1997 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament


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. The 59th annual edition of the tournament began on March 13, 1997, and ended with the [1997 National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship Game|championship game] on March 31 in Indianapolis, Indiana at the RCA Dome. A total of 63 games were played.
The Final Four consisted of [1996–97 1996–97 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team|Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team|Kentucky], who entered the tournament as the defending national champions, [1996–97 Minnesota Golden Gophers men's basketball|Minnesota Golden Gophers men's basketball team|Minnesota], making their first Final Four appearance, [1996–97 University of Arizona|Arizona Wildcats men's basketball team|Arizona], making their third Final Four appearance and first since 1994, and [1996–97 1996–97 North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball team|North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball team|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 [1996–97 1996–97 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team|Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team|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 Chattanooga defeated both Georgia and Illinois.
The tournament marked the end of the career of North Carolina coach Dean Smith. Smith, whose team lost in the national semifinals, retired just prior to the beginning of the 1997–98 season.

Schedule and venues

The following are the sites that were selected to host each round of the 1997 tournament:
First and Second Rounds
Regional semifinals and finals
National semifinals and championship

Teams

There were 30 automatic bids awarded to the tournament - of these, 27 were given to the winners of their conference's tournament, while three were awarded to the team with the best regular-season record in their conference.
Two conference champions made their first NCAA tournament appearances: Charleston Southern and Jackson State.

Bracket

Final Four – Indianapolis, Indiana

Minnesota vacated all NCAA tournament wins from the 1996–97 season due to an academic fraud scandal. Unlike forfeiture, a vacated game does not result in the other school being credited with a win, only with Minnesota removing the wins from its own record.

Announcers

Pat O'Brien and Jim Nantz respectively served as the first round afternoon and evening studio hosts, joined by analyst Clark Kellogg.