1997 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament

See also: 1997 NCAA Division I men's basketball championship game

1997 NCAA Division I
men's basketball tournament
Season1996–97
Teams64
Finals siteRCA Dome
Indianapolis, Indiana
ChampionsArizona Wildcats (1st title, 1st title game,
3rd Final Four)
Runner-upKentucky Wildcats (9th title game,
12th Final Four)
Semifinalists
Winning coachLute Olson (1st title)
MOPMiles Simon (Arizona)
Attendance646,531
Top scorerMiles Simon (Arizona)
(132 points)
NCAA Division I men's tournaments
«1996 1998»

The 1997 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 13, 1997, and ended with the championship game on March 31 in Indianapolis, Indiana at the RCA Dome. A total of 63 games were played.

The Final Four consisted of Kentucky, who entered the tournament as the defending national champions, Minnesota, making their first Final Four appearance, Arizona, making their third Final Four appearance and first since 1994, and North Carolina, making their thirteenth Final Four appearance and first since 1995.

In the national championship game, Arizona defeated Kentucky in overtime 84–79 to win their first national championship. For the second time in the last three seasons, the defending national champions reached the final game and lost.

Miles Simon of Arizona was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.

Several years later, Minnesota was stripped of its Final Four appearance following the discovery of NCAA academic rule violations. In addition, the Gophers were stripped of their Big Ten title they had also won.[1]

Arizona also became the only school since the introduction of the 64-team bracket in 1985,[2] to defeat three number 1 seeds in the tournament, having upset overall number one seed Kansas in addition to their two Final Four victories.

The tournament also saw the third victory by a #15 seed over a #2 seed, as Coppin State defeated South Carolina in their first round matchup. In addition, a #14 seed advanced to the Sweet Sixteen for only the second time, as Southeast Region #14 seed Chattanooga defeated both Georgia and Illinois.

The tournament marked the end of the career of North Carolina coach Dean Smith. Smith, whose team lost in the national semifinals, retired just prior to the beginning of the 1997–98 season.

Schedule and venues

1997 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament is located in the United States
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh
Charlotte
Charlotte
Winston-Salem
Winston-Salem
Memphis
Memphis
Auburn Hills
Auburn Hills
Kansas City
Kansas City
Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City
Tucson
Tucson
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1997 first and second rounds
1997 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament is located in the United States
San Jose
San Jose
San Antonio
San Antonio
Birmingham
Birmingham
Syracuse
Syracuse
Indianapolis
Indianapolis
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1997 Regionals (blue) and Final Four (red)

The following are the sites that were selected to host each round of the 1997 tournament:

First and Second Rounds

Regional semifinals and finals (Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight)

National semifinals and championship (Final Four and championship)

Teams

There were 30 automatic bids awarded to the tournament - of these, 27 were given to the winners of their conference's tournament, while three were awarded to the team with the best regular-season record in their conference (Big Ten, Ivy League and Pac-10).

Two conference champions made their first NCAA tournament appearances: Charleston Southern (Big South) and Jackson State (SWAC).

Automatic qualifiers

Automatic qualifiers
Conference Team Appearance Last bid
ACC North Carolina 31st 1996
America East Boston University 5th 1990
Atlantic 10 Saint Joseph's 15th 1986
Big 12 Kansas 26th 1996
Big East Boston College 11th 1996
Big Sky Montana 4th 1992
Big South Charleston Southern 1st Never
Big Ten Minnesota (vacated) – 1990
Big West Pacific 5th 1979
CAA Old Dominion 7th 1995
Conference USA Marquette 21st 1996
Ivy League Princeton 20th 1996
MAAC Fairfield 3rd 1987
MAC Miami (OH) 15th 1995
MCC Butler 2nd 1962
MEAC Coppin State 3rd 1993
Mid-Continent Valparaiso 2nd 1996
Missouri Valley Illinois State 5th 1990
NEC Long Island 3rd 1984
Ohio Valley Murray State 8th 1995
Pac-10 UCLA 32nd 1996
Patriot Navy 10th 1994
SEC Kentucky 38th 1996
Southern Chattanooga 8th 1995
Southland Southwest Texas State 2nd 1994
SWAC Jackson State 1st Never
Sun Belt South Alabama 5th 1991
TAAC College of Charleston 2nd 1994
WAC Utah 19th 1996
West Coast Saint Mary's 3rd 1989

