1948 NCAA basketball tournament

The 1948 NCAA basketball tournament involved 8 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. The 10th annual edition of the tournament began on March 19, 1948, and ended with the championship game on March 23, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. A total of 10 games were played, including a third place game in each region and a national third place game.

1948 NCAA basketball tournament

Teams	8
Finals site	Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York
Champions	Kentucky Wildcats (1st title, 1st title game, 2nd Final Four)
Runner-up	Baylor Bears (1st title game, 1st Final Four)
Semifinalists	Holy Cross Crusaders (2nd Final Four) Kansas State Wildcats (1st Final Four)
Winning coach	Adolph Rupp (1st title)
MOP	Alex Groza (Kentucky)
Attendance	72,523
Top scorer	Alex Groza (Kentucky) (54 points)
NCAA Division I men's tournaments «1947 1949»

Kentucky, coached by Adolph Rupp, won the national title with a 58–42 victory in the final game over Baylor, coached by Bill Henderson. Alex Groza of Kentucky was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.

Locations

The following are the sites selected to host each round of the 1948 tournament:

Regionals

March 19 and 20

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 23

Madison Square Garden, New York, New York (Host: Metropolitan New York Conference)

Teams

Region	Team	Coach	Conference	Finished	Final Opponent	Score
East
East	Columbia	Gordon Ridings	EIBL	Regional Fourth Place	Michigan	L 66–49
East	Holy Cross	Doggie Julian	Independent	Third Place	Kansas State	W 60–54
East	Kentucky	Adolph Rupp	Southeastern	Champion	Baylor	W 58–42
East	Michigan	Ozzie Cowles	Big Ten	Regional third place	Columbia	W 66–49
West
West	Baylor	Bill Henderson	Southwest	Runner-up	Kentucky	L 58–42
West	Kansas State	Jack Gardner	Big Six	Fourth Place	Holy Cross	L 60–54
West	Washington	Art McLarney	Pacific Coast	Regional third place	Wyoming	W 57–47
West	Wyoming	Everett Shelton	Skyline	Regional Fourth Place	Washington	L 57–47

Bracket

	Quarterfinals					Semifinals					Finals
		Kentucky	76
		Columbia	53
							Kentucky	60
							Holy Cross	52
		Holy Cross	63
		Michigan	45
												Kentucky	58
												Baylor	42
		Kansas State	58
		Wyoming	48
							Kansas State	52			Third place
							Baylor	60
		Baylor	64								Holy Cross		60
		Washington	62								Kansas State		54

Regional third place games

East Regional third place       Columbia 49 Michigan 66

West Regional third place       Wyoming 47 Washington 57

^[1]

See also

• 1948 National Invitation Tournament
• 1948 NAIA Basketball Tournament