Season headlines The Big South Conference began conference play. It had been founded in 1983, but its members had played as Division I independents until this season. The ECAC South renamed itself the Colonial Athletic Association. It renamed itself the Coastal Athletic Association in 2023. The Midwestern City Conference renamed itself the Midwestern Collegiate Conference. It renamed itself the Horizon League in 2001. Blocked shots and steals both became official statistics tracked by the NCAA. David Robinson of Navy became the first national blocked shot champion, averaging 5.91 per game for the season. The first steals champion was Darron Brittman of Chicago State, with 4.96 per game. LSU, seeded 11th in the 1986 NCAA tournament's Southeast Region, became the first team with a double-digit seed to advance to the Final Four.
Major rule changes Beginning in 1985–86, the following rules changes were implemented: The 45-second shot clock was introduced. With the shot clock's introduction, the so-called "lack of action" count (when the offense fails to attempt a shot in a five-second timeframe) was abolished. If a shooter was fouled intentionally and the shot was missed, the penalty was two shots and possession of the ball out of bounds to the team who was fouled. Conferences were permitted to experiment with a three-point field goal, provided the distance was set to at least from the center of the basket.
Season outlook
Pre-season polls The top 20 from the AP Poll during the pre-season.* Associated PressRankingTeam1 Georgia Tech (28)2 North Carolina (13)3 Michigan (13)4 Syracuse 5 Kansas (4)6 Duke (2)7 Illinois8 Georgetown (1)9 Louisville10 Auburn11 Kentucky12 Notre Dame13 Oklahoma14 Louisiana State15 Memphis State16 Alabama-Birmingham17 NC State18 UNLV 19 Maryland Navy UPI CoachesRankingTeam1 Michigan 2 Georgia Tech 3 North Carolina 4 Kansas5 Duke 6 Syracuse7 Illinois8 Georgetown9 Louisiana State10 Louisville11 Auburn12 Kentucky13 Notre Dame 14 Iowa NC State16 Alabama-Birmingham17 Washington18 UNLV19 DePaul20 UCLA
Conference membership changes SchoolFormer conferenceNew conference Division II independent Big South Conference Division I independent Big South Conference Division I independent Big South Conference Division I independent Big South Conference NAIA independent Big South Conference NAIA independent Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference No team Division I independent Division I independent ECAC Metro Midwestern City Conference Sooner Athletic Conference (NAIA) Division I independent Big South Conference No team West Coast Athletic Conference Division I independent Trans America Athletic Conference Metro Conference No team NAIA independent Big South Conference NAIA independent Big South Conference NOTES: The Big South Conference was founded in 1983, but its members played as independents until this season. Tulane discontinued its men's basketball program after the 1984–85 season in response to a point shaving scandal involving four of its players.
Regular season Conferences Conference winners and tournaments ConferenceRegular season winnerConference player of the yearConference Coach of the YearConference tournamentTournament venue (City)Tournament winnerAMCU–8 Cleveland State Jon Collins, Eastern Illinois Kevin Mackey, Cleveland State 1986 AMCU-8 men's basketball tournament Hammons Student Center(Springfield, Missouri) Cleveland StateAtlantic 10 Conference Saint Joseph's Maurice Martin, Saint Joseph's2008–09 A-10 men's basketball media guide – Awards section , Atlantic 10 Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 Jim Boyle, Saint Joseph's 1986 Atlantic 10 men's basketball tournament Brendan Byrne Arena(East Rutherford, New Jersey) Saint Joseph'sAtlantic Coast Conference Duke Len Bias, Maryland2008–09 ACC Men's Basketball Media Guide – Year by Year section , retrieved 2009-06-27 Mike Krzyzewski, Duke 1986 ACC men's basketball tournament Greensboro Coliseum(Greensboro, North Carolina) DukeBig East Conference St. John's &Syracuse Walter