# 1915–16 NCAA men's basketball season

The 1915–16 NCAA men's basketball season began in December 1915, progressed through the regular season, and concluded in March 1916.

## Season headlines

* The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA), and Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) adopted a new set of rules nationally for amateur basketball in the United States, standardizing the rules used in college, YMCA, and AAU basketball. Officially appointed representatives of the three organizations prepared the uniform set of rules, the NCAA, YMCA, and AAU having decided that working together in this way was in the best interests of the game's welfare and of the organizations themselves.
* The Pacific Coast Conference began play with four original members, three of which fielded basketball teams for the 1915–16 season.
* Utah won the post-season Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) national championship tournament— in which a mix of collegiate and non-collegiate amateur teams competed — in 1916 to become the first of only four collegiate teams to win the tournament. No college team would win the tournament again until 1920.
* In February 1943, the Helms Athletic Foundation retroactively selected Wisconsin as its national champion for the 1915–16 season.
* In 1995, the Premo-Porretta Power Poll retroactively selected Wisconsin as its national champion for the 1915–16 season.

## Rule changes

* "Class A" fouls — general fouls called for delay of game; "tackling" the ball (i.e., touching the ball while a teammate already was touching it); kicking, striking, advancing, or hugging the ball; tackling, holding, or pushing an opponent; and addressing the game officials — were changed to violations. "Class B" fouls — striking, kicking, shouldering, tripping, or hacking an opponent; unnecessary roughness; and using profane or abusive language — became technical and personal fouls.
* A player is disqualified after committing his fourth personal foul in a game. Previously, a player was disqualified if he committed two "Class B" fouls in a game.
* If a player was fouled in the act of shooting, his team was awarded two free-throw attempts regardless of whether he made the field goal. Previously, the shooting team had been awarded one point and one free-throw attempt if a shooter was fouled. If the shooting player made the shot, it counted for two points, just as it had before this rule change.
* The shooting team was awarded one free-throw attempt if a defending player interfered with the ball or basket while the ball was on the basket's rim. Previously, the shooting team had been awarded one point under these circusmtances.
* All players were required to wear plain numbers at least 6 inches (15.2 cm) high and 1 inch (2.54 cm) wide fastened securely on the backs of their shirts.

## Conference membership changes

| School | Former Conference | New Conference |
| California Golden Bears | Independent | Pacific Coast Conference |
| Oregon Webfoots | Independent | No basketball team |
| Oregon Agricultural Beavers | Independent | Pacific Coast Conference |
| Washington Huskies | Independent | Pacific Coast Conference |
NOTE: Although Oregon joined the Pacific Coast Conference in 1915, it did not field a basketball team during the 1915–16 season.

## Regular season
### Conferences
#### Conference winners

| Conference | Regular Season Winner | Conference Player of the Year | Conference Tournament | Tournament Venue (City) | Tournament Winner |
| Eastern Intercollegiate Basketball League | Penn | None selected | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association | Nebraska | None selected | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Pacific Coast Conference | California & Oregon Agricultural | None selected | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference | Colorado & Colorado College | | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Southwest Conference | Texas | None selected | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |
| Western Conference | Wisconsin | None selected | No Tournament | No Tournament | No Tournament |

#### Conference standings

1915–16 Eastern Intercollegiate Basketball League standings :
| 1915–16 Eastern Intercollegiate Basketball League standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Penn8–2 .80011–7  .611 Princeton8–2 .80016–4  .800 Cornell5–5 .50013–5  .722 Yale5–5 .50012–8  .600 Dartmouth3–7 .30011–12  .478 Columbia1–9 .1003–9  .250 | 1915–16 Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Nebraska12–0 1.00013–1  .929 Missouri10–2 .83313–3  .813 Kansas State9–3 .7509–3  .750 Kansas5–11 .3136–12  .333 Iowa State2–8 .2004–12  .250 Drake1–5 .1673–9  .250 Washington University1–11 .0836–11  .353 | 1915–16 Pacific Coast Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Oregon Agricultural5–3 .62516–5  .762 California5–3 .62511–5  .688 Washington2–6 .2507–7  .500 Washington State– –18–3  .857 |
| 1915–16 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference standings ConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Colorado College6–2 .7508–2  .800 Colorado6–2 .7506–2  .750 Denver5–3 .6257–3  .700 Colorado Agricultural3–5 .3756–6  .500 Colorado Mines0–8 .0000–8  .000 | 1915–16 Southwest Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Texas6–0 1.00012–0  1.000 Texas A&M6–2 .75011–2  .846 Rice5–3 .62512–5  .706 Southwestern (Tex.)0–4 .0000–4  .000 Baylor0–8 .0008–9  .471 | 1915–16 Western Conference men's basketball standings vteConfOverall TeamW L PCTW L PCT Wisconsin11–1 .91720–1  .952 Illinois9–3 .75013–3  .813 Northwestern9–3 .75013–3  .813 Minnesota6–6 .50011–6  .647 Indiana3–5 .3756–7  .462 Chicago4–8 .33315–11  .577 Iowa2–4 .33311–4  .733 Ohio State2–8 .2009–13  .409 Purdue2–10 .1674–10  .286 |

