Dartmouth Big Green men's basketball

The Dartmouth Big Green men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball program of Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. The program is classified in the NCAA Division I and the team competes in the Ivy League. They play their home games at Leede Arena and are coached by David McLaughlin.

Dartmouth Big Green men's basketball
2024–25 Dartmouth Big Green men's basketball team
University	Dartmouth College
Head coach	David McLaughlin (8th season)
Conference	Ivy League
Location	Hanover, New Hampshire
Arena	Leede Arena (capacity: 2,100)
Nickname	Big Green
Colors	Dartmouth green and white[1]
Uniforms
Home Away Alternate
NCAA tournament runner-up
1942, 1944
Other NCAA tournament results Final Four 1942, 1944 Elite Eight 1958 Sweet Sixteen 1956, 1958 Appearances 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1956, 1958, 1959
Pre-tournament Helms champions
1906
Conference regular-season champions
1927, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1946, 1956, 1958, 1959

History

The Big Green have appeared in the NCAA tournament seven times, with two national championship game appearances.^[2][3][4] Dartmouth has not participated in an NCAA Tournament since 1959, however, the longest active streak in between appearances and the second-longest ever.^[a] Since their 1959 tournament appearance, the team has had eleven winning seasons and participated in one non-Ivy postseason tournament, the 2015 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament.

The team's most significant recent non-conference victories include Buffalo in 2019 (the Bulls' first game since finishing the 2018-2019 season ranked #15 by The Associated Press), Georgetown in 2021, UTSA in 2022, and Boston College in 2024.^[5][6][7][8]

Like the rest of the Ivy League, the Big Green did not compete during the 2020-2021 college basketball season.^[9] In the 2024–25 season, the Big Green went 14–13 (8–6 in Ivy play) and made their first ever Ivy League men's basketball tournament when they finished 3rd in the regular season. They lost to Cornell in the Semifinal game by a score of 87–71.

Unionization

A National Labor Relations Board regional official has ruled that Dartmouth basketball players are employees of the school, paving the way for a union election.^[10] The decision allows players to negotiate salary and working conditions. Dartmouth plans to seek a review of the ruling, arguing the students are not employees. The players see the ruling as a significant step forward and plan to form an Ivy League Players Association.^[10] The NCAA and universities insist athletes are students, not employees, but the ruling could challenge this view. The case is significant amid ongoing legal challenges to the amateur athlete model. The ruling may lead to increased compensation and player involvement in decision-making. The decision is supported by the Service Employees International Union, and it has implications for college athletes nationwide.^[10]

Postseason results

NCAA tournament results

Dartmouth's overall record in the NCAA tournament is 10–7.

Along with Kansas, Dartmouth was the first team to appear in multiple NCAA Tournaments after making their second appearance in the 1942 tournament. Dartmouth was also the first team to appear in consecutive NCAA tournaments.

Year	Round	Opponent	Result
1941	Quarterfinals Regional 3rd Place	Wisconsin North Carolina	L 50–51 W 60–59
1942	Quarterfinals Semifinals National Championship Game	Penn State Kentucky Stanford	W 44–39 W 47–28 L 38–53
1943	Quarterfinals Regional 3rd Place	DePaul NYU	L 35–46 W 51–49
1944	Quarterfinals Semifinals National Championship Game	Catholic Ohio State Utah	W 63–38 W 60–53 L 40–42OT
1956	Regional Quarterfinals Regional semifinals Regional 3rd-place game	West Virginia Canisius Connecticut	W 61–59OT L 58–66 W 85–64
1958	Regional Quarterfinals Regional semifinals Regional Finals	Connecticut Manhattan Temple	W 75–64 W 79–62 L 50–69
1959	Regional Quarterfinals	West Virginia	L 68–82

CIT results

The Big Green have appeared in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT) one time. Their record is 0–1.

Year	Round	Opponent	Result
2015	First round	Canisius	L 72–87

Notable players

• Alex Barnett (2005–2009)
• James Blackwell (1987–1991)
• Al Bonniwell (1937–1939)
• Flinder Boyd (1998–2002)
• Aud Brindley (1942–46)
• Rudy LaRusso (1956–59)
• Ed Leede (1945–49)
• Bob MacLeod (1935–1939)
• Gabrielius Maldūnas (2011–15)
• Ian McGinnis (1997–2001)
• Dick McGuire (1944)
• George Munroe (1940–43)
• Jim Olsen (1940–43)
• Crawford Palmer (1992–93)
• Walter Palmer (1986–1990)
• Jim Picken (1924–1927)
• Clive Weeden (2007-2011)