1940–41 NCAA men's basketball season

1940–41 NCAA Division I men's basketball season
NCAA Tournament	1941
Tournament dates	March 21 – 29, 1941
National Championship	Municipal Auditorium Kansas City, Missouri
NCAA Champions	Wisconsin
Helms National Champions	Wisconsin (retroactive selection in 1943)
Other champions	Long Island (NIT)
Player of the Year (Helms)	George Glamack, North Carolina (retroactive selection in 1944)

The 1940–41 NCAA men's basketball season began in December 1940, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 1941 NCAA basketball tournament championship game on March 29, 1941, at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The Wisconsin Badgers won their first NCAA national championship with a 39–34 victory over the Washington State Cougars.

Season headlines

• The Border Conference and the Metropolitan New York Conference did not play as conferences during the season. Their members competed as independents.
• The National Invitation Tournament — considered until at least the mid-1950s to be more prestigious than the NCAA tournament — expanded from six to eight teams.
• The National Association of Basketball Coaches turned over operation of the NCAA tournament to the NCAA itself.^[1]
• George Glamack of North Carolina became the first player to score 30 or more points in an NCAA tournament game, scoring 31 points against Dartmouth in a regional third-place game of the 1941 NCAA basketball tournament on March 22, 1941.^[2]
• In February 1943, the Helms Athletic Foundation retroactively selected Wisconsin as its national champion for the 1940–41 season.^[3]
• In 1995, the Premo-Porretta Power Poll retroactively selected Long Island as its national champion for the 1940–41 season.^[4]

Conference membership changes

School	Former conference	New conference
Sewanee Tigers	Southeastern Conference	Independent

Regular season

Conferences

Conference winners and tournaments

Conference	Regular season winner[5]	Conference player of the year	Conference tournament	Tournament venue (City)	Tournament winner
Big Six Conference	Iowa State & Kansas	None selected	No Tournament
Big Ten Conference	Wisconsin	None selected	No Tournament
Border Conference	Did not play as conference
Eastern Intercollegiate Basketball League	Dartmouth	None selected	No Tournament
Metropolitan New York Conference	Did not play as conference
Missouri Valley Conference	Creighton	None selected	No Tournament
Mountain States (Skyline) Conference	Wyoming		No Tournament
New England Conference	Connecticut & Rhode Island State		No Tournament
Pacific Coast Conference	Washington State (North); Stanford (South)		No Tournament; Washington State defeated Stanford in best-of-three conference championship playoff series
Southeastern Conference	Tennessee	None selected	1941 SEC men's basketball tournament	Jefferson County Armory, (Louisville, Kentucky)	Tennessee
Southern Conference	North Carolina	None selected	1941 Southern Conference men's basketball tournament	Thompson Gym (Raleigh, North Carolina)	Duke[6]
Southwest Conference	Arkansas	None selected	No Tournament

