
* Xavier
* – –8–18
* .308
* Villanova
* – –7–19
* .269
* Army
* – –6–18
* .250
* Houston Baptist
* – –6–19
* .240
* Cleveland State
* – –6–20
* .231
* Samford
* – –6–20
* .231
* Buffalo
* – –5–20
* .200
* Georgia Tech
* – –5–21
* .192
* Georgia State
* – –1–25
* .038
* Rankings from AP Poll

### Informal championships

| Conference | Regular season winner | Most Valuable Player |
| Philadelphia Big 5 | Penn | Ron Haigler, Penn |
Penn finished with a 4–0 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 | NC State | 80 | | | |
| W | UCLA | 77 | | | |
| W | UCLA | 77 | E | NC State | 76 |
| | | | ME | Marquette | 64 |
| ME | Marquette | 64 | ME | Marquette | 64 |
| MW | Kansas | 51 | Third place | Third place | Third place |
| | | | W | UCLA | 78 |
| | | | MW | Kansas | 61 |

### National Invitation Tournament
#### Semifinals & finals

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Finals | Finals |
| Jacksonville | 64 | | |
| Purdue | 78 | | |
| Purdue | 78 | Purdue | 87 |
| | | Utah | 81 |
| Utah | 117 | Utah | 81 |
| Boston College | 93 | Third place | Third place |
| | | Jacksonville | 77 |
| | | Boston College | 87 |

### Collegiate Commissioners Association Tournament

The Collegiate Commissioners Association Tournament debuted this season as a new postseason tournament created by the NCAA to compete with the NIT. It was renamed the National Commissioners Invitational Tournament the following year.

#### Semifinals & finals

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final |
| Indiana | 73 | | |
| Toledo | 72 | | |
| Toledo | 72 | Indiana | 85 |
| | | USC | 60 |
| Bradley | 73 | USC | 60 |
| USC | 76 | | |

## Awards
### Consensus All-American teams

Consensus First Team :
| Player | Position | Class | Team |
| Marvin Barnes | C | Senior | Providence |
| John Shumate | F | Junior | Notre Dame |
| David Thompson | G/F | Junior | North Carolina State |
| Bill Walton | C | Senior | UCLA |
| Keith Wilkes | G/F | Senior | UCLA |
Consensus Second Team :
| Player | Position | Class | Team |
| Len Elmore | C | Junior | Maryland |
| Larry Fogle | G | Sophomore | Canisius |
| Bobby Jones | F | Senior | North Carolina |
| Billy Knight | G/F | Senior | Pittsburgh |
| Campy Russell | F | Junior | Michigan |

### Major player of the year awards

* Naismith Award: Bill Walton, UCLA
* Helms Player of the Year: David Thompson, NC State & Bill Walton, UCLA
* Associated Press Player of the Year: David Thompson, NC State
* UPI Player of the Year: Bill Walton, UCLA
* Oscar Robertson Trophy (USBWA): Bill Walton, UCLA
* Adolph Rupp Trophy: Bill Walton, UCLA
* Sporting News Player of the Year: Bill Walton, UCLA

### Major coach of the year awards

* Associated Press Coach of the Year: Norm Sloan, NC State
* Henry Iba Award (USBWA): Norm Sloan, NC State
* NABC Coach of the Year: Al McGuire, Marquette
* UPI Coach of the Year: Digger Phelps, Notre Dame
* Sporting News Coach of the Year: Digger Phelps, Notre Dame

### Other major awards

* Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award (Best player under 6'0): Mike Robinson, Michigan State
* Robert V. Geasey Trophy (Top player in Philadelphia Big 5): Ron Haigler, Penn
* NIT/Haggerty Award (Top player in New York City metro area): Bill Campion, Manhattan

## Coaching changes

A number of teams changed coaches during the season and after it ended.
| Team | Former Coach | New Coach |
| Arkansas | Lanny Van Eman | Eddie Sutton |
| Creighton | Eddie Sutton | Tom Apke |
| Davidson | Terry Holland | Robert Brickels |
| Duke | Neill McGeachy | Bill Foster |
| Iowa | Dick Schultz | Lute Olson |
| Long Beach State | Lute Olson | Dwight Jones |
| Utah | Bill Foster | Jerry Pimm |
| Virginia | Bill Gibson | Terry Holland |