1989–90 NCAA Division I men's basketball season

The 1989–90 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began in November 1989 and ended with the Final Four at McNichols Sports Arena in Denver, Colorado on April 2, 1990. The UNLV Runnin' Rebels won their first NCAA national championship with a 103–73 victory over the Duke Blue Devils.

Season headlines

 * The Associated Press (AP) Poll expanded from a Top 20 to a Top 25 format.
 * In a 1990 West Coast Conference men's basketball tournament semifinal game on March 4, 1990, Loyola Marymount forward Hank Gathers collapsed during the first half and stopped breathing. He was pronounced dead two hours later. The game and the rest of the tournament were cancelled. Regular-season champion Loyola Marymount received the conference's automatic bid in 1990 NCAA tournament and made a run to the Elite Eight.
 * Lionel Simmons became the first NCAA Division I player to score more than 3,000 points and gather more than 1,100 rebounds. The senior forward from La Salle averaged 26.5 points and 11.1 rebounds to earn National Player of the Year.

Major rule changes
Beginning in 1989–90, the following rules changes were implemented:

Pre-season polls
The top 20 from the AP Poll and Coaches Poll during the pre-season.

Major player of the year awards

 * Wooden Award: Lionel Simmons, La Salle
 * Naismith Award: Lionel Simmons, La Salle
 * Associated Press Player of the Year: Lionel Simmons, La Salle
 * UPI Player of the Year: Lionel Simmons, La Salle
 * NABC Player of the Year: Lionel Simmons, La Salle
 * Oscar Robertson Trophy (USBWA): Lionel Simmons, La Salle
 * Adolph Rupp Trophy: Lionel Simmons, La Salle
 * Sporting News Player of the Year: Dennis Scott, Georgia Tech

Major freshman of the year awards

 * USBWA National Freshman of the Year: Kenny Anderson, Georgia Tech

Major coach of the year awards

 * Associated Press Coach of the Year: Jim Calhoun, Connecticut
 * UPI Coach of the Year: Jim Calhoun, Connecticut
 * Henry Iba Award (USBWA): Roy Williams, Kansas
 * NABC Coach of the Year: Jud Heathcote, Michigan State
 * Naismith College Coach of the Year: Bobby Cremins, Georgia Tech
 * CBS/Chevrolet Coach of the Year: Jim Calhoun, Connecticut
 * Sporting News Coach of the Year: Jim Calhoun, Connecticut

Other major awards

 * Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award (Best player under 6'0): Greg "Boo" Harvey, St. John's
 * Robert V. Geasey Trophy (Top player in Philadelphia Big 5): Lionel Simmons, La Salle (3-time recipient)
 * NIT/Haggerty Award (Top player in New York City metro area): Greg "Boo" Harvey, St. John's

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