The 1987–88 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began in November 1987 and ended with the Final Four in Kansas City, Missouri on April 4, 1988.
Season headlines
Oklahoma became the first school to play for the national championship in both college football and college basketball in the same academic year. The football team lost the Orange Bowl on January 1, 1988, and in the 1988 NCAA tournament the basketball team lost the NCAA championship game on April 4, 1988.
Season outlook
Pre-season polls The top 20 from the AP Poll during the pre-season.* Associated PressRankingTeam1 Syracuse2 Purdue3 North Carolina4 Pittsburgh5 Kentucky6 Indiana7 Kansas8 Missouri9 Michigan10 Wyoming11 Iowa12 Temple13 Louisville14 Florida15 Duke16 Georgetown17 Arizona18 Georgia Tech19 Oklahoma20 DePaul
Conference membership changes
SchoolFormer conferenceNew conference Ohio Valley Conference NCAA Division I Independent Southland Conference American South Conference Big South Conference NCAA Division II Independent NCAA Division I independent Big Sky Conference NCAA Division II independent NCAA Division I independent Southland Conference American South Conference Southland Conference American South Conference NAIA independent NCAA Division I Independent NCAA Division I Independent American South Conference Gulf Star Conference NCAA Division I Independent Gulf Star Conference Southland Conference Midwestern Collegiate Conference NCAA Division I Independent Gulf Star Conference Southland Conference Gulf Star Conference NCAA Division I Independent Gulf Star Conference Southland Conference NCAA Division I Independent American South Conference Gulf Star Conference Southland Conference NCAA Division I Independent Ohio Valley Conference NCAA Division I Independent American South Conference NCAA Division I Independent NCAA Division III Independent NCAA Division II independent NCAA Division I independent
Regular season Conferences Conference winners and tournaments ConferenceRegular season winnerConference player of the yearConference Coach of the YearConference tournamentTournament venue (City)Tournament winnerAmerican South Conference Louisiana Tech & New Orleans Ledell Eackles, New Orleans Tommy Joe Eagles, Louisiana Tech & Kevin Wall, Pan American 1988 American South Conference men's basketball tournament Montagne Center(Beaumont, Texas) Louisiana TechAMCU–8 Southwest Missouri State Ken McFadden, Cleveland State Charlie Spoonhour, Southwest Missouri State No TournamentAtlantic 10 Conference Temple Tim Perry, Temple2008–09 A-10 men's basketball media guide – Awards section , Atlantic 10 Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 John Chaney, Temple 1988 Atlantic 10 men's basketball tournament WVU Coliseum(Morgantown, West Virginia) TempleAtlantic Coast Conference North Carolina Danny Ferry, Duke2008–09 ACC Men's Basketball Media Guide – Year by Year section , retrieved 2009-06-27 Jim Valvano, NC State 1988 ACC men's basketball tournament Greensboro Coliseum(Greensboro, North Carolina) DukeBig East Conference Pittsburgh Charles Smith, Pittsburgh2008–09 Big East Men's Basketball Media Guide – Awards section , Big East Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 P. J. Carlesimo, Seton Hall 1988 Big East men's basketball tournament Madison Square Garden(New York City, New York) SyracuseBig Eight Conference Missouri Danny Manning, Kansas2008–09 Big 12 Men's Basketball Media Guide – Awards section, Big 12 Conference, retrieved 2009-02-04 Billy Tubbs, Oklahoma 1988 Big Eight Conference men's basketball tournament Kemper Arena(Kansas City, Missouri) OklahomaBig Sky Conference Boise State Arnell Jones, Boise State, Big Sky Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 Bobby Dye, Boise State 1988 Big Sky Conference men's basketball tournament Brick Breeden Fieldhouse(Bozeman, Montana) Boise State Big South Conference Coastal Carolina Derek Wilson, Coastal Carolina Russ Bergman, Coastal Carolina& Gary Edwards, Baptist 1988 Big South Conference men's basketball