Wisconsin Beats Washington State in NCAA Men's Basketball Championship

The 1941 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 8 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball.

It began on March 21, 1941, and ended with the championship game on March 29 in Kansas City, Missouri. A total of 9 games were played, including a third place game in each region.
Wisconsin, coached by Bud Foster, won the national title with a 39-34 victory in the final game over Washington State, coached by Jack Friel. John Kotz of Wisconsin was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.

In 1940, the Badgers finished one rung from the bottom of the Big Ten standings with a 3–9 record. A year later they were conference champs and entered the postseason on a 12–game winning streak. Led by All-America center Gene Englund and sophomore guard Johnny Kotz, Wisconsin hosted and won the East Regional then beat Washington State, 39–34, in Kansas City for the title.