1959 NCAA University Division basketball tournament

The 1959 NCAA University Division basketball tournament involved 23 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball in the United States. The 21st annual edition of the tournament began on March 7, 1959, and ended with the championship game on March 21, at Freedom Hall in Louisville, Kentucky. A total of 27 games were played, including a third place game in each region and a national third place game.

1959 NCAA University Division
basketball tournament

Season	1958–59
Teams	23
Finals site	Freedom Hall, Louisville, Kentucky
Champions	California Golden Bears (1st title, 1st title game, 2nd Final Four)
Runner-up	West Virginia Mountaineers (1st title game, 1st Final Four)
Third place	Cincinnati Bearcats (1st Final Four)
Fourth place	Louisville Cardinals (1st Final Four)
Winning coach	Pete Newell (1st title)
MOP	Jerry West (West Virginia)
Attendance	161,809
Top scorer	Jerry West (West Virginia) (160 points)
NCAA Division I men's tournaments «1958 1960»

California, coached by Pete Newell, won the national title with a 71–70 victory in the final game over West Virginia, coached by Fred Schaus. Jerry West of West Virginia was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.

Locations

Round	Region	Site	Venue
First Round	East	New York, New York	Madison Square Garden
	Mideast	Lexington, Kentucky	Memorial Coliseum
	Midwest	Portland, Oregon	Pacific International Livestock Exposition
	West	Las Cruces, New Mexico	Las Cruces High School Gym
Regionals	East	Charlotte, North Carolina	Charlotte Coliseum
	Mideast	Evanston, Illinois	McGaw Memorial Hall
	Midwest	Lawrence, Kansas	Allen Fieldhouse
	West	San Francisco, California	Cow Palace
Final Four		Louisville, Kentucky	Freedom Hall

Teams

Region	Team	Coach	Conference	Finished	Final Opponent	Score
East
East	Boston University	Matt Zunic	Independent	Regional Runner-up	West Virginia	L 86–82
East	Connecticut	Hugh Greer	Yankee	First round	Boston University	L 60–58
East	Dartmouth	Doggie Julian	Ivy League	First round	West Virginia	L 82–68
East	Navy	Ben Carnevale	Independent	Regional third place	Saint Joseph's	W 70–56
East	North Carolina	Frank McGuire	Atlantic Coast	First round	Navy	L 76–63
East	Saint Joseph's	Jack Ramsay	Middle Atlantic	Regional Fourth Place	Navy	L 70–56
East	West Virginia	Fred Schaus	Southern	Runner Up	California	L 71–70
Mideast
Mideast	Bowling Green	Harold Anderson	Mid-American	First round	Marquette	L 89–71
Mideast	Eastern Kentucky	Paul McBrayer	Ohio Valley	First round	Louisville	L 77–63
Mideast	Kentucky	Adolph Rupp	Southeastern	Regional third place	Marquette	W 98–69
Mideast	Louisville	Peck Hickman	Independent	Fourth Place	Cincinnati	L 98–85
Mideast	Marquette	Eddie Hickey	Independent	Regional Fourth Place	Kentucky	L 98–69
Mideast	Michigan State	Forddy Anderson	Big Ten	Regional Runner-up	Louisville	L 88–81
Midwest
Midwest	Cincinnati	George Smith	Missouri Valley	Third Place	Louisville	W 98–85
Midwest	DePaul	Ray Meyer	Independent	Regional Fourth Place	TCU	L 71–65
Midwest	Kansas State	Tex Winter	Big 8	Regional Runner-up	Cincinnati	L 85–75
Midwest	Portland	Al Negratti	Independent	First round	DePaul	L 57–56
Midwest	TCU	Buster Brannon	Southwest	Regional third place	DePaul	W 71–65
West
West	California	Pete Newell	Pacific Coast	Champion	West Virginia	W 71–70
West	Idaho State	John Grayson	Independent	Regional third place	Utah	W 71–65
West	New Mexico State	Presley Askew	Border	First round	Idaho State	L 62–61
West	Saint Mary's	James Weaver	West Coast Athletic	Regional Runner-up	California	L 66–46
West	Utah	Jack Gardner	Mountain States	Regional Fourth Place	Idaho State	L 71–65

Bracket

East region

	Quarterfinals					Semifinals					Finals
							Saint Joseph's	92
							West Virginia	95
		West Virginia	82
		Dartmouth	68
												West Virginia	86
												Boston University	82
		Boston University	60
		Connecticut	58
							Boston University	62
							Navy	55
		Navy	76
		North Carolina	63

Mideast region

	Quarterfinals					Semifinals					Finals
							Kentucky	61
							Louisville	76
		Louisville	77
		Eastern Kentucky	63
												Louisville	88
												Michigan State	81
							Michigan State	74
							Marquette	69
		Marquette	89
		Bowling Green	71

Midwest region

	Quarterfinals					Semifinals					Finals
							Kansas State	102
							DePaul	70
		DePaul	57
		Portland	56
												Kansas State	75
												Cincinnati	85
							Cincinnati	77
							TCU	73

West region

	Quarterfinals					Semifinals					Finals
							Saint Mary's	80
							Idaho State	71
		Idaho State	62
		New Mexico State	61
												Saint Mary's	46
												California	66
							California	71
							Utah	53

Final Four

	National Semifinals					National Finals
	E	West Virginia	94
	ME	Louisville	79
						E	West Virginia	70
						W	California	71
	MW	Cincinnati	58
	W	California	64

National Third Place Game

	National Third Place Game[1]
	MW	Cincinnati	98
	ME	Louisville	85

Regional third place games

East Regional third place       Navy 70 Saint Joseph's 56

Mideast Regional third place       Kentucky 98 Marquette 69

Midwest Regional third place       TCU 71 DePaul 65

West Regional third place       Idaho State 71 Utah 65

See also

• 1959 NCAA College Division basketball tournament
• 1959 National Invitation Tournament
• 1959 NAIA Division I men's basketball tournament

Notes

• Mississippi State qualified for the tournament but university president Benjamin F. Hilbun supported the social degradation of African-American citizens and would not permit the team to participate in the tournament where they would face African-American players.^[2]
• Five teams - Boston University, Bowling Green, Portland, Saint Joseph's, and Saint Mary's - made their tournament debut.
• This would be the most recent tournament appearance, as of 2024, for Dartmouth College. Their 65-year drought is the longest active drought in the NCAA among active Division I schools, and the second longest overall after Harvard's 66-year drought from 1946 to 2012.
• This was the last year an all-white starting lineup won the championship game.^[3]