1972 NCAA University Division Basketball Tournament

The 1972 NCAA University Division Basketball Tournament involved 25 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of NCAA University Division (now Division I) college basketball. It began on Saturday, March 11, and ended with the championship game in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 25. A total of 29 games were played, including a third place game in each region and a national third place game.

1972 NCAA University Division
Basketball Tournament
NCAA logo from 1971 to 1979
Teams25
Finals siteMemorial Sports Arena
Los Angeles, California
ChampionsUCLA Bruins (8th title, 8th title game,
9th Final Four)
Runner-upFlorida State Seminoles (1st title game,
1st Final Four)
Semifinalists
Winning coachJohn Wooden (8th title)
MOPBill Walton (UCLA)
Attendance147,304
Top scorerJim Price Louisville
(103 points)
NCAA Division I Men's Tournaments
«1971 1973»

Led by longtime head coach John Wooden, the undefeated UCLA Bruins won the national title with an 81–76 victory in the final game over Florida State, coached by Hugh Durham. Sophomore center Bill Walton of UCLA was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player;[1][2][3] the first of two consecutive.

In a historically significant note, the Southwestern Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns made the tournament in their first season of eligibility for postseason play; the next to achieve this feat was North Dakota State in 2009.[4] SW Louisiana also made the tournament in 1973, but due to major infractions that resulted in the basketball program receiving the NCAA death penalty (and very nearly expelled from the NCAA altogether), both appearances have since been vacated and the records expunged.

This was the last year in which the championship game was played on Saturday; it moved to Monday night in 1973.

Schedule and venues

The following are the sites that were selected to host each round of the 1972 tournament:

First Round

Regional Semifinals, 3rd Place Games, and Finals (Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight)

National Semifinals, 3rd Place Game, and Championship (Final Four and Championship)

For the second time, the city of Los Angeles and the LA Memorial Sports Arena hosted the Final Four. To date, this is the last Final Four to be held in the city, although the city and region continue to host games to this day. The tournament saw five new venues and three new host cities used for the first time. For the first time, the tournament came to the campus of Iowa State University and the Hilton Coliseum, then in its first year of operation. The first games held in the state of Tennessee were held this year at the Stokely Athletic Center on the campus of the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. For the third time, games were held in the state of Virginia, this time at William & Mary Hall on the campus of the College of William & Mary.

Games were held at the brand-new Marriott Center, then the largest basketball arena in the country, on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, replacing the Smith Fieldhouse. And at Idaho State University in Pocatello, games were held in the two-year-old Minidome, having previously been played at Reed Gym in 1957. To date, this is the last time games were held at either the Hilton Coliseum or at Jadwin Gymnasium on the campus of Princeton University, the only Ivy League gymnasium other than the Palestra used in the tournament.

Teams
RegionTeamCoachConferenceFinishedFinal OpponentScore
East
EastEast CarolinaTom QuinnSouthernFirst roundVillanovaL 85–70
EastNorth CarolinaDean SmithAtlantic CoastThird PlaceLouisvilleW 105–91
EastPennChuck DalyIvy LeagueRegional Runner-upNorth CarolinaL 73–59
EastProvidenceDave GavittIndependentFirst roundPennL 76–60
EastSouth CarolinaFrank McGuireIndependentRegional Third PlaceVillanovaW 90–78
EastTempleHarry LitwackMiddle AtlanticFirst roundSouth CarolinaL 53–51
EastVillanovaJack KraftIndependentRegional Fourth PlaceSouth CarolinaL 90–78
Mideast
MideastEastern KentuckyGuy StrongOhio ValleyFirst roundFlorida StateL 83–81
MideastFlorida StateHugh DurhamIndependentRunner UpUCLAL 81–76
MideastKentuckyAdolph RuppSoutheasternRegional Runner-upFlorida StateL 73–54
MideastMarquetteAl McGuireIndependentRegional Fourth PlaceMinnesotaL 77–72
MideastMinnesotaBill MusselmanBig TenRegional Third PlaceMarquetteW 77–72
MideastOhioJames SnyderMid-AmericanFirst roundMarquetteL 73–49
Midwest
MidwestHoustonGuy LewisIndependentFirst roundTexasL 85–74
MidwestKansas StateJack HartmanBig EightRegional Runner-upLouisvilleL 72–65
MidwestSouthwestern Louisiana (Vacated)Beryl ShipleySouthlandRegional Third PlaceTexasW 100–70
MidwestLouisvilleDenny CrumMissouri ValleyFourth PlaceNorth CarolinaL 105–91
MidwestMarshallCarl TacyIndependentFirst roundSouthwestern LouisianaL 112–101
MidwestTexasLeon BlackSouthwestRegional Fourth PlaceSouthwestern LouisianaL 100–70
West
WestBYUStan WattsWestern AthleticFirst roundLong Beach StateL 95–90
WestHawaiiRed RochaIndependentFirst roundWeber StateL 91–64
WestLong Beach StateJerry TarkanianPacific CoastRegional Runner-upUCLAL 73–57
WestSan FranciscoBob GaillardWest CoastRegional Third PlaceWeber StateW 74–64
WestUCLAJohn WoodenPacific-8ChampionFlorida StateW 81–76
WestWeber StateGene VisscherBig SkyRegional Fourth PlaceSan FranciscoL 74–64

Bracket

* – Denotes overtime period

East region
Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
         
  North Carolina 92
  South Carolina 69
  South Carolina 53
  Temple 51
  North Carolina 73
  Penn 59
  Penn 76
  Providence 60
  Penn 78
  Villanova 67
  Villanova 85
  East Carolina 70
East Regional Third Place
   
South Carolina 90
Villanova 78

Mideast region
Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
         
  Minnesota 56
  Florida State 70
  Florida State 83
  Eastern Kentucky 81
  Florida State 73
  Kentucky 54
  Kentucky 85
  Marquette 69
  Marquette 73
  Ohio 49
Mideast Regional Third Place
   
Minnesota 77
Marquette 72

Midwest region
Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
         
  Louisville 88
  Southwest Louisiana 84
  Southwest Louisiana 112
  Marshall 101
  Louisville 72
  Kansas State 65
  Kansas State 66
  Texas 55
  Texas 85
  Houston 74
Midwest Regional Third Place
   
Southwestern Louisiana 100
Texas 70

West region
Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
         
  UCLA 90
  Weber State 58
  Weber State 91
  Hawaii 64
  UCLA 73
  Long Beach State 57
  San Francisco 55
  Long Beach State 75
  Long Beach State 95
  BYU 90*
West Regional Third Place
   
Weber State 64
San Francisco 74

Final Four
  National Semifinals
Thursday, March 23		     National Championship Game
Saturday, March 25
                 
  E North Carolina 75  
  ME Florida State 79    
      ME Florida State 76
      W UCLA 81
  MW Louisville 77    
  W UCLA 96   National Third Place Game
Saturday, March 25
 
E North Carolina 105
  MW Louisville 91

See also

References
  1. Kirkpatrick, Curry (April 3, 1972). "Oh, Johnny, Oh, Johnny Oh!". Sports Illustrated. p. 30.
  2. "Super soph Bill Walton sparkles; Bruins earn another NCAA title". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. March 26, 1972. p. 1, sports.
  3. "It was the same old story-- Bruins win NCAA crown". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. March 26, 1972. p. 1D.
  4. "Woodside hits jumper with 3 seconds left to push N. Dakota St. to Summit title". ESPN. Associated Press. 2009-03-10. Retrieved 2009-03-11.
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