2004–05 NCAA Division I men's basketball season
The 2004–05 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 10, 2004, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 2005 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Championship Game on April 4, 2005 at the Edward Jones Dome in Saint Louis, Missouri. The North Carolina Tar Heels won their fourth NCAA national championship with a 75–70 victory over the Illinois Fighting Illini. Season outlook. Pre-season polls. The top 25 from the AP and ESPN/USA Today Coaches Polls November 11, 2004. Conference membership changes . These schools joined new conferences for the 2004–05 season. Regular season. Conference winners and tournaments. 30 conference seasons conclude with a single-elimination tournament. Traditionally, all conference schools are eligible, regardless of record. However, some conferences, most notably the Big East, do not invite the teams with the worst records. The conference tournament winner receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. A school that wins the conference regular season title is guaranteed an NIT bid; however, it may receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Ivy League is the only Division I conference that does not  hold a conference tournament, instead sending their regular-season champion. Post-Season Tournaments. NCAA Tournament. The NCAA Tournament tipped off on March 15, 2005 with the opening round game in Dayton, Ohio, and concluded on April 4 at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, MO. A total of 65 teams entered the tournament. Thirty of the teams earned automatic bids by winning their conference tournaments. The automatic bid of the Ivy League, which does not conduct a post-season tournament, went to its regular season champion. The remaining 34 teams were granted "at-large" bids, which are extended by  the NCAA Selection Committee. The Big East Conference led the way with eight bids. North Carolina won their fourth NCAA title, beating Illinois 75–70 in the final. North Carolina forward Sean May was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. National Invitation Tournament. After the NCAA Tournament field was announced, the National Invitation Tournament invited 32 teams to participate, reducing the field's size from 40. Eight teams were given automatic bids for winning their conference regular seasons, and 24 other teams were also invited. Dave Odom's South Carolina Gamecocks won the title, defeating the Saint Joseph's Hawks  60–57 in the championship game. The Gamecocks' Carlos Powell was named tournament MVP. Coaching changes. A number of teams changed coaches throughout the season and after the season ended.