# 1959 NCAA College Division basketball tournament

The 1959 NCAA College Division basketball tournament involved 32 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's basketball in the NCAA College Division, predecessor to today's NCAA Divisions II and III, as a culmination of the 1958–59 NCAA College Division men's basketball season. It was won by the University of Evansville, and Evansville's Hugh Ahlering was named Most Outstanding Player.

## Regional participants

Outcome :
| Florida A&M | Runner-up |
| Lincoln (MO) | Third Place |
| North Carolina A&T | Regional Champion |
| Tuskegee | Fourth Place |
Outcome :
| Adelphi | Third Place |
| American | Regional Champion |
| Hofstra | Runner-up |
| Wesleyan (CT) | Fourth Place |
Outcome :
| Buffalo | Third Place |
| Le Moyne | Runner-up |
| St. Michaels | Regional Champion |
| Williams | Fourth Place |
Outcome :
| Belmont Abbey | Third Place |
| Evansville | Regional Champion |
| Southern Illinois | Fourth Place |
| Wittenberg | Runner-up |
Outcome :
| Hope | Regional Champion |
| Loras | Fourth Place |
| Wabash | Third Place |
| Wheaton (IL) | Runner-up |
Outcome :
| Abilene Christian | Third Place |
| Centenary (LA) | Runner-up |
| SW Missouri State | Regional Champion |
| Western Illinois | Fourth Place |
Outcome :
| Augustana (IL) | Fourth Place |
| Knox | Runner-up |
| South Dakota State | Regional Champion |
| Wartburg | Third Place |
Outcome :
| Cal State Los Angeles | Regional Champion |
| Chapman | Runner-up |
| Sacramento State | Fourth Place |
| Willamette | Third Place |

## Regionals
### South Central - Tuskegee, Alabama

Location: Logan Hall Host: Tuskegee Institute
| Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7 |
| North Carolina A&T | North Carolina A&T | 107 | | | |
| Tuskegee | Tuskegee | 87 | | | |
| Tuskegee | Tuskegee | 87 | North Carolina A&T | North Carolina A&T | 98 |
| | | | Florida A&M | Florida A&M | 75 |
| Florida A&M | Florida A&M | 90 | Florida A&M | Florida A&M | 75 |
| Lincoln (MO) | Lincoln (MO) | 73 | | | |
* Third Place - Lincoln 88, Tuskegee 64

### East - Garden City, New York

Location: Woodruff Hall Host: Adelphi College
| Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7 |
| American | American | 80 | | | |
| Adelphi | Adelphi | 73 | | | |
| Adelphi | Adelphi | 73 | American | American | 66 |
| | | | Hofstra | Hofstra | 65 |
| Hofstra | Hofstra | 67 | Hofstra | Hofstra | 65 |
| Wesleyan (CT) | Wesleyan (CT) | 48 | | | |
* Third Place - Adelphi 69, Wesleyan 63

### Northeast - Burlington, Vermont

Location: Burlington Memorial Auditorium Host: Saint Michael's College
| Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7 |
| St. Michael's | St. Michael's | 53 | | | |
| Buffalo | Buffalo | 51 | | | |
| Buffalo | Buffalo | 51 | St. Michael's | St. Michael's | 71 |
| | | | Le Moyne | Le Moyne | 70 |
| Le Moyne | Le Moyne | 72 | Le Moyne | Le Moyne | 70 |
| Williams | Williams | 66 | | | |
* Third Place - Buffalo 78, Williams 53

### Mideast - Evansville, Indiana

Location: Roberts Municipal Stadium Host: Evansville College
| Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 5 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 5 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 5 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 6 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 6 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 6 |
| Evansville | Evansville | 66 | | | |
| Belmont Abbey | Belmont Abbey | 54 | | | |
| Belmont Abbey | Belmont Abbey | 54 | Evansville | Evansville | 56 |
| | | | Wittenberg | Wittenberg | 50 |
| Wittenberg | Wittenberg | 80 | Wittenberg | Wittenberg | 50 |
| Southern Illinois | Southern Illinois | 70 | | | |
* Third Place - Belmont Abbey 79, Southern Illinois 70

