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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»

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.

On 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)

Teams

Region Team Coach Conference Finished Final Opponent Score
East
East East Carolina Tom Quinn 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 East Regional third place
Villanova 67
Villanova 85 South Carolina 90
East Carolina 70 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 Mideast Regional third place
Marquette 69
Marquette 73 Minnesota 77
Ohio 49 Marquette 72

Midwest region

Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
      
Louisville 88
Southwestern Louisiana 84
Southwestern Louisiana 112
Marshall 101
Louisville 72
Kansas State 65
Kansas State 66 Midwest Regional third place
Texas 55
Texas 85 Southwestern Louisiana 100
Houston 74 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 West Regional third place
Long Beach State 75
Long Beach State 95 Weber State 64
BYU 90* 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
E North Carolina 105
MW Louisville 91

Announcers

Curt Gowdy, Tom Hawkins, and Jim Simpson (Final Four only) - First Round at Pocatello, Idaho (Long Beach State-BYU); East Regional Final at Morgantown, West Virginia; Final Four at Los Angeles, California

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. March 10, 2009. Retrieved March 11, 2009.
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