1949 NCAA basketball tournament
| Season | 1948–49 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teams | 8 | ||||
| Finals site | Hec Edmundson Pavilion, Seattle, Washington | ||||
| Champions | Kentucky Wildcats (2nd title, 2nd title game, 3rd Final Four) | ||||
| Runner-up | Oklahoma A&M Aggies (3rd title game, 3rd Final Four) | ||||
| Semifinalists |
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| Winning coach | Adolph Rupp (2nd title) | ||||
| MOP | Alex Groza (Kentucky) | ||||
| Attendance | 72,523 | ||||
| Top scorer | Alex Groza (Kentucky) (82 points) | ||||
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The 1949 NCAA basketball tournament involved eight schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. The 11th annual edition of the tournament began on March 18, 1949, and ended with the championship game on March 26, at Hec Edmundson Pavilion, located on the campus of the University of Washington in Seattle. A total of 10 games were played, including a third place game in each region and a national third place game.
Kentucky, coached by Adolph Rupp, won the national title with a 46–36 victory in the final game over Oklahoma A&M, coached by Henry Iba. Alex Groza of Kentucky was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.