Tournament seeds

East Regional – Carrier Dome, Syracuse, New York
Seed School Conference Record Berth type
1 North Carolina ACC 24–6 Automatic
2 South Carolina SEC 24–7 At-Large
3 New Mexico WAC 24–7 At-Large
4 Villanova Big East 23–9 At-Large
5 California Pac-10 21–8 At-Large
6 Louisville Conference USA 23–8 At-Large
7 Wisconsin Big Ten 18–9 At-Large
8 Indiana Big Ten 22–10 At-Large
9 Colorado Big 12 21–9 At-Large
10 Texas Big 12 16–11 At-Large
11 UMass Atlantic 10 19–13 At-Large
12 Princeton Ivy League 24–3 Automatic
13 Long Island NEC 21–8 Automatic
14 Old Dominion CAA 22–10 Automatic
15 Coppin State MEAC 21–8 Automatic
16 Fairfield MAAC 11–18 Automatic
Midwest Regional – Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas
Seed School Conference Record Berth type
1 Minnesota (vacated) Big Ten 27–3 Automatic
2 UCLA Pac-10 21–7 Automatic
3 Cincinnati Conference USA 25–7 At-Large
4 Clemson ACC 21–9 At-Large
5 Tulsa WAC 23–9 At-Large
6 Iowa State Big 12 20–8 At-Large
7 Xavier Atlantic 10 22–5 At-Large
8 Ole Miss SEC 20–8 At-Large
9 Temple Atlantic 10 19–10 At-Large
10 Vanderbilt SEC 19–11 At-Large
11 Illinois State Missouri Valley 24–5 Automatic
12 Boston University America East 25–4 Automatic
13 Miami (OH) MAC 21–8 Automatic
14 Butler MCC 23–9 Automatic
15 Charleston Southern Big South 17–12 Automatic
16 Southwest Texas State Southland 16–12 Automatic
Southeast Regional – BJCC Coliseum, Birmingham, Alabama
Seed School Conference Record Berth type
1 Kansas Big 12 32–1 Automatic
2 Duke ACC 23–8 At-Large
3 Georgia SEC 24–8 At-Large
4 Arizona Pac-10 19–9 At-Large
5 Maryland ACC 21–10 At-Large
6 Illinois Big Ten 21–9 At-Large
7 Marquette Conference USA 22–8 Automatic
8 Purdue Big Ten 17–11 At-Large
9 Rhode Island Atlantic 10 20–9 At-Large
10 Providence Big East 21–11 At-Large
11 USC Pac-10 17–10 At-Large
12 College of Charleston TAAC 28–2 Automatic
13 South Alabama Sun Belt 23–6 Automatic
14 Chattanooga Southern 22–10 Automatic
15 Murray State Ohio Valley 20–9 Automatic
16 Jackson State SWAC 14–15 Automatic
West Regional – San Jose Arena, San Jose, California
Seed School Conference Record Berth type
1 Kentucky SEC 30–4 Automatic
2 Utah WAC 26–3 Automatic
3 Wake Forest ACC 23–6 At-Large
4 Saint Joseph's Atlantic 10 24–6 Automatic
5 Boston College Big East 21–8 Automatic
6 Stanford Pac-10 20–7 At-Large
7 UNC Charlotte Conference USA 21–8 At-Large
8 Iowa Big Ten 21–9 At-Large
9 Virginia ACC 19–10 At-Large
10 Georgetown Big East 20–9 At-Large
11 Oklahoma Big 12 19–7 At-Large
12 Valparaiso Mid-Continent 24–6 Automatic
13 Pacific Big West 23–5 Automatic
14 Saint Mary's West Coast 23–7 Automatic
15 Navy Patriot 20–8 Automatic
16 Montana Big Sky 21–10 Automatic

Bids by conference

Bids by Conference
Bids Conference(s)
6 ACC, Big Ten
5 Atlantic 10, Big 12, Pac-10, SEC
4 Big East, C-USA
3 WAC
1 21 others

