The 1982–83 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began in November 1982 and ended with the Final Four in Albuquerque, New Mexico on April 4, 1983. The NC State Wolfpack won their second NCAA national championship with a 54–52 victory over the No. 1-ranked and heavily favored Houston Cougars.
Season headlines
After expanding its membership from eight to ten schools, the Eastern Athletic Association, informally known as the "Eastern 8," renamed itself the Atlantic 10 Conference. The NCAA Tournament expanded from 48 to 52 teams. Jim Valvano led the NC State Wolfpack on an improbable run through the NCAA tournament. The team upset Houston's famed and high flying Phi Slama Jama in the championship game. Were it not for winning the ACC tournament, the Wolfpack likely would not have been in the NCAA Tournament. The Georgia Bulldogs advanced to the Final Four in the men's NCAA tournament and the Georgia Lady Bulldogs reached the Final Four of the NCAA women's tournament. It was the first time the men's and women's teams from the same school reached their respective Final Fours in the same year. Wayman Tisdale of Oklahoma became the first player to be named a consensus all-American during his freshman season.
Major rule changes
The penalty for a player violating the five-second "closely guarded" count was changed from a jump ball to a turnover, with the defense getting the ball at the out-of-bounds spot closest to where the violation occurred.
Season outlook
Pre-season polls
The top 20 from the AP and UPI (Coaches) Polls during the pre-season.* Associated PressRankingTeam1 Virginia2 Georgetown3 North Carolina4 Kentucky5 Villanova6 Memphis State7 UCLA8 Louisville9 Indiana10 11 Iowa12 Alabama13 14 Houston15 Missouri16 NC State17 Arkansas18 Marquette19 St. John's 20 Oklahoma UPI CoachesRankingTeam1 Virginia2 North Carolina3 Georgetown4 Kentucky5 Louisville6 UCLA 7 Indiana Villanova9 Memphis State10 11 Houston12 Iowa13 Alabama14 Missouri15 16 Marquette17 18 Oklahoma19 St. John's20 Arkansas
Conference membership changes SchoolFormer conferenceNew conference Division II independent Southwest Athletic Conference Division III independent Division I independent Division I independent AMCU-8 Division I independent AMCU-8 Division I independent AMCU-8 Division I independent Trans America Athletic Conference (provisional) Division I independent Southland Conference Trans America Athletic Conference Southland Conference Division I independent AMCU-8 ECAC South Conference Sun Belt Conference Division I independent Atlantic 10 Conference Eastern Athletic Association (Eastern 8) Big East Conference East Coast Conference Atlantic 10 Conference Metro Conference Midwestern City Conference West Coast Athletic Conference No team Division I independent Metro Conference Division II independent AMCU-8 Southland Conference Division I independent East Coast Conference Atlantic 10 Conference ECAC Metro Conference East Coast Conference Division I independent AMCU-8 Division I independent Pacific Coast Athletic Association Division I independent AMCU-8 East Coast Conference PSAC (D-II) Division I independent AMCU-8 Ohio Valley Conference Sun Belt Conference NOTE: Nicholls State began a two-season stint as a provisional member of the Trans America Athletic Conference, during which it played no conference games.