Conference standings

1940–41 Big Six Conference men's basketball standings v t e Conf Overall Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT Iowa State 7 – 3   .700 15 – 4   .789 Kansas 7 – 3   .700 12 – 6   .667 Nebraska 6 – 4   .600 8 – 10   .444 Oklahoma 5 – 5   .500 6 – 12   .333 Kansas State 3 – 7   .300 6 – 12   .333 Missouri 2 – 8   .200 6 – 10   .375	1940–41 Big Ten Conference men's basketball standings v t e Conf Overall Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT Wisconsin 11 – 1   .917 20 – 3   .870 Indiana 10 – 2   .833 17 – 3   .850 Illinois 7 – 5   .583 13 – 7   .650 Minnesota 7 – 5   .583 11 – 9   .550 Ohio State 7 – 5   .583 10 – 10   .500 Purdue 6 – 6   .500 13 – 7   .650 Michigan 5 – 7   .417 9 – 10   .474 Iowa 4 – 8   .333 12 – 8   .600 Northwestern 3 – 9   .250 7 – 11   .389 Chicago 0 – 12   .000 4 – 16   .200	1940–41 Eastern Intercollegiate Basketball League standings v t e Conf Overall Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT Dartmouth 10 – 2   .833 19 – 5   .792 Cornell 9 – 3   .750 17 – 6   .739 Columbia 8 – 4   .667 11 – 5   .688 Harvard 4 – 8   .333 10 – 9   .526 Yale 4 – 8   .333 10 – 12   .455 Princeton 4 – 8   .333 10 – 13   .435 Penn 3 – 9   .250 5 – 12   .294
1940–41 Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball standings v t e Conf Overall Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT Creighton 9 – 3   .750 18 – 7   .720 Oklahoma A&M 8 – 4   .667 18 – 7   .720 Tulsa 7 – 5   .583 12 – 9   .571 Washington University 6 – 6   .500 9 – 8   .529 Drake 6 – 6   .500 9 – 11   .450 Washburn 4 – 8   .333 7 – 12   .368 Saint Louis 2 – 10   .167 3 – 14   .176	1940–41 Mountain States Conference men's basketball standings v t e Conf Overall Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT Wyoming 10 – 2   .833 14 – 6   .700 Utah 9 – 3   .750 14 – 7   .667 Colorado 7 – 5   .583 10 – 6   .625 BYU 6 – 6   .500 14 – 9   .609 Colorado State 4 – 8   .333 10 – 9   .526 Denver 4 – 8   .333 8 – 9   .471 Utah State 2 – 10   .167 5 – 16   .238	1940–41 New England Conference men's basketball standings v t e Conf Overall Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT Connecticut 7 – 1   .875 14 – 2   .875 Rhode Island State 7 – 1   .875 21 – 4   .840 New Hampshire 3 – 5   .375 10 – 8   .556 Maine 2 – 6   .250 4 – 8   .333 Northeastern 1 – 7   .125 3 – 13   .188
1940–41 Pacific Coast Conference men's basketball standings v t e Conf Overall Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT North Washington State † 13 – 3   .813 26 – 6   .813 Oregon State 9 – 7   .563 19 – 9   .679 Oregon 7 – 9   .438 18 – 18   .500 Washington 7 – 9   .438 12 – 13   .480 Idaho 4 – 12   .250 14 – 15   .483 South Stanford 10 – 2   .833 21 – 5   .808 California 6 – 6   .500 15 – 12   .556 USC 6 – 6   .500 15 – 10   .600 UCLA 2 – 10   .167 6 – 20   .231 † Conference playoff series winner	1940–41 Southeastern Conference men's basketball standings v t e Conf Overall Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT Kentucky 8 – 1   .889 17 – 8   .680 Florida 6 – 2   .750 15 – 9   .625 Tennessee † 8 – 3   .727 17 – 5   .773 Alabama 11 – 7   .611 14 – 8   .636 LSU 7 – 5   .583 9 – 9   .500 Auburn 6 – 5   .545 13 – 6   .684 Tulane 6 – 5   .545 8 – 6   .571 Mississippi State 6 – 6   .500 12 – 10   .545 Georgia 6 – 7   .462 13 – 11   .542 Georgia Tech 4 – 8   .333 8 – 11   .421 Vanderbilt 3 – 9   .250 8 – 9   .471 Ole Miss 2 – 15   .118 2 – 18   .100 † Regular-season championship and SEC Tournament winner
1940–41 Southern Conference men's basketball standings v t e Conf Overall Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT North Carolina 14 – 1   .933 19 – 9   .679 South Carolina 8 – 3   .727 15 – 9   .625 William & Mary 8 – 3   .727 15 – 10   .600 Washington and Lee 9 – 4   .692 11 – 11   .500 Duke † 8 – 4   .667 14 – 8   .636 VMI 8 – 4   .667 10 – 6   .625 Richmond 7 – 5   .583 11 – 10   .524 Wake Forest 7 – 6   .538 9 – 9   .500 Clemson 7 – 8   .467 8 – 14   .364 Davidson 5 – 7   .417 11 – 12   .478 North Carolina State 6 – 9   .400 6 – 9   .400 Virginia Tech 4 – 8   .333 8 – 13   .381 The Citadel 1 – 8   .111 5 – 13   .278 Furman 1 – 10   .091 4 – 13   .235 Maryland 0 – 13   .000 1 – 21   .045 † Southern Conference Tournament winner	1940–41 Southwest Conference men's basketball standings v t e Conf Overall Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT Arkansas 12 – 0   1.000 20 – 3   .870 Rice 8 – 4   .667 18 – 6   .750 Texas 7 – 5   .583 14 – 10   .583 SMU 6 – 6   .500 10 – 10   .500 Baylor 6 – 6   .500 10 – 12   .455 Texas A&M 3 – 9   .250 7 – 13   .350 TCU 0 – 12   .000 5 – 16   .238

Major independents

A total of 73 college teams played as major independents. LIU (25–2) had the best winning percentage (.926) and finished with the most wins.^[8]

