1941–42 NCAA men's basketball season

The 1941–42 NCAA men's basketball season began in December 1941, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 1942 NCAA basketball tournament championship game on March 28, 1942, at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The Stanford Indians won their first NCAA national championship with a 53–38 victory over the Dartmouth Big Green.

Season headlines

 * The Metropolitan New York Conference did not compete during the season. Its members played as independents.
 * Dartmouth and Kansas became the first teams to play in more than one NCAA tournament when they appeared in the 1942 tournament.
 * In February 1943, the Helms Athletic Foundation retroactively selected Stanford as its national champion for the 1941–42 season.
 * In 1995, the Premo-Porretta Power Poll retroactively selected Stanford as its national champion for the 1941–42 season.

Semifinals & finals

 * Third Place – Creighton 48, Toledo 46

Major player of the year awards

 * Helms Player of the Year: Stan Modzelewski, Rhode Island State

Other major awards

 * NIT/Haggerty Award (Top player in New York City metro area): Jim White, St. John's (retroactive selection in 1944)

Coaching changes
A number of teams changed coaches during the season and after it ended.