tournament Winthrop Coliseum(Rock Hill, South Carolina) WinthropBig Ten Conference Purdue Gary Grant, Michigan Gene Keady, Purdue No TournamentColonial Athletic Association Richmond Kenny Sanders, George Mason Ed Tapscott, American &Rick Barnes, George Mason 1988 CAA men's basketball tournament Hampton Coliseum(Hampton, Virginia) RichmondEast Coast Conference Lafayette Michael Anderson, Drexel Butch van Breda Kolff, Lafayette 1988 East Coast Conference men's basketball tournament Towson Center(Towson, Maryland) LehighECAC Metro Fairleigh Dickinson & Marist Rik Smits, Marist Wayne Szoke, Monmouth 1988 ECAC Metro men's basketball tournament Rothman Center(Hackensack, New Jersey) Fairleigh DickinsonECAC North Siena Larry Jones, Boston UniversityAmerica East Men's Basketball Players of the Year, America East Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 Skip Chappelle, Maine 1988 ECAC North men's basketball tournament Hartford Civic Center(Hartford, Connecticut) Boston UniversityIvy League Cornell Paul Maley, YaleMen's Ivy League Outstanding performers , Ivy League, retrieved 2009-06-27 None selected No TournamentMetro Atlantic Athletic Conference La Salle Lionel Simmons, La SalleMen's Basketball All-MAAC Awards , Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 Speedy Morris, La Salle 1988 MAAC men's basketball tournament Meadowlands Arena(East Rutherford, New Jersey) La SalleMetro Conference Louisville Bimbo Coles, Virginia Tech& Pervis Ellison, Louisville Frankie Allen, Virginia Tech 1988 Metro Conference men's basketball tournament Mid-South Coliseum(Memphis, Tennessee) LouisvilleMid-American Conference Eastern Michigan Grant Long, Eastern Michigan2008–09 MAC Men's Basketball Media Guide – Records Section, Mid-American Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 Ben Braun, Eastern Michigan 1988 MAC men's basketball tournament Centennial Hall(Toledo, Ohio) Eastern MichiganMid-Eastern Athletic Conference North Carolina A&T Claude Williams, North Carolina A&T Don Corbett, North Carolina A&T 1988 MEAC men's basketball tournament Greensboro Coliseum(Greensboro, North Carolina) 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 1988 Midwestern Collegiate Conference men's basketball tournament Market Square Arena(Indianapolis, Indiana) XavierMissouri Valley Conference Bradley Hersey Hawkins, Bradley2008–09 MVC Men's Basketball Media Guide – Honors Section, Missouri Valley Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 Stan Albeck, Bradley 1988 Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball tournament Carver Arena(Peoria, Illinois) BradleyOhio Valley Conference Murray State Jeff Martin, Murray State2008–09 OVC men's basketball media guide, Ohio Valley Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 Steve Newton, Murray State 1988 Ohio Valley Conference men's basketball tournament Racer Arena(Murray, Kentucky) Murray StatePacific-10 Conference Arizona Sean Elliott, Arizona2008–09 Pacific-10 Men's Basketball Media Guide- Honors Section , Pacific-10 Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 Lute Olson, Arizona 1988 Pacific-10 Conference men's basketball tournament McKale Center(Tucson, Arizona) ArizonaPacific Coast Athletic Association UNLV Brian Shaw, UC Santa Barbara2008–09 Big West Men's Basketball Media Guide , Big West Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 Jerry Tarkanian, UNLV 1988 Pacific Coast Athletic Association men's basketball tournament The Forum(Inglewood, California) UNLVSoutheastern Conference Kentucky Will Perdue, Vanderbilt2008–09 SEC Men's Basketball Record Book , Southeastern Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 C. M. Newton, Vanderbilt &Sonny Smith, Auburn 1988 SEC men's basketball tournament Pete Maravich Assembly Center(Baton Rouge, Louisiana) KentuckySouthern Conference Marshall Skip Henderson, Marshall Tom Apke, Appalachian State 1988 Southern Conference men's basketball tournament Asheville Civic Center(Asheville, North Carolina) Tennessee–ChattanoogaSouthland