1940–41 NCAA men's basketball independents standings v t e Conf Overall Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT LIU –   – 25 – 2   .926 Seton Hall –   – 20 – 2   .909 Toledo –   – 21 – 3   .875 Duquesne –   – 17 – 3   .850 Western Kentucky State –   – 22 – 4   .846 George Washington –   – 18 – 4   .818 Loyola (Md.) –   – 18 – 4   .818 Ohio –   – 18 – 4   .818 Boston University –   – 13 – 3   .813 Villanova –   – 13 – 3   .813 Bradley –   – 16 – 4   .800 Georgetown –   – 16 – 4   .800 CCNY –   – 17 – 5   .773 Notre Dame –   – 17 – 5   .773 Texas Tech –   – 19 – 6   .760 Penn State –   – 15 – 5   .750 Virginia –   – 18 – 6   .750 Syracuse –   – 14 – 5   .737 St. Bonaventure –   – 12 – 5   .706 NYU –   – 13 – 6   .684 Pittsburgh –   – 13 – 6   .684 Santa Clara –   – 15 – 7   .682 St. Joseph's –   – 12 – 6   .667 Niagara –   – 13 – 7   .650 Brooklyn –   – 11 – 6   .647 Michigan State Normal –   – 11 – 6   .647 St. John's –   – 11 – 6   .647 Navy –   – 9 – 5   .643 DePaul –   – 13 – 8   .619 Loyola (Ill.) –   – 13 – 8   .619 Arizona –   – 11 – 7   .611 Manhattan –   – 11 – 7   .611 Marshall –   – 14 – 9   .609 Texas State M&M –   – 14 – 9   .609 Colgate –   – 9 – 6   .600 Butler –   – 13 – 9   .591 Xavier –   – 13 – 9   .591 Bucknell –   – 10 – 7   .588 Miami (Ohio) –   – 10 – 7   .588 Indiana State –   – 11 – 8   .579 La Salle –   – 11 – 8   .579 Fordham –   – 12 – 9   .571 Temple –   – 12 – 9   .571 Muhlenberg –   – 13 – 10   .565 West Virginia –   – 13 – 10   .565 Western State Teachers –   – 10 – 8   .556 Kent State –   – 12 – 10   .545 New Mexico A&M –   – 14 – 12   .538 Canisius –   – 10 – 9   .526 Detroit –   – 11 – 10   .524 Montana State –   – 13 – 12   .520 Brown –   – 10 – 10   .500 Montana –   – 14 – 14   .500 Arizona State–Flagstaff –   – 9 – 9   .500 Siena –   – 9 – 9   .500 St. Francis (NY) –   – 9 – 9   .500 Bowling Green State –   – 10 – 11   .476 Wichita Municipal –   – 9 – 11   .450 Lafayette –   – 8 – 10   .444 Rutgers –   – 8 – 10   .444 Arizona State–Tempe –   – 8 – 11   .421 Dayton –   – 9 – 14   .391 Holy Cross –   – 4 – 7   .364 Cincinnati –   – 6 – 12   .333 Saint Mary's –   – 6 – 13   .316 Army –   – 5 – 11   .313 Lehigh –   – 5 – 12   .294 Valparaiso –   – 4 – 12   .250 New Mexico –   – 5 – 18   .217 Marquette –   – 2 – 13   .133 San Francisco –   – 2 – 13   .133 Louisville –   – 2 – 14   .125 Sewanee –   – 1 – 14   .067

Statistical leaders

Post-season tournaments

NCAA tournament

Main articles: 1941 NCAA basketball tournament and 1941 NCAA Basketball Championship Game

Semifinals & final

	National Semifinals				National Final
	Wisconsin	36
	Pittsburgh	30
					Wisconsin	39
					Washington State	34
	Arkansas	53
	Washington State	64

National Invitation tournament

Main article: 1941 National Invitation Tournament

Semifinals & finals

	Semifinals				Finals
	CCNY	43
	Ohio	45
					Ohio	42
					Long Island	56
	Seton Hall	26
	Long Island	49			Third place
					CCNY	42
					Seton Hall	27

Awards

Consensus All-American teams

Main article: 1941 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans

Consensus First Team

Player	Class	Team
John Adams	Senior	Arkansas
Gus Broberg	Senior	Dartmouth
Howard Engleman	Senior	Kansas
Gene Englund	Senior	Wisconsin
George Glamack	Senior	North Carolina

Consensus Second Team

Player	Class	Team
Frank Baumholtz	Senior	Ohio
Bob Kinney	Junior	Rice
Paul Lindemann	Senior	Washington State
Stan Modzelewski	Junior	Rhode Island State
Oscar Schectman	Senior	Long Island

Major player of the year awards

• Helms Player of the Year: George Glamack, North Carolina (retroactive selection in 1944)

Other major awards

• NIT/Haggerty Award (Top player in New York City metro area): Jack Garfinkel, St. John's

Coaching changes

References

1. Anonymous, "How the NCAA Overtook Its Rival, the NIT," Sport History Weekly, March 24, 2019 Accessed May 4, 2021
2. "Playing Rules History" (PDF). ncaa.org. NCAA. p. 11. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
3. Scott, Jon (November 9, 2010). "The truth behind the Helms Committee". Retrieved December 14, 2015.
4. ESPN, ed. (2009). ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia: The Complete History of the Men's Game. New York, NY: ESPN Books. pp. 526, 529–587. ISBN 978-0-345-51392-2.
5. "2009 NCAA Men's Basketball Record Book – Conferences Section" (PDF). NCAA. 2009. Retrieved February 14, 2009.
6. 2008–09 SoCon Men's Basketball Media Guide – Postseason Section, Southern Conference, retrieved 2009-02-09
7. "2017-18 Men's Basketball Media Guide". Pac-12 Conference. p. 72. Retrieved February 16, 2018.
8. "1940-41 Men's Independent Season Summary". Sports Reference. Retrieved August 2, 2024.