ChampionsKentucky (7th title, 10th title game,
13th Final Four) Runner-upUtah (2nd title game,
4th Final Four) SemifinalistsNorth Carolina (14th Final Four)
Stanford (2nd Final Four) Winning coachTubby Smith (1st title) ChampionKentucky Wildcats men's basketball Similar1999 NCAA Division I, 1997 NCAA Division I, 1995 NCAA Division I, 2002 NCAA Division I, 2000 NCAA Division I
The 1998 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 12, 1998, and ended with the championship game on March 30 at the Alamodome in San Antonio. A total of 63 games were played.
The Final Four consisted of Kentucky, making their third consecutive Final Four, Stanford, making their first appearance since their initial Final Four run in 1942, Utah, making their fourth Final Four and first since 1966, and North Carolina, who returned for a fourteenth overall time and third in four seasons.
Kentucky won the national title, its second in three seasons and seventh overall, by defeating Utah 78-69 in the championship game.
Jeff Sheppard of Kentucky was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. Kentucky came back from double-digit deficits in each of its last three games in the tournament, including a 17-point second half comeback against the Duke Blue Devils, leading to the school's fans dubbing the team the "Comeback Cats". This was Kentucky's third straight championship game appearance.
Bryce Drew led the 13th-ranked Valparaiso Crusaders to the Sweet Sixteen, including a memorable play that remains part of March Madness lore.
First and Second Rounds
March 12 and 14
ARCO Arena, Sacramento, California (Host: University of the Pacific)
BSU Pavilion, Boise, Idaho (Host: Boise State University)
Hartford Civic Center, Hartford, Connecticut
MCI Center, Washington, D.C. (Host: George Mason University)
March 13 and 15
Georgia Dome, Atlanta (Host: Georgia Institute of Technology)
Myriad Convention Center, Oklahoma City (Host: University of Oklahoma)
Rupp Arena, Lexington, Kentucky (Host: University of Kentucky)
United Center, Chicago (Host: Big Ten Conference)
Regionals
March 19 and 21
East Regional, Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, North Carolina (Host: Atlantic Coast Conference)
West Regional, Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim, Anaheim, California (Host: Big West Conference)
March 20 and 22
Midwest Regional, Kiel Center, St. Louis (Host: Missouri Valley Conference)
South Regional, Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida (Host: University of South Florida)
Final Four
March 28 and 30
Alamodome, San Antonio
Announcers
Jim Nantz and Billy Packer – First & Second Round at Atlanta; South Regional at St. Petersburg, Florida; Final Four at San Antonio, Texas
Sean McDonough and Bill Raftery – First & Second Round at Washington, D.C.; East Regional at Greensboro, North Carolina
Gus Johnson and Jon Sundvold – First & Second Round at Hartford, Connecticut; West Regional at Anaheim, California
Tim Brando and Al McGuire – First & Second Round at Lexington, Kentucky; Midwest Regional at St. Louis
Ted Robinson and Rolando Blackman – First & Second Round at Oklahoma City
Jim Durham and Greg Kelser – First & Second Round at Boise, Idaho
Tim Ryan and Dan Bonner – First & Second Round at Chicago
Ian Eagle and Jim Spanarkel – First & Second Round at Sacramento, California