Conference North Texas State Deon Hunter, North Texas State2008–09 Southland Conference Men's Basketball Media Guide, Southland Conference, retrieved 2009-02-07 Jimmy Gales, North Texas State 1988 Southland Conference men's basketball tournament UNT Coliseum(Denton, Texas) North Texas StateSouthwest Conference SMU Darryl Middleton, Baylor 1988 Southwest Conference men's basketball tournament Reunion Arena(Dallas, Texas) SMUSouthwestern Athletic Conference Southern Avery Johnson, Southern2006–07 SWAC Men's Basketball Media Guide Ben Jobe, Southern 1988 SWAC men's basketball tournament SouthernSun Belt Conference UNC Charlotte Byron Dinkins, UNC Charlotte2007–08 Sun Belt Men's Basketball Media Guide, Sun Belt Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 Jeff Mullins, UNC Charlotte 1988 Sun Belt Conference men's basketball tournament Richmond Coliseum(Richmond, Virginia) UNC CharlotteTrans America Athletic Conference Georgia Southern &Arkansas–Little Rock Jeff Sanders, Georgia SouthernAtlantic Sun men's basketball record book, Atlantic Sun Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 Frank Kerns, Georgia Southern 1988 TAAC men's basketball tournament Ocean Center(Daytona Beach, Florida) Texas–San AntonioWest Coast Athletic Conference Loyola Marymount Levy Middlebrooks, Loyola Marymount2008–09 WCC Men's Basketball Media Guide , West Coast Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 Paul Westhead, Loyola Marymount 1988 West Coast Athletic Conference men's basketball tournament War Memorial Gymnasium(San Francisco, California) Loyola MarymountWestern Athletic Conference BYU Michael Smith, BYU2008–09 WAC Men's Basketball Media Guide – Records Section , Western Athletic Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 LaDell Andersen, BYU 1988 WAC men's basketball tournament Jon M. Huntsman Center(Salt Lake City, Utah) Wyoming
Conference standings
Division I independents A total of 19 college teams played as Division I independents. Among them, Akron (21–7) had the best winning percentage (.750) and DePaul (22–8) finished with the most wins.
Informal championships ConferenceRegular season winnerMost Valuable PlayerPhiladelphia Big 5 Temple Lionel Simmons, La Salle Temple finished with a 4–0 record in head-to-head competition among the Philadelphia Big 5.
Statistical leaders
Player School PPG Player School RPG Player School APG Player School SPG Hersey Hawkins Bradley 36.3 Kenny Miller Loyola (IL) 13.5 Avery Johnson Southern 13.3 Aldwin Ware Florida A&M 4.9 Daren Queenan Lehigh 28.5 Rodney Mack South Carolina St. 13.3 Anthony Manuel Bradley 12.0 Marty Johnson Towson St. 4.1 Anthony Mason Tennessee St. 28.0 Jerome Lane Pittsburgh 12.2 Craig Neal Georgia Tech 9.5 Mookie Blaylock Oklahoma 3.8 Grant Hayward Loyola (IL) 26.1 Kenny Sanders George Mason 11.7 Corey Gaines Loyola Marymount 8.7 Haywoode Workman Oral Roberts 3.6 Jeff Martin Murray St. 26.0 Randy White Louisiana Tech 11.6 Howard Evans Temple 8.6 Avery Johnson Southern 3.5 Player School BPG Player School FG% Player School 3FG% Player School FT% Rodney Blake St. Joseph's 4.0 Arnell Jones Boise St. 66.1 Glenn Tropf Holy Cross 63.4 Steve Henson Kansas St. 92.5 Rik Smits Marist 3.9 Stanley Brundy DePaul 65.8 Steve Kerr Arizona 57.3 Archie Tullos Detroit 90.8 Mike Brown Canisius 3.7 Tony Holifield Illinois St. 64.8 Mike Joseph Bucknell 56.0 Jay Edwards Indiana 90.8 Tim Perry Temple 3.6 Jarvis Basnight UNLV 64.8 Reginald Jones Prairie View A&M 54.8 Jim Barton Dartmouth 90.6 Roy Brow Virginia Tech 3.6 Eric Leckner Wyoming 64.4 Dave Orlandini Princeton 54.5 LaBradford Smith Louisville 90.5
Postseason tournaments
NCAA tournament
Final Four - Kemper Arena, Kansas City, Missouri
National Invitation tournament
NIT Semifinals and Final
Award winners
Consensus All-American teams
+ Consensus First Team Player Position Class Team Sean Elliott F Junior Arizona Gary Grant G Senior Michigan Hersey Hawkins G Senior Bradley Danny Manning F Senior Kansas J.R. Reid F/C Sophomore North Carolina