1972 NCAA University Division Basketball Tournament

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1972 NCAA University Division
Basketball Tournament
NCAA 70s logo.svg
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»

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.

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[]

Region Team Coach Conference Finished Final Opponent Score
East
East East Carolina Southern First round Villanova L 85–70
East North Carolina Dean Smith Atlantic Coast Third Place Louisville W 105–91
East Penn Chuck Daly Ivy League Regional Runner-up North Carolina L 73–59
East Providence Dave Gavitt Independent First round Penn L 76–60
East South Carolina Frank McGuire Independent Regional Third Place Villanova W 90–78
East Temple Harry Litwack Middle Atlantic First round South Carolina L 53–51
East Villanova Jack Kraft Independent Regional Fourth Place South Carolina L 90–78
Mideast
Mideast Eastern Kentucky Guy Strong Ohio Valley First round Florida State L 83–81
Mideast Florida State Hugh Durham Independent Runner Up UCLA L 81–76
Mideast Kentucky Adolph Rupp Southeastern Regional Runner-up Florida State L 73–54
Mideast Marquette Al McGuire Independent Regional Fourth Place Minnesota L 77–72
Mideast Minnesota Bill Musselman Big Ten Regional Third Place Marquette W 77–72
Mideast Ohio James Snyder Mid-American First round Marquette L 73–49
Midwest
Midwest Houston Guy Lewis Independent First round Texas L 85–74
Midwest Kansas State Jack Hartman Big Eight Regional Runner-up Louisville L 72–65
Midwest Southwestern Louisiana (Vacated) Beryl Shipley Southland Regional Third Place Texas W 100–70
Midwest Louisville Denny Crum Missouri Valley Fourth Place North Carolina L 105–91
Midwest Marshall Carl Tacy Independent First round Southwestern Louisiana L 112–101
Midwest Texas Leon Black Southwest Regional Fourth Place Southwestern Louisiana L 100–70
West
West BYU Stan Watts Western Athletic First round Long Beach State L 95–90
West Hawaii Red Rocha Independent First round Weber State L 91–64
West Long Beach State Jerry Tarkanian Pacific Coast Regional Runner-up UCLA L 73–57
West San Francisco Bob Gaillard West Coast Regional Third Place Weber State W 74–64
West UCLA John Wooden Pacific-8 Champion Florida State W 81–76
West Weber State Gene Visscher Big Sky Regional Fourth Place San Francisco L 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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