The 1954 NCAA basketball tournament involved 24 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. The 16th annual edition of the tournament began on March 8, and ended with the championship game on March 20, at the Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. A total of 28 games were played, including a third-place game in each region and a national third-place game.
La Salle, coached by Ken Loeffler, won the national title with a victory in the final game over Bradley, coached by Forddy Anderson. Tom Gola of La Salle was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.
Of note, Kentucky, the top-ranked team in the nation (with a record of 25–0) did not participate in any post-season tournament. Since several key players had technically graduated the year before (when Kentucky was banned from playing a competitive schedule due to the point-shaving scandal a few years earlier), those players were ruled ineligible for the NCAA tournament. Despite the wishes of the players, Adolph Rupp ultimately decided his team would not play.
LSU represented the Southeastern Conference in the tournament, its last appearance until 1979, well after the graduation of NCAA all-time leading scorer Pete Maravich. LSU made only one postseason appearance over the next 24 seasons, the 1970 National Invitation Tournament, during Maravich's senior season.
Locations The following are the sites selected to host each round of the 1954 tournament:
East-1 Region
First round (March 8) Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, Buffalo, New York (Hosts: Canisius College, Niagara University) Duke Indoor Stadium, Durham, North Carolina (Host: Duke University)
East-1 Regional (March 12 and 13) The Palestra, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Hosts: University of Pennsylvania, Ivy League)
East-2 Region
First round (March 9) Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, Fort Wayne, Indiana (Host: Big Ten Conference)
East-2 Regional (March 12 and 13) Iowa Field House, Iowa City, Iowa (Host: University of Iowa)
West-1 Region
First round (March 8) Robertson Memorial Field House, Peoria, Illinois (Host: Bradley University)
West-1 Regional (March 12 and 13) Gallagher Hall, Stillwater, Oklahoma (Host: Oklahoma A&M University)
West-2 Region
First round (March 9) and West-2 Regional (March 12 and 13) Oregon State Coliseum, Corvallis, Oregon (Host: Oregon State University)
Final Four
March 19 and 20 Municipal Auditorium, Kansas City, Missouri (Host: Missouri Valley Conference)
Teams Region Team Coach Conference Finished Final Opponent Score East East Connecticut Hugh Greer Yankee First roundNavyL 85–80 East Cornell Royner Greene Ivy League Regional Fourth PlaceNC StateL 65–54 East Fordham Johnny Bach Metro NY First roundLa SalleL 76–74 East George Washington Bill Reinhart Southern First roundNC StateL 75–73 East Indiana Branch McCracken Big Ten Regional third placeLSUW 73–62 East La Salle Ken Loeffler Independent Champion Bradley W 92–76 East LSU Harry Rabenhorst Southeastern Regional Fourth PlaceIndianaL 73–62 East Loyola (LA) Jim McCafferty Independent First roundNotre DameL 80–70 East Navy Ben Carnevale Independent Elite EightLa SalleL 64–48 East NC State Everett Case Atlantic Coast Regional third placeCornellW 65–54 East Notre Dame John Jordan Independent Elite Eight Penn State L 71–63 East Penn State Elmer Gross Independent National Third PlaceUSCW 70–61 East Toledo Jerry Bush Mid-American First round Penn StateL 62–50 West West Bradley Forddy Anderson Independent Runner UpLa SalleL 92–76 West Colorado Bebe Lee Big 7 Regional Fourth PlaceRiceL 78–55 West Colorado A&M Bill Strannigan Mountain States Regional Fourth PlaceIdaho StateL 62–57 West Idaho State Steve Belko Independent Regional third placeColorado A&MW 62–57 West Oklahoma City Doyle Parrack Independent First roundBradleyL 61–55 West Oklahoma A&M Henry Iba Missouri Valley Elite EightBradleyL 71–57 West Rice Don Suman Southwest Regional third placeColoradoW 78–55 West Santa Clara Bob Feerick CBA Elite EightUSCL 66–65 West Seattle Al Brightman Independent First roundIdaho StateL 77–75 West USC Forrest Twogood Pacific Coast National Fourth PlacePenn StateL 70–61 West Texas Tech Polk Robison Border First roundSanta ClaraL 73–64
Bracket * – Denotes overtime period
East-1 Region
East-2 Region
West-1 Region
West-2 Region
Final Four
See also 1954 National Invitation Tournament 1954 NAIA Basketball Tournament
References