1959 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament |
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Teams | 23 | ||||
Finals site |
Freedom Hall Louisville, Kentucky |
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Champions |
California (1st title, 1st title game, 2nd Final Four) |
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Runner-up |
West Virginia (1st title game, 1st Final Four) |
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Semifinalists |
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Winning coach | Pete Newell (1st title) | ||||
MOP | Jerry West West Virginia | ||||
Attendance | 161,809 | ||||
Top scorer | Jerry West West Virginia (160 points) |
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The 1959 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 23 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball in the United States. It began on March 7, 1959, and ended with the championship game on March 21 in Louisville, Kentucky. A total of 27 games were played, including a third place game in each region and a national third place game.
California, coached by Pete Newell, won the national title with a 71-70 victory in the final game over West Virginia, coached by Fred Schaus. Jerry West of West Virginia was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.