Regular season Conferences Conference winners and tournaments
ConferenceRegular season winnerConference player of the yearConference Coach of the YearConference tournamentTournament venue (City)Tournament winnerAMCU–8 Western Illinois Joe Dykstra, Western Illinois Jack Margenthaler, Western Illinois No TournamentAtlantic 10 Conference Rutgers (East)St. Bonaventure & West Virginia (West) Roy Hinson, Rutgers & Greg Jones, West Virginia2008–09 A-10 men's basketball media guide – Awards section , Atlantic 10 Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 Jim O'Brien, St. Bonaventure & Jim Satalin, Duquesne 1983 Atlantic 10 men's basketball tournament The Spectrum(Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) West VirginiaAtlantic Coast Conference North Carolina & Virginia Ralph Sampson, Virginia2008–09 ACC Men's Basketball Media Guide – Year by Year section , retrieved 2009-06-27 Bobby Cremins, Georgia Tech 1983 ACC men's basketball tournament Omni Coliseum(Atlanta, Georgia) NC StateBig East Conference Boston College, St. John's & Villanova Chris Mullin, 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 1983 Big East men's basketball tournament Madison Square Garden(New York City, New York) St. John'sBig Eight Conference Missouri Steve Stipanovich, Missouri &Wayman Tisdale, Oklahoma2008–09 Big 12 Men's Basketball Media Guide – Awards section, Big 12 Conference, retrieved 2009-02-04 Norm Stewart, Missouri 1983 Big Eight Conference men's basketball tournament Kemper Arena(Kansas City, Missouri)(Semifinals and Finals) Oklahoma StateBig Sky Conference Weber State Derrick Pope, Montana, Big Sky Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 Neil McCarthy, Weber State 1983 Big Sky Conference men's basketball tournament Centennial Coliseum(Reno, Nevada) Weber StateBig Ten Conference Indiana None Selected Eldon Miller, Ohio State No TournamentEast Coast Conference Rider (West)American, Hofstra & La Salle (East) David Taylor, Hofstra Dick Berg, Hofstra 1983 East Coast Conference men's basketball tournament Kirby Sports Center(Easton, Pennsylvania) La SalleECAC Metro Robert Morris Steve Smith, Marist Matt Furjanic, Robert Morris 1983 ECAC Metro men's basketball tournament John Jay Center(Moon Township, Pennsylvania) Robert MorrisECAC North Boston University & New Hampshire Jeff Cross, MaineAmerica East Men's Basketball Players of the Year, America East Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 Gerry Friel, New Hampshire 1983 ECAC North men's basketball tournament Case Gym(Boston, Massachusetts) Boston UniversityECAC South William & Mary Dan Ruland, James Madison &Carlos Yates, George Mason Bruce Parkhill, William & Mary 1983 ECAC South men's basketball tournament Robins Center(Richmond, Virginia) James MadisonIvy League Princeton Craig Robinson, PrincetonMen's Ivy League Outstanding performers , Ivy League, retrieved 2009-06-27 None selected No TournamentMetro Atlantic Athletic Conference Iona Steve Burtt, IonaMen's Basketball All-MAAC Awards , Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 Gordon Chiesa, Manhattan 1983 MAAC men's basketball tournament Meadowlands Arena(East Rutherford, New Jersey) FordhamMetro Conference Louisville Rodney McCray, Louisville Denny Crum, Louisville 1983 Metro Conference men's basketball tournament Riverfront Coliseum(Cincinnati, Ohio) LouisvilleMid-American Conference Bowling Green Ray McCallum, Ball State2008–09 MAC Men's Basketball Media Guide – Records Section, Mid-American Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 Danny Nee, Ohio 1983 MAC men's basketball tournament Anderson Arena(Bowling Green, Ohio) Bowling GreenMid-Eastern Athletic Conference Howard Joe Binion, North Carolina A&T 1983 MEAC men's basketball tournament Greensboro Coliseum(Greensboro, North Carolina) North Carolina A&TMidwestern City Conference Loyola (IL) Mark Acres, Oral Roberts& Alfredrick Hughes, Loyola (IL)2008–09 Horizon League Men's Basketball Record Book , Horizon League, retrieved 2009-06-27 Gene Sullivan, Loyola (IL) 1983 Midwestern City Conference men's basketball tournament Roberts Municipal Stadium(Evansville, Indiana) XavierMissouri