The 1944 NCAA basketball tournament involved eight schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of the 1943–44 NCAA men's basketball season. The 6th annual edition of the tournament began on March 24, 1944, and ended with the championship game on March 28, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. A total of nine games were played, including a third place game in each region.
Utah, coached by Vadal Peterson, won the national title with a 42–40 victory in the final game over Dartmouth, coached by Earl Brown. Arnie Ferrin of Utah was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. Utah became the third team to play in both the NIT and NCAA tournament in the same season. Utah was given a second chance to play in the NCAA Tournament after a March 1944 automobile accident killed a coaching aide and seriously injured two players on the Arkansas team.
Utah's winning team featured Wataru Misaka, who later joined the New York Knicks to become the first person of color (in his case, being an Asian-American by being of Japanese descent) to play in modern professional basketball.
Locations The following are the sites selected to host each round of the 1944 tournament:
Regionals
March 24 and 25 East Regional, Madison Square Garden, New York, New York (Host: Metropolitan New York Conference) West Regional, Municipal Auditorium, Kansas City, Missouri (Host: Missouri Valley Conference)
Championship Game
March 28 Madison Square Garden, New York, New York (Host: Metropolitan New York Conference)
Teams Region Team Coach Conference Finished Final Opponent Score East East Catholic John Long Independent Regional Fourth Place Temple L 55–35 East Dartmouth Earl Brown EIBL Runner UpUtahL 42–40 East Ohio State Harold OlsenBig Ten National SemifinalsDartmouthL 60–53 East Temple Josh Cody Middle Atlantic Regional third placeCatholicW 55–35 West West Iowa State Louis MenzeBig Six National SemifinalsUtahL 40–31 West Missouri George R. Edwards Big Six Regional third place Pepperdine W 61–46 West Pepperdine Al Duer IndependentRegional Fourth PlaceMissouriL 61–46 West Utah Vadal Peterson Skyline Champion*DartmouthW 42–40OT
Bracket
Regional third place
See also 1944 National Invitation Tournament 1944 NAIA Division I men's basketball tournament
References