| Year: | 1917 |
| Helmschamp: | Syracuse (retroactive selection in 1943) |
| Helmspoy: | Bill Chandler, Wisconsin (retroactive selection in 1944) |
The 1917–18 NCAA men's basketball season began in December 1917, progressed through the regular season, and concluded in March 1918.
| School | Former Conference | New Conference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No basketball program | Big Ten Conference | ||
| Independent | Southwest Conference | ||
| Pacific Coast Conference | Independent | ||
| Pacific Coast Conference | Independent |
| Conference | Regular Season Winner[3] | Conference Player of the Year | Conference Tournament | Tournament Venue (City) | Tournament Winner | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| None selected | No Tournament | |||||
| None selected | No Tournament | |||||
| None selected | No Tournament | |||||
| Did not play as conference | ||||||
| No Tournament | ||||||
| None selected | No Tournament | |||||
A total of 127 college teams played as major independents. Among independents that played at least 10 games, (14–0), (10–0), (15–0), (15–0), (15–0), the (14–0), and (14–0) were undefeated, and Syracuse (16–1) finished with the most wins.[4]
See main article: 1918 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans.
The practice of selecting a Consensus All-American Team did not begin until the 1928–29 season. The Helms Athletic Foundation later retroactively selected a list of All-Americans for the 1917–18 season.[5]
| Player | Team | |
|---|---|---|
| Earl Anderson | Illinois | |
| Bill Chandler | Wisconsin | |
| Harold Gillen | Minnesota | |
| Hubert Peck | Penn | |
| Craig Ruby | Missouri | |
| Joseph Schwarzer | Syracuse | |
| Eber Simpson | Wisconsin | |
| Alfred Sorenson | Washington State | |
| George Sweeney | Penn | |
| Gene Vidal | Army |