Bracket

East Regional - Syracuse, New York

First round Quarter-finals Regional semifinals Regional Finals
            
1 North Carolina 82
16 Fairfield 74
1 North Carolina 73
Winston-Salem
9 Colorado 56
8 Indiana 62
9 Colorado 80
1 North Carolina 63
5 California 57
5 California 55
12 Princeton 52
5 California 75
Winston-Salem
4 Villanova 68
4 Villanova 101
13 Long Island 91
1 North Carolina 97
6 Louisville 74
6 Louisville 65
11 Massachusetts 57
6 Louisville 64
Pittsburgh
3 New Mexico 63
3 New Mexico 59
14 Old Dominion 55
6 Louisville 78
10 Texas 63
7 Wisconsin 58
10 Texas 71
10 Texas 82
Pittsburgh
15 Coppin State 81
2 South Carolina 65
15 Coppin State 78

Southeast Regional - Birmingham, Alabama

First round Quarter-finals Regional semifinals Regional Finals
            
1 Kansas 78
16 Jackson State 64
1 Kansas 75
Memphis
8 Purdue 61
8 Purdue 83OT
9 Rhode Island 76
1 Kansas 82
4 Arizona 85
5 Maryland 66
12 College of Charleston 75
12 College of Charleston 69
Memphis
4 Arizona 73
4 Arizona 65
13 South Alabama 57
4 Arizona 96OT
10 Providence 92
6 Illinois 90
11 USC 77
6 Illinois 63
Charlotte
14 Chattanooga 75
3 Georgia 70
14 Chattanooga 73
14 Chattanooga 65
10 Providence 71
7 Marquette 59
10 Providence 81
10 Providence 98
Charlotte
2 Duke 87
2 Duke 71
15 Murray State 68

Midwest Regional - San Antonio, Texas

First round Quarter-finals Regional semifinals Regional Finals
            
1 Minnesota# 78
16 Southwest Texas State 46
1 Minnesota# 76
Kansas City
9 Temple 57
8 Ole Miss 40
9 Temple 62
1 Minnesota# 902OT
4 Clemson 84
5 Tulsa 81
12 Boston University 52
5 Tulsa 59
Kansas City
4 Clemson 65
4 Clemson 68
13 Miami (OH) 56
1 Minnesota# 80
2 UCLA 72
6 Iowa State 69
11 Illinois State 57
6 Iowa State 67
Auburn Hills
3 Cincinnati 66
3 Cincinnati 86
14 Butler 69
6 Iowa State 73
2 UCLA 74OT
7 Xavier 80
10 Vanderbilt 68
7 Xavier 83
Auburn Hills
2 UCLA 96
2 UCLA 109
15 Charleston Southern 75

West Regional - San Jose, California

First round Quarter-finals Regional semifinals Regional Finals
            
1 Kentucky 92
16 Montana 54
1 Kentucky 75
Salt Lake City
8 Iowa 69
8 Iowa 73
9 Virginia 60
1 Kentucky 83
4 Saint Joseph's 68
5 Boston College 73
12 Valparaiso 66
5 Boston College 77
Salt Lake City
4 Saint Joseph's 81OT
4 Saint Joseph's 75
13 Pacific 65
1 Kentucky 72
2 Utah 59
6 Stanford 80
11 Oklahoma 67
6 Stanford 72
Tucson
3 Wake Forest 66
3 Wake Forest 68
14 Saint Mary's 46
6 Stanford 77
2 Utah 82OT
7 Charlotte 79
10 Georgetown 67
7 Charlotte 58
Tucson
2 Utah 77
2 Utah 75
15 Navy 61

Final Four – Indianapolis, Indiana

National semifinals National Championship Game
      
E1 North Carolina 58
SE4 Arizona 66
SE4 Arizona 84OT
W1 Kentucky 79
MW1 Minnesota# 69
W1 Kentucky 78

# - Minnesota vacated all NCAA tournament wins from the 1996–97 season due to an academic fraud scandal. Unlike forfeiture, a vacated game does not result in the other school being credited with a win, only with Minnesota removing the wins from its own record.

Announcers

Pat O'Brien and Jim Nantz respectively served as the first round afternoon and evening studio hosts, joined by analyst Clark Kellogg.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Minnesota Stripped Of Conference Championship". CBS News. November 21, 2000. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
  2. ^ "Bracket Question". Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved April 3, 2018.