The 2011–12 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 7, 2011, with the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic and ended with the 2012 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament's championship game on April 2, 2012, at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The tournament began with four first-round games on March 13–14, 2012 in Dayton, Ohio, followed by second and third rounds from Thursday through Sunday, March 15–18, 2012. Regional games were played from Thursday through Sunday, March 22–25, 2012, with the Final Four played on Saturday March 31, 2012, and the national championship game on Monday, April 2, 2012.
Kentucky claimed its eighth NCAA title, defeating Kansas 67–59 in the final. Consensus national player of the year Anthony Davis of Kentucky was named Most Outstanding Player of the tournament.
Season headlines September 13 – NCAA recruiting frenzy resumed when high school junior Jabari Parker held an open practice attended by representatives of 42 NCAA Division I schools, including Mike Krzyzewski, Roy Williams, Tom Izzo, Bruce Weber, Billy Kennedy, Thad Matta, Bill Self, Oliver Purnell and Larry Krystkowiak. November 1 – The AP preseason All-American team was named. Ohio State's Jared Sullinger was the only unanimous pick. Joining Sullinger were North Carolina forward Harrison Barnes (63 of 65 possible votes), Wisconsin guard Jordan Taylor (51), Kentucky forward Terrence Jones (33) and Connecticut guard Jeremy Lamb (25).Jared Sullinger tops All-America team, accessed November 5, 2011 After Tennessee head coach Bruce Pearl was fired following the 2010–11 season for major recruiting violations, he took a job as vice president of marketing with a Knoxville-based wholesale grocery company, H.T. Hackney.Bruce Pearl leaves coaching for marketing job in Knoxville. Accessed November 13, 2011. He had been offered an opportunity to coach the NBA Development League's Texas Legends but declined because he wanted to stay in the Knoxville area with his family. November 11 – the game between Michigan State and #1 North Carolina, known as the inaugural Carrier Classic, was played on the deck of the USS Carl Vinson off the coast of Coronado, California on Veterans Day.Inaugural 'NCAA Carrier Classic' basketball game honors veterans . Frere, Eileen. November 11, 2011. Accessed November 13, 2011. It was the first ever college basketball game played on a Navy aircraft carrier. President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama attended the game as North Carolina won 67–55. November 17 – Syracuse associate head coach Bernie Fine was placed on paid administrative leave after accusations by multiple former ball boys claimed that he sexually molested them a number of times spanning more than 10 years.Syracuse coach Bernie Fine accused of sex abuse; Boeheim defends assistant. Accessed November 18, 2011. The story about Fine broke less than two weeks after the Penn State sex abuse scandal came to light. Fine was subsequently fired on November 27, ending his streak as Division I's longest-tenured assistant coach at one school.Bernie Fine fired by Syracuse. Accessed November 27, 2011. December 5 – Harvard became ranked in the AP Poll for the first time in school history, coming in at No. 25 after an 8–0 start. It leaves Brown as the only remaining Ivy League school to have never been ranked in the poll and leaves only seven schools that have played Division I basketball since the AP Poll began that have never been ranked in it. December 5 – Mike Krzyzewski and Tennessee Lady Volunteers coach Pat Summitt were named the co-recipients of the annual Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year award, making them the third and fourth college basketball coaches selected in its 57-year history.SI selects Pat Summitt, Mike Krzyzewski. December 5, 2011. Retrieved on December 5, 2011. December 28 – After beating (15 AP/14 Coaches) Mississippi State, the Baylor Bears had their program's first ever 13–0 start and a school-record tying 13-game winning streak. The Bears' record reached 17–0 before finally losing to No. 7 Kansas, 92–74, on January 16.Tyshawn Taylor helps Kansas whip Baylor. Retrieved on January 19, 2012. At the time of their first loss they were ranked No. 3 in the nation, another all-time program high. December 31 – No. 13 Indiana defeats No. 2 Ohio State, becoming the first Hoosiers men's basketball team to defeat both the No. 1 and No. 2 ranked teams in the same season (they had also previously upset then-#1 Kentucky, 73–72).Indiana adds another upset by edging No. 2 Ohio State. Accessed January 1, 2012. January 5 – A Sun Belt Conference game between Louisiana–Lafayette and Western Kentucky ends in controversy, as officials failed to notice that the Ragin' Cajuns had six men on the court when Elfrid Payton drove for the layup that gave them a 72–70 win on WKU's home court. The conference's coordinator of officials stated that the error was not correctable post-game, but indicated that suspensions of the three officials involved were possible. February 9 – Murray State, the last unbeaten team in Division I men's basketball and ranked No. 9 in the country, loses at home to Tennessee State 72–68.No. 9 Murray State Loses as Last Unbeaten Falls. The New York Times. February 9, 2012. Retrieved on February 15, 2012. February 21 – Binghamton becomes the last team in Division I to win a game.After 26 losses, Binghamton U. earns first men's basketball win of season. Worthy, Lynn. February 21, 2012. Retrieved on February 22, 2012. They started 0–26 until a 57–53 upset win over Vermont. February 24 – Radford receives two years of probation, but no postseason ban, for providing impermissible benefits to recruits. Former head coach Brad Greenberg, who left after the 2010–11 season, is hit with a five-year show-cause penalty for leading an effort to mislead NCAA investigators. March 8 – Yahoo! Sports reports that the FBI is investigating suspended Auburn point guard Varez Ward for possible involvement in a point shaving scheme. A second Auburn player had been investigated but was cleared.
