Winning coach Lute Olson (1st title) Dates 13 Mar 1997 – 31 Mar 1997 Attendance 646,531 | MOP Miles Simon Arizona Teams 64 Finals site RCA Dome | |
 | ||
Champions Arizona (1st title, 1st title game,
3rd Final Four) Runner-up Kentucky (9th title game,
12th Final Four) Semifinalists Minnesota (Vacated) (1st Final Four)
North Carolina (13th Final Four) Top scorer Miles Simon Arizona
(132 points) Champion Arizona Wildcats men's basketball Similar 1998 NCAA Division I, 1995 NCAA Division I, 1999 NCAA Division I, 1993 NCAA Division I, 2001 NCAA Division I | ||
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.
Contents
- First and second rounds
- Regionals
- Final Four
- Bracket
- Final Four Indianapolis Indiana
- Announcers
- References
The Final Four consisted of Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball, 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.
Arizona also became the only school since the introduction of the 64-team bracket in 1985, 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 Tennessee-Chattanooga defeated both Georgia and Illinois.