Valley Conference Wichita State Antoine Carr, Wichita State2008–09 MVC Men's Basketball Media Guide – Honors Section, Missouri Valley Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 Weldon Drew, New Mexico State 1983 Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball tournament Horton Field House(Normal, Illinois) Illinois StateOhio Valley Conference Murray State Glen Green, Murray State & Joe Jakubick, Akron2008–09 OVC men's basketball media guide, Ohio Valley Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 Ron Greene, Murray State 1983 Ohio Valley Conference men's basketball tournament Racer Arena(Murray, Kentucky) Morehead StatePacific-10 Conference UCLA Kenny Fields, UCLA2008–09 Pacific-10 Men's Basketball Media Guide- Honors Section , Pacific-10 Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 George Raveling, Washington State No TournamentPacific Coast Athletic Association UNLV Sidney Green, UNLV2008–09 Big West Men's Basketball Media Guide , Big West Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 Jerry Tarkanian, UNLV 1983 Pacific Coast Athletic Association men's basketball tournament The Forum(Inglewood, California) UNLVSoutheastern Conference Kentucky Dale Ellis, Tennessee (AP) & Jeff Malone, Mississippi State (UPI)2008–09 SEC Men's Basketball Record Book , Southeastern Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 Joe B. Hall, Kentucky & Lee Hunt, Ole Miss 1983 SEC men's basketball tournament Birmingham–Jefferson Convention Complex(Birmingham, Alabama) GeorgiaSouthern Conference Tennessee–Chattanooga Troy Lee Mikell, East Tennessee State2008–09 SoCon Men's Basketball Media Guide – Honors Section , Southern Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 Murray Arnold, Tennessee–Chattanooga 1983 Southern Conference men's basketball tournament Charleston Civic Center(Charleston, West Virginia) Tennessee–ChattanoogaSouthland Conference Lamar Karl Malone, Louisiana Tech2008–09 Southland Conference Men's Basketball Media Guide, Southland Conference, retrieved 2009-02-07 Andy Russo, Louisiana Tech 1983 Southland Conference men's basketball tournament Beaumont Civic Center(Beaumont, Texas) LamarSouthwest Conference Houston Clyde Drexler, Houston & Darrell Walker, Arkansas Guy Lewis, Houston 1983 Southwest Conference men's basketball tournament Reunion Arena(Dallas, Texas) HoustonSouthwestern Athletic Conference Alabama State & Texas Southern Harry Kelly, Texas Southern2006–07 SWAC Men's Basketball Media Guide James Oliver, Alabama State 1983 SWAC men's basketball tournament Alcorn StateSun Belt Conference Old Dominion & VCU Charlie Bradley, South Florida & Calvin Duncan, VCU2007–08 Sun Belt Men's Basketball Media Guide, Sun Belt Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 J. D. Barnett, VCU 1983 Sun Belt Conference men's basketball tournament Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex(Birmingham, Alabama) UABTrans America Athletic Conference Arkansas–Little Rock Willie Jackson, CentenaryAtlantic Sun men's basketball record book, Atlantic Sun Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 Frank Kerns, Georgia Southern 1983 TAAC men's basketball tournament Barton Coliseum(Little Rock, Arkansas) Georgia SouthernWest Coast Athletic Conference Pepperdine Orlando Phillips, Pepperdine & Dane Suttle, Pepperdine2008–09 WCC Men's Basketball Media Guide , West Coast Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 Jim Harrick, Pepperdine No TournamentWestern Athletic Conference BYU, Utah & UTEP Michael Cage, San Diego State, Devin Durrant, BYU & Pace Mannion, Utah2008–09 WAC Men's Basketball Media Guide – Records Section , Western Athletic Conference, retrieved 2009-06-27 Don Haskins, UTEP No Tournament
Conference standings
Division I independents
A total of 19 college teams played as Division I independents. Among them, (23–7) had both the best winning percentage (.767) and the most wins.
Informal championships ConferenceRegular season winnerMost Valuable PlayerPhiladelphia Big 5 Villanova John Pinone, Villanova Villanova finished with a 3–1 record in head-to-head competition among the Philadelphia Big 5.
Statistical leaders