### Great Lakes - Glen Ellyn, Illinois

Location: Glenbard High School Gym Host: Wheaton College
| Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7 |
| Wheaton (IL) | Wheaton (IL) | 102 | | | |
| Wabash | Wabash | 83 | | | |
| Wabash | Wabash | 83 | Wheaton | Wheaton | 76 |
| | | | Hope | Hope | 93 |
| Hope | Hope | 102 | Hope | Hope | 93 |
| Loras | Loras | 73 | | | |
* Third Place - Wabash 100, Loras 79

### Southwest - Springfield, Missouri

Location: McDonald Hall and Arena Host: Southwest Missouri State College
| Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7 |
| SW Missouri State | SW Missouri State | 87 | | | |
| Abilene Christian | Abilene Christian | 67 | | | |
| Abilene Christian | Abilene Christian | 67 | SW Missouri State | SW Missouri State | 65 |
| | | | Centenary | Centenary | 62 |
| Centenary (LA) | Centenary (LA) | 84 | Centenary | Centenary | 62 |
| Western Illinois | Western Illinois | 76 | | | |
* Third Place - Abilene Christian 85, Western Illinois 81*

### Midwest - Brookings, South Dakota

Location: The Barn Host: South Dakota State College
| Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7 |
| South Dakota State | South Dakota State | 73 | | | |
| Augustana (IL) | Augustana (IL) | 56 | | | |
| Augustana (IL) | Augustana (IL) | 56 | South Dakota State | South Dakota State | 106 |
| | | | Knox | Knox | 80 |
| Knox | Knox | 88 | Knox | Knox | 80 |
| Wartburg | Wartburg | 84 | | | |
* Third Place - Wartburg 69, Augustana 66*

### Pacific Coast - Los Angeles, California

Location: Eagle's Nest Host: California State University, Los Angeles
| Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7 |
| Cal State Los Angeles | Cal State Los Angeles | 83 | | | |
| Sacramento State | Sacramento State | 57 | | | |
| Sacramento State | Sacramento State | 57 | Cal State Los Angeles | Cal State Los Angeles | 86 |
| | | | Chapman | Chapman | 82 |
| Chapman | Chapman | 73 | Chapman | Chapman | 82 |
| Willamette | Willamette | 52 | | | |
* Third Place - Willamette 76, Sacramento State 57
*denotes each overtime played

## National Finals - Evansville, Indiana

Location: Roberts Municipal Stadium Host: Evansville College
| National Quarterfinals Elite Eight March 11 | National Quarterfinals Elite Eight March 11 | National Quarterfinals Elite Eight March 11 | National semifinals Final Four March 12 | National semifinals Final Four March 12 | National semifinals Final Four March 12 | National Championship March 13 | National Championship March 13 | National Championship March 13 |
| North Carolina A&T | North Carolina A&T | 87 | | | | | | |
| American | American | 70 | | | | | | |
| American | American | 70 | North Carolina A&T | North Carolina A&T | 92 | | | |
| | | | Evansville | Evansville | 110 | | | |
| St. Michael's | St. Michael's | 63 | Evansville | Evansville | 110 | | | |
| Evansville | Evansville | 82 | | | | | | |
| Evansville | Evansville | 82 | | | | Evansville | Evansville | 83 |
| | | | | | | SW Missouri State | SW Missouri State | 67 |
| Hope | Hope | 74 | | | | | | | SW Missouri State | SW Missouri State | 67 |
| SW Missouri State | SW Missouri State | 76 | | | | | | |
| SW Missouri State | SW Missouri State | 76 | SW Missouri State | SW Missouri State | 72 | | | |
| | | | Cal State Los Angeles | Cal State Los Angeles | 59 | | | |
| South Dakota State | South Dakota State | 67 | Cal State Los Angeles | Cal State Los Angeles | 59 | | | |
| Cal State Los Angeles | Cal State Los Angeles | 92 | | | | | | |
* Third Place - North Carolina A&T 101, Cal State Los Angeles 84
*denotes each overtime played

## All-tournament team

* Hugh Ahlering (Evansville)
* Paul Benes (Hope)
* Joe Cotton (North Carolina A&T)
* Leo Hill (Cal State-Los Angeles)
* Jack Israel (Southwest Missouri State)