### Independents

A total of 122 college teams played as major independents. Among independents that played at least 10 games, Carleton (15–0), North Dakota Agricultural (18–0), Tennessee (12–0), and Utah (11–0) were undefeated, and Nebraska Wesleyan (20–2) finished with the most wins.
1915–16 NCAA men's basketball independents standings :
* 1915–16 NCAA men's basketball independents standings
* vteConfOverall
* TeamW L PCTW L PCT
* Arizona– –5–0
* 1.000
* Carleton– –15–0
* 1.000
* North Dakota Agricultural– –18–0
* 1.000
* Roanoke– –9–0
* 1.000
* Tennessee– –12–0
* 1.000
* Utah– –11–0
* 1.000
* Allegheny– –10–1
* .909
* Montana State– –10–1
* .909
* Nebraska Wesleyan– –20–2
* .909
* Wake Forest– –16–2
* .889
* Pittsburgh– –15–2
* .882
* Seton Hall– –13–2
* .867
* Navy– –12–2
* .857
* Augustana (Ill.)– –11–2
* .846
* Dayton– –11–2
* .846
* Virginia– –11–2
* .846
* Ripon– –15–3
* .833
* Swarthmore– –10–2
* .833
* New Mexico– –9–2
* .818
* Wabash– –17–4
* .810
* Virginia Tech– –12–3
* .800
* Vanderbilt– –11–3
* .786
* Colgate– –14–4
* .778
* Duquesne– –7–2
* .778
* Georgia– –7–2
* .778
* Bucknell– –10–3
* .769
* Saint Mary's (Calif.)– –10–3
* .769
* Alabama– –13–4
* .765
* Millikin– –16–5
* .762
* Notre Dame– –9–3
* .750
* Syracuse– –9–3
* .750
* VMI– –9–3
* .750
* New York University– –11–4
* .733
* Oklahoma– –19–7
* .731
* Louisville– –8–3
* .727
* Penn State– –8–3
* .727
* Fordham– –10–4
* .714
* North Central– –12–5
* .706
* Detroit– –7–3
* .700
* Catholic– –9–4
* .692
* Central Missouri– –9–4
* .692
* Lake Forest– –9–4
* .692
* Gettysburg– –11–5
* .688
* Mississippi A&M– –11–5
* .688
* Santa Clara– –11–5
* .688
* Saint Louis– –13–6
* .684
* Kalamazoo– –6–3
* .667
* New Mexico A&M– –6–3
* .667
* The Citadel– –4–2
* .667
* North Carolina– –12–6
* .667
* Toledo– –2–1
* .667
* Fairmount– –10–5
* .667
* Buffalo– –7–4
* .636
* Delaware– –7–4
* .636
* Washington College– –7–4
* .636
* William & Mary– –7–4
* .636
* Connecticut– –5–3
* .625
* West Virginia– –11–7
* .611
* Denison– –9–6
* .600
* Georgetown– –9–6
* .600
* Millsaps– –6–4
* .600
* Montana– –6–4
* .600
* Mount Union– –6–4
* .600
* Union (N.Y.)– –9–6
* .600
* Wyoming– –3–2
* .600
* Louisiana State– –14–10
* .583
* Davidson– –11–8
* .579
* Indiana State– –7–2
* .778
* Kentucky– –8–6
* .571
* Southwestern (Kan.)– –8–6
* .571
* Grove City– –9–7
* .563
* Tulsa– –9–7
* .563
* Western State Normal– –9–7
* .563
* Tulane– –10–8
* .556
* St. Joseph's– –11–9
* .550
* North Dakota– –6–5
* .545
* Wisconsin–Stevens Point– –6–5
* .545
* CCNY– –7–6
* .538
* Temple– –7–6
* .538
* Ohio– –8–7
* .533
* Wooster– –8–7
* .533
* Lehigh– –12–11
* .522
* Akron– –5–5
* .500
* Boston University– –2–2
* .500
* Brigham Young– –3–3
* .500
* Michigan State– –8–8
* .500
* Oklahoma A&M– –7–8
* .467
* Muhlenberg– –5–6
* .455
* Trinity (N.C.)– –9–11
* .450
* Bradley– –8–10
* .444
* Lafayette– –7–9
* .438
* Butler– –3–4
* .429
* Rutgers– –3–4
* .429
* Washington and Lee– –6–8
* .429
* Army– –5–7
* .417
* Niagara– –4–6
* .400
* Rochester (N.Y.)– –6–9
* .400
* South Carolina– –4–6
* .400
* Rhode Island State– –3–5
* .375
* Ole Miss– –4–7
* .364
* Kent State– –4–8
* .333
* St. John's (NY)– –5–10
* .333
* Utah State– –2–4
* .333
* Washburn– –4–8
* .333
* Virginia Tech– –12–3
* .800
* Manhattan– –4–9
* .308
* Miami (Ohio)– –4–9
* .308
* Richmond– –4–9
* .308
* North Carolina State– –2–5
* .286
* Bowling Green State– –3–8
* .273
* Auburn– –2–6
* .250
* Clemson– –2–6
* .250
* Southern California– –5–15
* .250
* Texas Christian– –1–3
* .250
* DePauw– –1–3
* .250
* Northern Colorado– –1–4
* .200
* Washington & Jefferson– –1–4
* .200
* Stanford– –2–9
* .182
* George Washington– –2–10
* .167
* Cincinnati– –1–9
* .100
* Idaho– –1–12
* .077
* Canisius– –0–4
* .000

### Statistical leaders
## Awards
### Helms College Basketball All-Americans

The practice of selecting a Consensus All-American Team did not begin until the 1928–29 season. The Helms Athletic Foundation later retroactively selected a list of All-Americans for the 1915–16 season.
| Player | Team |
| Roy Bohler | Washington State |
| Bill Chandler | Wisconsin |
| Cyril Haas | Princeton |
| George Levis | Wisconsin |
| Clyde Littlefield | Texas |
| Edward McNichol | Penn |
| Dick Romney | Utah |
| Adolph Sieberts | Oregon Agricultural |
| Fred Williams | Missouri |
| Ray Woods | Illinois |

### Major player of the year awards

* Helms Player of the Year: George Levis, Wisconsin (retroactive selection in 1944)