1994–95 NCAA Division I men's basketball season
The 1994–95 NCAA Division I men's basketball season concluded in the 64-team 1995 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament whose finals were held at the Kingdome in Seattle, Washington. The UCLA Bruins earned their eleventh national championship by defeating the Arkansas Razorbacks 89–78 on April 3, 1995. They were coached by Jim Harrick and the NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player was UCLA's Ed O'Bannon.
In the 32-team 1995 National Invitation Tournament, the Virginia Tech Hokies defeated the Marquette Warriors at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Following the season, the 1995 NCAA Men's Basketball All-American Consensus First team included Ed O'Bannon, Shawn Respert, Joe Smith, Jerry Stackhouse, and Damon Stoudamire.
Season headlines
- Jim Harrick led the UCLA Bruins to its eleventh National Championship, his first.
Pre-season polls
Conference membership changes
These schools joined new conferences for the 1994–95 season.School | Former conference | New conference |
Buffalo | East Coast Conference | Mid-Continent Conference |
Cal Poly | NCAA Division II | American West Conference |
Cal State Northridge | NCAA Division I Independent | American West Conference |
Campbell | Big South Conference | Trans America Athletic Conference |
Central Connecticut State | East Coast Conference | Mid-Continent Conference |
Chicago State | East Coast Conference | Mid-Continent Conference |
Cleveland State | Mid-Continent Conference | Midwestern Collegiate Conference |
Evansville | Midwestern Collegiate Conference | Missouri Valley Conference |
Green Bay | Mid-Continent Conference | Midwestern Collegiate Conference |
Hofstra | East Coast Conference | North Atlantic Conference |
Milwaukee | Mid-Continent Conference | Midwestern Collegiate Conference |
Northeastern Illinois | East Coast Conference | Mid-Continent Conference |
Northern Illinois | Mid-Continent Conference | Midwestern Collegiate Conference |
Sacramento State | NCAA Division I Independent | American West Conference |
Southern Utah | NCAA Division I Independent | American West Conference |
Troy State | East Coast Conference | Mid-Continent Conference |
UIC | Mid-Continent Conference | Midwestern Collegiate Conference |
UMKC | NCAA Division I Independent | Mid-Continent Conference |
Wright State | Mid-Continent Conference | Midwestern Collegiate Conference |
Regular season
Conference winners and tournaments
30 conference seasons concluded with a single-elimination tournament, with only the Big Ten Conference, Ivy League and the Pac-10 Conference choosing not to conduct conference tournaments. Conference tournament winners, with the exception of the American West Conference received an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.Statistical leaders
Post-Season Tournaments
NCAA Tournament
Final Four – [Kingdome], [Seattle, Washington]
National Invitation Tournament
Semifinals & Finals
- Third Place - Penn State 66, Canisius 62
Award winners
Consensus All-American teams
Major player of the year awards
- Wooden Award: Joe Smith, Maryland
- Naismith Award: Joe Smith, Maryland
- Associated Press Player of the Year: Joe Smith, Maryland
- NABC Player of the Year: Shawn Respert, Michigan State
- Oscar Robertson Trophy : Ed O'Bannon, UCLA
- Adolph Rupp Trophy: Joe Smith, Maryland
- Sporting News Player of the Year: Shawn Respert, Michigan State
- UPI College Basketball Player of the Year: Joe Smith, Maryland
Major freshman of the year awards
- USBWA Freshman of the Year: No Award Given
Major coach of the year awards
- Associated Press Coach of the Year: Kelvin Sampson, Oklahoma
- Henry Iba Award : Kelvin Sampson, Oklahoma
- NABC Coach of the Year: Jim Harrick, UCLA
- Naismith College Coach of the Year: Jim Harrick, UCLA
Other major awards
- NABC Defensive Player of the Year: Tim Duncan, Wake Forest
- Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award : Tyus Edney, UCLA
- Robert V. Geasey Trophy : Kerry Kittles, Villanova
- NIT/Haggerty Award : Joe Griffin, Long Island