Berry, St. John's2008–09 Big East Men's Basketball Media Guide – Awards section , Big East Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 Lou Carnesecca, St. John's 1986 Big East men's basketball tournament Madison Square Garden(New York City, New York) St. John'sBig Eight Conference Kansas Danny Manning, Kansas2008–09 Big 12 Men's Basketball Media Guide – Awards section, Big 12 Conference, retrieved 2009-02-04 Larry Brown, Kansas 1986 Big Eight Conference men's basketball tournament Kemper Arena(Kansas City, Missouri)(Semifinals and Finals) KansasBig Sky Conference Montana & Northern Arizona Larry Krystkowiak, Montana, Big Sky Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 Stu Starner, Montana State 1986 Big Sky Conference men's basketball tournament Lawlor Events Center(Reno, Nevada) Montana State Big South Conference Baptist Fred McKinnon, Winthrop Tommy Gaither, Baptist 1986 Big South Conference men's basketball tournament Savannah Civic Center(Savannah, Georgia) BaptistBig Ten Conference Michigan None Selected Jud Heathcote, Michigan State No TournamentColonial Athletic Association Navy David Robinson, Navy Dick Tarrant, Richmond 1986 CAA men's basketball tournament Patriot Center(Fairfax, Virginia) NavyEast Coast Conference Drexel Michael Anderson, Drexel Edward Burke, Drexel 1986 East Coast Conference men's basketball tournament Towson Center(Towson, Maryland) DrexelECAC Metro Fairleigh Dickinson Terrance Bailey, Wagner Tom Green, Fairleigh Dickinson 1986 ECAC Metro men's basketball tournament William T. Boylan Gymnasium(West Long Branch, New Jersey) Marist ECAC North Northeastern Reggie Lewis, NortheasternAmerica East Men's Basketball Players of the Year, America East Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 Jim Calhoun, Northeastern 1986 ECAC North men's basketball tournament Matthews Arena(Boston, Massachusetts) NortheasternIvy League Brown Jim Turner, BrownMen's Ivy League Outstanding performers , Ivy League, retrieved 2009-06-27 None selected No TournamentMetro Atlantic Athletic Conference Fairfield Tony George, FairfieldMen's Basketball All-MAAC Awards , Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 Mitch Buonaguro, Fairfield 1986 MAAC men's basketball tournament Meadowlands Arena(East Rutherford, New Jersey) FairfieldMetro Conference Louisville Dell Curry, Virginia Tech M. K. Turk, Southern Miss 1986 Metro Conference men's basketball tournament Freedom Hall(Louisville, Kentucky) LouisvilleMid-American Conference Miami (OH) Ron Harper, Miami (OH)2008–09 MAC Men's Basketball Media Guide – Records Section, Mid-American Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 Jerry Peirson, Miami (OH) 1986 MAC men's basketball tournament Rockford MetroCentre(Rockford, Illinois) Ball StateMid-Eastern Athletic Conference North Carolina A&T Don Hill, Bethune–Cookman Don Corbett, North Carolina A&T 1986 MEAC men's basketball tournament Philadelphia Civic Center(Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) North Carolina A&TMidwestern Collegiate Conference Xavier Byron Larkin, Xavier2008–09 Horizon League Men's Basketball Record Book , Horizon League, retrieved 2009-06-27 Pete Gillen, Xavier &Don Sicko, Detroit 1986 Midwestern Collegiate Conference men's basketball tournament Market Square Arena(Indianapolis, Indiana) XavierMissouri Valley Conference Bradley Jim Les, Bradley2008–09 MVC Men's Basketball Media Guide – Honors Section, Missouri Valley Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 Dick Versace, Bradley 1986 Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball tournament Tulsa Convention Center(Tulsa, Oklahoma) TulsaOhio Valley Conference Akron & Middle Tennessee State Marcel Boyce, Akron2008–09 OVC men's basketball media guide, Ohio Valley Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 Bob Huggins, Akron 1986 Ohio Valley Conference men's basketball tournament James A. Rhodes Arena(Akron, Ohio) AkronPacific-10 Conference Arizona Chris Welp, Washington2008–09 Pacific-10 Men's Basketball Media Guide- Honors Section , Pacific-10 Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 Lute Olson, Arizona No TournamentPacific Coast Athletic Association UNLV Greg Grant, Utah State &Anthony Jones, UNLV2008–09 Big West Men's Basketball Media Guide , Big West Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 Bill Mulligan, UC Irvine 1986 Pacific Coast Athletic Association men's basketball tournament The Forum(Inglewood, California) UNLVSoutheastern Conference Kentucky Kenny Walker, Kentucky2008–09 SEC Men's Basketball Record Book , Southeastern Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 Eddie Sutton, Kentucky 1986 SEC men's basketball tournament Rupp Arena(Lexington, Kentucky) KentuckySouthern Conference Tennessee–Chattanooga Gay Elmore, VMI2008–09 SoCon Men's Basketball Media Guide – Honors Section , Southern Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 Mack McCarthy, Tennessee–Chattanooga 1986 Southern Conference men's basketball tournament Asheville Civic Center(Asheville, North Carolina) DavidsonSouthland Conference Northeast Louisiana Bobby Jenkins, Northeast Louisiana2008–09 Southland Conference Men's Basketball Media Guide, Southland Conference, retrieved 2009-02-07 Mike Vining, Northeast Louisiana 1986 Southland Conference men's basketball tournament Fant–Ewing Coliseum(Monroe, Louisiana) Northeast LouisianaSouthwest Conference TCU, Texas & Texas A&M John Brownlee, Texas Jim Killingsworth, TCU 1986 Southwest Conference men's basketball tournament Reunion Arena(Dallas, Texas) Texas TechSouthwestern Athletic Conference Alcorn State& Southern Frank Sillmon, Alabama State2006–07 SWAC Men's Basketball Media Guide Davey Whitney, Alcorn State 1986 SWAC men's basketball tournament Mississippi Valley StateSun Belt Conference Old Dominion Kenny Gattison, Old Dominion2007–08 Sun Belt Men's Basketball Media Guide, Sun Belt Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 Clem Haskins, Western Kentucky & Tom Young, Old Dominion 1986 Sun Belt Conference men's basketball tournament Birmingham–Jefferson Convention Complex(Birmingham, Alabama) JacksonvilleTrans America Athletic Conference Arkansas–Little Rock Myron Jackson, Arkansas–Little RockAtlantic Sun men's basketball record book, Atlantic Sun Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 Mike Newell, Arkansas–Little Rock 1986 TAAC men's basketball tournament Barton Coliseum(Little Rock, Arkansas) Arkansas–Little RockWest Coast Athletic Conference Pepperdine Dwayne Polee, Pepperdine2008–09 WCC Men's Basketball Media Guide , West Coast Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 Hank Egan, San Diego & Jim Harrick, Pepperdine No TournamentWestern Athletic Conference Utah, UTEP& Wyoming Anthony Watson, San Diego State2008–09 WAC Men's Basketball Media Guide – Records Section , Western Athletic Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 Jim Brandenburg, Wyoming 1986 WAC men's basketball tournament Arena-Auditorium(Laramie, Wyoming) UTEP
Conference standings
Division I independents A total of 17 college teams played as Division I independents. Among them, Notre Dame (23–6) had both the best winning percentage (.793) and the most wins.
Informal championships ConferenceRegular season winnerMost Valuable PlayerPhiladelphia Big 5 Saint Joseph's & Temple Harold Pressley, Villanova Saint Joseph's and Temple both finished with 3–1 records in head-to-head competition among the Philadelphia Big 5.
Statistical leaders Player School PPG Player School RPG Player School APG Player School SPG Terrance Bailey Wagner 29.4 David Robinson Navy 13.0 Mark Jackson St. John's 9.1 Darron Brittman Chicago St. 5.0 Scott Skiles Michigan St. 27.4 Greg Anderson Houston 12.9 Taurence Chisholm Delaware 8.5 Jim Paguaga St. Francis (NY) 4.3 Joe Yezbak U. S. International 27.0 Brad Sellers Ohio St. 12.6 Tyrone Bogues Wake Forest 8.4 Leroy Allen Hofstra 3.6 Reggie Miller UCLA 25.9 Ron Harper Miami (OH) 11.7 Ralph Lee Xavier 8.4 Ron Harper Miami (OH) 3.3 Ron Harper Miami (OH) 24.4 Larry Krystkowiak Montana 11.4 Derric Thomas Monmouth 8.2 Harold Starks Providence 3.2