Milestones and records November 11 – Louisville coach Rick Pitino recorded his 600th career win in an 83–48 victory over Tennessee–Martin.Rick Pitino Wins 600th as No. 8 Louisville Cruises . November 11, 2011. Retrieved on December 2, 2011. He became the 15th fastest coach to do so (38th overall). November 15 – Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski recorded his 903rd win as a head coach, surpassing his former college coach Bob Knight for the most in Division I men's basketball history.Coach K sets NCAA wins record at 903. Accessed November 15, 2011. The #6 Blue Devils defeated Michigan State, 74–69, at Madison Square Garden. November 20 – Connecticut point guard Shabazz Napier recorded the ninth triple-double in school history.Shabazz Napier's triple-double helps UConn rally to beat Coppin State. November 20, 2011. Accessed on November 22, 2011. He compiled 22 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds in an 87–70 win over Coppin State. November 22 – Tennessee forward Jeronne Maymon scored 32 points and grabbed a Maui Invitational Tournament-record 20 rebounds in a double-overtime loss to #8 Memphis, 99–97.Vols Lose To No. 8 Memphis In Two Overtimes . November 22, 2011. Accessed November 23, 2011. November 28 – Florida coach Billy Donovan recorded his 400th career win in a 96–70 defeat of Stetson.Florida coach Billy Donovan earns 400th win as Gators stomp Stetson. Accessed on November 29, 2011. December 3 – Ohio State coach Thad Matta recorded his 300th career win in a 64–35 defeat of Texas–Pan American.Ohio State coach Thad Matta gets 300th career win. December 3, 2011. Retrieved on December 3, 2011. December 10 – IUPUI player Alex Young scored a team record 43 points in an 84–76 win over Western Kentucky.MMR: Bradford Burgess back on track. Retrieved on December 15, 2011. December 30 – Coppin State coach Fang Mitchell recorded his 400th win at the school in a 93–83 defeat of Nebraska-Omaha.Coppin St. 93, Nebraska-Omaha 83. Retrieved on January 9, 2012. January 4 – Zack Rosen became Penn's all-time assist leader, passing his coach Jerome Allen's mark of 505.Men's Basketball Edges Lafayette, 78-73 . Retrieved on April 6, 2012. Rosen finished his career with 588 assists. January 10 – Illinois guard Brandon Paul scored 43 points in a 79–74 upset over No. 5 Ohio State.Brandon Paul scores a career high 43 to fuel Illinois' upset of Ohio State. Retrieved on January 11, 2012. The 43 points was the third-highest scoring game in Illinois history and his eight three-pointers tied a school record. Guard Alex Young of IUPUI,Young hits 2,000 but Jags fall to Southern Utah, 72–64. Retrieved on January 14, 2012. UC Santa Barbara guard Orlando Johnson,UCSB Begins Final Road Stretch Wednesday at UC Irvine, Retrieved February 17, 2012. Archived February 19, 2012. High Point guard Nick Barbour,Barbour gets 2,000th point in loss to Charleston Southern, Retrieved February 17, 2012. Archived February 19, 2012. Oral Roberts forward Dominique Morrison,ORU Holds Off Akron 67–61; Wins 23rd Straight at Home, Retrieved February 18, 2012. Oakland guard Reggie Hamilton,Hamilton scores 31 points, surpasses 2,000 for career in Oakland's 89–56 victory over UMKC Tennessee Tech guard Kevin Murphy,Murray State rips Tennessee Tech to reach OVC final Lehigh guard CJ McCollum, St. Bonaventure forward Andrew NicholsonNicholson Scores 2,000th Point in Loss at La Salle and Northwestern forward John ShurnaNorthwestern 76, Akron 74, accessed March 15, 2012 each passed the 2,000 point mark for their careers. January 17 – Western Carolina defeated Toccoa Falls College (a member of the National Christian College Athletic Association) by a score of 141–39, making the 102-point win margin the third largest in NCAA Division I men's basketball history.Western Carolina beats team by 102 points. Retrieved on January 17, 2012. It also set WCU program records for points in a game and points in a half (72; first half). Nine players scored in double figures for the Catamounts. January 28 – Towson defeated UNC Wilmington 66–61, ending the longest losing streak in Division I men's basketball history at 41 games. January 30 – Tennessee Tech guard Kevin Murphy scored 50 points against SIU Edwardsville, breaking the previous school record of 38.Murphy sets record with 50 points, leads Tennessee Tech over SIU-Edwardsville 98–80. Retrieved on February 1, 2012. February 18 – Iona point guard Scott Machado set the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference record for single-season and career assists in a Bracket Buster game against NevadaMAAC notes. Retrieved on February 27, 2012. Machado finished the season with 327 assists and tallied 880 for his career. February 29 – North Carolina point guard Kendall Marshall broke Ed Cota's school single-season assist record (284) in a win over MarylandTMA: Marshall wants to be 'legendary'. Retrieved on March 2, 2012. On March 9 in an ACC tournament game against NC State, Marshall eclipsed Craig Neal's ACC single season assist mark of 303.UNC's Kendall Marshall sets ACC's all-time single-season assist record. Retrieved on March 18, 2012. Marshall finished the season with 351 assists. Missouri's Ricardo Ratliffe set the Missouri and Big 12 Conference single season record for field goal percentage. Ratliffe shot 69.3% from the floor, also leading the country in this category.Ricardo Ratliffe athletic profile . Retrieved on June 23, 2012.