In the 1950s, it was Adolph Rupp and Kentucky that ruled college basketball

Updated Jan. 10, 2024 12:15 p.m. ET

Associated Press

The college basketball landscape in the 1950s was dominated by the Baron of the Bluegrass, Adolph Rupp, who led Kentucky to the last two of his four national championships while putting the finishing touches on a dynasty that remains to this day.

It wasn't a perfect decade for the Wildcats, though.

The school was embroiled in a point-shaving scandal in 1951, when four of Rupp's players were accused of taking bribes from gamblers ahead of an NIT game against Loyola during the 1948-49 season. An investigation by the NCAA found several violations, including allowing ineligible players to compete, and that led to the cancellation of its 1952-53 season.

The Wildcats rebounded to go undefeated the following season, but they declined to play in the NCAA Tournament because of an antiquated rule — long since abolished — that made three of their stars ineligible because they had graduated.

That didn't stop AP Top 25 voters from keeping the Wildcats at No. 1 most of the season.

To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Top 25, The Associated Press compiled its weekly polls to crown the all-time No. 1, as well as determine the best programs of each decade. They were awarded points based on how they fared on each ballot, just as they are in weekly rankings today, and the Wildcats led the 1950s with 2,963 points. Here are the other top schools:

NORTH CAROLINA STATE (1,931 points)

Just about the only thing that Everett Case didn't win with the Wolfpack was a national championship. After helping to form the ACC in 1953, he led North Carolina State to four conference tournament titles.

ILLINOIS (1,790)

The Fighting Illini went to three Final Fours during a four-year stretch under Harry Combes, who went straight from coaching high school ball in Champaign to the Big Ten. But they never reached the national title game.

KANSAS STATE (1,613)

Jack Gardner built the Wildcats into a power before his protégé, Tex Winter, took made them a juggernaut. The innovator of the triangle offense led them to three conference titles during the 1950s and the 1958 Final Four.

BRADLEY (1,454)

The teams of Forddy Anderson were national runner-ups in 1950 and '54, when Bob Carney starred for them, and continued to have success under Chuck Orsborn. But like Kentucky, the 1951 season was tainted by the same point-shaving scandal.

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