1952–53 NCAA men's basketball season
The 1952–53 NCAA men's basketball season began in December 1952, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 1953 NCAA Basketball Tournament Championship Game on March 18, 1953, at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The Indiana Hoosiers won their second NCAA national championship with a 69–68 victory over the Kansas Jayhawks. Rule changes. Teams must take a free throw after a foul, as had been the practice through the 1938–39 season. Previously, under a rule that had been in effect since the 1939–40 season, a team could waive  its free throw and instead take the ball at mid-court after a foul. Season outlook. Pre-season polls. The Top 20 from the AP Poll and the UP Coaches Poll during the pre-season. Awards. Consensus All-American teams. Coaching changes. A number of teams changed coaches during the season and after it ended.