Wikipedia

1954 NCAA basketball tournament

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.

1954 NCAA basketball tournament
Season1953–54
Teams24
Finals siteMunicipal Auditorium,
Kansas City, Missouri
ChampionsLa Salle Explorers (1st title, 1st title game,
1st Final Four)
Runner-upBradley Braves (2nd title game,
2nd Final Four)
Semifinalists
Winning coachKen Loeffler (1st title)
MOPTom Gola (La Salle)
Attendance115,391
Top scorerTom Gola (La Salle)
(114 points)
NCAA Division I men's tournaments
«1953 1955»

La Salle, coached by Ken Loeffler, won the national title with a 92–76 victory in the final game over Bradley, coached by Forddy Anderson. Tom Gola of La Salle was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.[1]

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

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The following are the sites selected to host each round of the 1954 tournament:

East-1 Region

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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

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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

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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

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First round (March 9) and West-2 Regional (March 12 and 13)
Oregon State Coliseum, Corvallis, Oregon (Host: Oregon State University)

Final Four

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March 19 and 20
Municipal Auditorium, Kansas City, Missouri (Host: Missouri Valley Conference)

Teams

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RegionTeamCoachConferenceFinishedFinal OpponentScore
East
EastConnecticutHugh GreerYankeeFirst roundNavyL 85–80
EastCornellRoyner GreeneIvy LeagueRegional Fourth PlaceNC StateL 65–54
EastFordhamJohnny BachMetro NYFirst roundLa SalleL 76–74
EastGeorge WashingtonBill ReinhartSouthernFirst roundNC StateL 75–73
EastIndianaBranch McCrackenBig TenRegional third placeLSUW 73–62
EastLa SalleKen LoefflerIndependentChampionBradleyW 92–76
EastLSUHarry RabenhorstSoutheasternRegional Fourth PlaceIndianaL 73–62
EastLoyola (LA)Jim McCaffertyIndependentFirst roundNotre DameL 80–70
EastNavyBen CarnevaleIndependentElite EightLa SalleL 64–48
EastNC StateEverett CaseAtlantic CoastRegional third placeCornellW 65–54
EastNotre DameJohn JordanIndependentElite EightPenn StateL 71–63
EastPenn StateElmer GrossIndependentNational Third PlaceUSCW 70–61
EastToledoJerry BushMid-AmericanFirst roundPenn StateL 62–50
West
WestBradleyForddy AndersonIndependentRunner UpLa SalleL 92–76
WestColoradoBebe LeeBig 7Regional Fourth PlaceRiceL 78–55
WestColorado A&MBill StranniganMountain StatesRegional Fourth PlaceIdaho StateL 62–57
WestIdaho StateSteve BelkoIndependentRegional third placeColorado A&MW 62–57
WestOklahoma CityDoyle ParrackIndependentFirst roundBradleyL 61–55
WestOklahoma A&MHenry IbaMissouri ValleyElite EightBradleyL 71–57
WestRiceDon SumanSouthwestRegional third placeColoradoW 78–55
WestSanta ClaraBob FeerickCBAElite EightUSCL 66–65
WestSeattleAl BrightmanIndependentFirst roundIdaho StateL 77–75
WestUSCForrest TwogoodPacific CoastNational Fourth PlacePenn StateL 70–61
WestTexas TechPolk RobisonBorderFirst roundSanta ClaraL 73–64

Bracket

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* – Denotes overtime period

East-1 Region

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Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
      
Cornell 67
Navy 69
Navy 85
Connecticut 80
Navy 48
La Salle 64
NC State 75
George Washington 73
NC State 81 Third place
La Salle 88
La Salle 76 NC State 65
Fordham 74* Cornell 54

East-2 Region

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QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinals
LSU70
Penn State62Penn State78
Toledo50Penn State71
Notre Dame63
Indiana64
Notre Dame80Notre Dame65Third place
Loyola (LA)70
Indiana73
LSU62

West-1 Region

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Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
      
Colorado 64
Bradley 76
Bradley 61
Oklahoma City 55
Bradley 71
Oklahoma A&M 57
Oklahoma A&M 51 Third place
Rice 45
Rice 78
Colorado 55

West-2 Region

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QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinals
USC73
Idaho State77Idaho State59
Seattle75*USC66
Santa Clara65**
Colorado A&M50
Santa Clara73Santa Clara73Third place
Texas Tech64
Idaho State62
Colorado A&M57

Final Four

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National semifinal National Championship
    
Penn State 54
La Salle 69
La Salle 92
Bradley 76
Bradley 74
USC 72 National third-place game
USC 61
Penn State 70

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ "LA SALLE DEFEATS BRADLEY FOR TITLE; Third-Period Spurt, Sparked by Gola, Gains N. C. A. A. Crown by 92 to 76". The New York Times. March 21, 1954. Retrieved March 1, 2026.
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