1965–66_NCAA_Division_I_men's_basketball_season
1965–66 NCAA University Division men's basketball season
Men's collegiate basketball season
The 1965–66 NCAA University Division men's basketball season began in December 1965, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 1966 NCAA University Division basketball tournament championship game on March 19, 1966, at Cole Field House in College Park, Maryland. The Texas Western Miners won their first NCAA national championship with a 72–65 victory over the Kentucky Wildcats.
Quick Facts –66 NCAA Division I men's basketball season, Preseason AP No. 1 ...
| 1965–66 NCAA Division I men's basketball season | |
|---|---|
| Preseason AP No. 1 | UCLA[1][2] |
| NCAA Tournament | 1966 |
| Tournament dates | March 7–19, 1966 – |
| National Championship | Cole Field House College Park, Maryland |
| NCAA Champions | Texas Western |
| Helms National Champions | Texas Western |
| Other champions | BYU (NIT) |
| Player of the Year (Helms) | Cazzie Russell, Michigan |
← 1964–65 1966–67 → | |
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- After introducing a preseason Top 20 the previous season, the Associated Press (AP) Poll contracted its preseason poll to a Top 10, aligning with the Top 10 format for in-season polls it had used since the 1961–62 season.[3]
- The NCAA tournament contracted from 23 to 22 teams.
- Texas Western became the first team to begin an NCAA tournament final game with an all-African American starting lineup, and the first team with an all-African American starting line-up to win the NCAA championship.
- The Metropolitan Collegiate Conference, consisting of schools in the New York City-New Jersey area, began play.
Pre-season polls
The Top 10 from the AP Poll and Top 20 from the Coaches Poll during the pre-season.[4][5]
More information Associated Press, Ranking ...
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More information School, Former conference ...
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NOTES:
- East Carolina did not begin University Division play until the 1966–1967 season.
- Fairleigh Dickinson did not begin University Division play until the 1967–1968 season.
- Hofstra did not begin University Division play until the 1966–1967 season.
- Long Island did not begin University Division play until the 1968–1969 season.
Conference winners and tournaments
More information Conference, Regular season winner ...
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Informal championships
More information Conference, Regular season winner ...
| Conference | Regular season winner |
Conference player of the year |
Conference tournament |
Tournament venue (City) |
Tournament winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia Big 5 | St. Joseph's | None selected | No Tournament | ||
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Statistical leaders
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NCAA tournament
Main articles: 1966 NCAA University Division basketball tournament and 1966 NCAA University Division Basketball Championship Game
Final Four
| National Semi-finals | National finals | ||||||||
| E | Duke | 79 | |||||||
| ME | Kentucky | 83 | |||||||
| ME | Kentucky | 65 | |||||||
| MW | Texas Western | 72 | |||||||
| MW | Texas Western | 85 | |||||||
| W | Utah | 78 | |||||||
- Third place – Duke 79, Utah 77
National Invitation tournament
Main article: 1966 National Invitation Tournament
Semi-finals and Finals
| Semi-finals | Finals | ||||||||
| BYU | 66 | ||||||||
| Army | 60 | ||||||||
| BYU | 97 | ||||||||
| NYU | 84 | ||||||||
| NYU | 69 | ||||||||
| Villanova | 63 | ||||||||
- Third place – Villanova 76, Army 65
Consensus All-American teams
Main article: 1966 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans
More information Player, Position ...
| Player | Position | Class | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dave Bing | G | Senior | Syracuse |
| Clyde Lee | F | Senior | Vanderbilt |
| Cazzie Russell | F | Senior | Michigan |
| Dave Schellhase | G/F | Senior | Purdue |
| Jimmy Walker | G | Junior | Providence |
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More information Player, Position ...
| Player | Position | Class | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louie Dampier | G | Junior | Kentucky |
| Matt Guokas | G | Junior | St. Joseph's |
| Jack Marin | F | Senior | Duke |
| Dick Snyder | F | Senior | Davidson |
| Bob Verga | G | Senior | Duke |
| Walt Wesley | C | Senior | Kansas |
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Major player of the year awards
- Helms Player of the Year: Cazzie Russell, Michigan
- Associated Press Player of the Year: Cazzie Russell, Michigan
- UPI Player of the Year: Cazzie Russell, Michigan
- Oscar Robertson Trophy (USBWA): Cazzie Russell, Michigan
- Sporting News Player of the Year: Cazzie Russell, Michigan
Major coach of the year awards
- Henry Iba Award: Adolph Rupp, Kentucky
- NABC Coach of the Year: Adolph Rupp, Kentucky
- UPI Coach of the Year: Adolph Rupp, Kentucky
- Sporting News Coach of the Year: Adolph Rupp, Kentucky
Other major awards
- Robert V. Geasey Trophy (Top player in Philadelphia Big 5): Bill Melchionni, Villanova
- NIT/Haggerty Award (Top player in New York City metro area): Albie Grant, LIU Brooklyn
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A number of teams changed coaches during the season and after it ended.
More information Team, Former Coach ...
| Team | Former Coach |
Interim Coach |
New Coach |
Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgetown | Tommy O'Keefe | Jack Magee | Able to sustain himself financially only by working outside of basketball to supplement the low salary of Georgetown's head coaching position, and lacking the time to recruit players properly while coaching only part-time, O'Keefe resigned after the season to devote himself full-time to his business concerns. His resignation prompted Georgetown to commit to hiring a full-time coach beginning with the following season.[11][12] | |
| Hardin–Simmons | Lou Henson | Paul Lambert | ||
| Loyola (LA) | Bill Gardiner | Ron Greene | ||
| New Mexico State | Lou Henson | Jim McGregor | ||
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- ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia. Random House. 2009. p. 846. ISBN 978-0-345-51392-2.
- "1978 Preseason AP Men's Basketball Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
- ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia. Random House. 2009. p. 836. ISBN 978-0-345-51392-2.
- "1977 Preseason AP Men's Basketball Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
- "2009 NCAA Men's Basketball Record Book – Conferences Section" (PDF). NCAA. 2009. Retrieved February 14, 2009.
- 2008–09 ACC Men's Basketball Media Guide – Year by Year section Archived March 3, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, retrieved February 14, 2009
- 2008–09 SEC Men's Basketball Record Book, Southeastern Conference, retrieved February 6, 2009
- 2008–09 SoCon Men's Basketball Media Guide – Honors Section, Southern Conference, retrieved February 9, 2009
- 2008–09 SoCon Men's Basketball Media Guide – Postseason Section, Southern Conference, retrieved February 9, 2009
- "The Georgetown Basketball History Project: Head Coaches". Archived from the original on May 27, 2017. Retrieved December 22, 2013.
- "The Georgetown Basketball History Project: The Top 100: 46. Tom O'Keefe". Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved February 5, 2014.