The 1947–48 NCAA men's basketball season began in December 1947, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 1948 NCAA basketball tournament championship game on March 23, 1948, at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. The Kentucky Wildcats won their first NCAA national championship with a 58–42 victory over the Baylor Bears.
Season headlines
The dispute among basketball fans over which was more prestigious, the National Invitation Tournament or the NCAA Tournament, continued throughout the entire year. Saint Louis won the 1948 National Invitation Tournament. In 1995, the Premo-Porretta Power Poll retroactively selected Kentucky as its top-ranked team for the 1947–48 season.
Conference membership changes
SchoolFormer conferenceNew conference Skyline Conference Big Seven Conference Middle Atlantic States Conference North No NCAA basketball program Independent Mid-American Conference Missouri Valley Conference Independent Mid-American Conference Independent Independent Mid-American Conference
Regular season Conferences Conference winners and tournaments
ConferenceRegular season winnerConference player of the yearConference tournamentTournament venue (City)Tournament winnerBig Seven Conference Kansas State None selected No TournamentBig Nine Conference Michigan None selected No TournamentBorder Conference Arizona None selected No TournamentEastern Intercollegiate Basketball League Yale None selected No TournamentMetropolitan New York Conference Columbia No TournamentMid-American Conference Cincinnati None selected No TournamentMiddle Atlantic States Conference North Muhlenberg No TournamentMissouri Valley Conference Oklahoma A&M None selected No TournamentMountain States (Skyline) Conference BYU No TournamentPacific Coast Conference ; No Tournament;Washington defeated USC in best-of-three conference championship playoff seriesSoutheastern Conference Kentucky None selected 1948 SEC men's basketball tournament Jefferson County Armory,(Louisville, Kentucky) KentuckySouthern Conference NC State None selected 1948 Southern Conference men's basketball tournament Duke Indoor Stadium(Durham, NC State2008–09 SoCon Men's Basketball Media Guide – Postseason Section , Southern Conference, retrieved 2009-02-09Southwest Conference Baylor None selected No TournamentWestern New York Little Three Conference Niagara No TournamentYankee Conference Connecticut None selected No Tournament Conference standings
Major independents A total of 56 college teams played as major independents. (28–2) had the best winning percentage (.933) and (29–6) finished with the most wins.
Post-season tournaments
NCAA tournament
Semifinals & finals
National Invitation tournament
Semifinals & finals
Awards
Consensus All-American teams
+ Consensus First Team Player Position Class Team Ralph Beard G Junior Kentucky Ed Macauley F Junior Saint Louis Jim McIntyre C Junior Minnesota Kevin O'Shea G Sophomore Notre Dame Murray Wier G Senior Iowa
+ Consensus Second Team Player Position Class Team Dick Dickey F Sophomore NC State Arnie Ferrin F Senior Utah Alex Groza C Junior Kentucky Hal Haskins F/G Sophomore Hamline George Kaftan F Senior Holy Cross Duane Klueh G Junior Indiana State Tony Lavelli F Junior Yale Jack Nichols C Senior Washington Andy Wolfe G/F Senior California
Major player of the year awards
Helms Player of the Year: Ed Macauley, Saint Louis
Other major awards
NIT/Haggerty Award (Top player in New York City metro area): Dolph Schayes, NYU
Coaching changes A number of teams changed coaches during the season and after it ended. TeamFormerCoachInterimCoachNewCoachReasonArizona State–TempeRudy LavikBill Kajikawa Boston UniversityRuss PetersonCharles Cummings BradleyAlfred J. RobertsonForddy Anderson Robertson also stepped down from the baseball team, football team, and athletic director duties.CanisiusEarl BrownJoseph Niland DetroitJohn ShadaBob Calihan DrakeForddy AndersonJack McClelland Anderson left to coach Bradley.DuquesneChick DaviesDudey Moore Holy CrossDoggie JulianBuster Sheary Indiana StateJohn WoodenJohn Longfellow Kent StateHarry C. AdamsDavid E. McDowell MichiganOsborne CowlesErnie McCoy McCoy is also the assistant athletic director. Cowles left to coach Minnesota.MinnesotaDave MacMillanOsborne Cowles Montana StateMax WorthingtonBrick Breeden PennRed KellettHowie Dallmar Rhode Island StateFrank KeaneyRed HaireSt. Francis (NY)Joseph BrennanDaniel Lynch Texas State M&MRoss MooreDale Waters TCUHerb McQuillanBuster Brannon UCLAWilbur JohnsJohn Wooden ValparaisoEmory BauerDon Warnke Wichita MunicipalMelvin J. BinfordKen Gunning
References