. It began on March 14, 1961, and ended with the championship game on March 25 in
. A total of 28 games were played, including a third place game in each region and a national third place game.
, won the national title with a 70-65 victory in the final game over state rival
, coached by Fred Taylor.
by the score of 127-120 in four overtimes, tied the record for the longest game in NCAA Division I tournament history, set in
. As of the regional finals of the
, no NCAA Division I tournament games since then have gone to a fourth overtime period. Saint Joseph's victory was later vacated because of a gambling scandal.
| Region | Seed | Team | Coach | Finished | Final Opponent | Score |
| East |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| East |
n/a |
George WashingtonThe George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
|
Bill Reinhart |
First round |
PrincetonPrinceton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
|
L 84-67 |
| East |
n/a |
PrincetonPrinceton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
|
Jake McCandless |
Regional Fourth Place |
St. Bonaventure St. Bonaventure University is a private, Franciscan Catholic university, located in Allegany, Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. It has roughly 2,400 undergraduate and graduate students....
|
L 85-67 |
| East |
n/a |
Rhode IslandThe University of Rhode Island is the principal public research university in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Its main campus is located in Kingston. Additional campuses include the Feinstein Campus in Providence, the Narragansett Bay Campus in Narragansett, and the W. Alton Jones Campus in West...
|
Ernie Calverley Ernest A. "Ernie" Calverley was an American basketball guard for the University of Rhode Island. His famous "shot heard round the world," a midcourt shot, as time expired at Madison Square Garden in the National Invitation Tournament moved URI past Bowling Green State University into the semifinal...
|
First round |
St. Bonaventure St. Bonaventure University is a private, Franciscan Catholic university, located in Allegany, Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. It has roughly 2,400 undergraduate and graduate students....
|
L 86-76 |
| East |
n/a |
St. Bonaventure St. Bonaventure University is a private, Franciscan Catholic university, located in Allegany, Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. It has roughly 2,400 undergraduate and graduate students....
|
Eddie Donovan Eddie Donovan was a professional basketball coach and executive.He coached the New York Knickerbockers from 1961 through 1965, and was the coach on the opposing sideline when Philadelphia Warriors center Wilt Chamberlain had his record-setting 100-point game in Hershey, Pennsylvania on March 2,...
|
Regional Third Place |
PrincetonPrinceton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
|
W 85-67 |
| East |
n/a |
St. John'sSt. John's University is a private, Roman Catholic, coeducational university located in New York City, United States. Founded by the Congregation of the Mission in 1870, the school was originally located in the borough of Brooklyn in the neighborhood of Bedford–Stuyvesant...
|
Joe Lapchick Joseph Bohomiel Lapchick was a professional basketball player, mostly known for playing with the Original Celtics in the 1920s and 30s. He is commonly regarded as the best center of his era, overshadowed in his later years only by Tarzan Cooper...
|
First round |
Wake ForestWake Forest University is a private, coeducational university in the U.S. state of North Carolina, founded in 1834. The university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina, the state capital. The Reynolda Campus, the university's main campus, is...
|
L 97-74 |
| East |
n/a |
Saint Joseph'sSaint Joseph's University is a private, coeducational Roman Catholic Jesuit university located partially in the Wynnefield section of Philadelphia and partially in Lower Merion Township and located in the Pennsylvania Main Line, Pennsylvania, United States.The school was founded in 1851 as Saint...
|
Jack Ramsay Jack T. Ramsay is an American former basketball coach, commonly known as "Dr. Jack" . He is best known for coaching the Portland Trail Blazers to the 1977 NBA Title, and for his broadcasting work with the Indiana Pacers, the Miami Heat, and for ESPN TV and ESPN Radio...
|
Third Place |
Utah The University of Utah Utes have consistently been one of the most successful basketball programs in the NCAA. They are currently an NCAA Division I program that plays in the Pacific-12 Conference. The school has made the NCAA Tournament 26 times, which ranks 16th in NCAA history and 3rd behind...
|
W 127-120 (4OT) |
| East |
n/a |
Wake ForestWake Forest University is a private, coeducational university in the U.S. state of North Carolina, founded in 1834. The university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina, the state capital. The Reynolda Campus, the university's main campus, is...
|
Bones McKinney Horace Albert "Bones" McKinney was an American professional basketball player and coach....
|
Regional Runner-up |
Saint Joseph'sSaint Joseph's University is a private, coeducational Roman Catholic Jesuit university located partially in the Wynnefield section of Philadelphia and partially in Lower Merion Township and located in the Pennsylvania Main Line, Pennsylvania, United States.The school was founded in 1851 as Saint...
|
L 96-86 |
| Mideast |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Mideast |
n/a |
KentuckyThe Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team, representing the University of Kentucky, is the winningest in the history of college basketball, both in all-time wins and all-time winning percentage. Kentucky's all-time record currently stands at 2058–647...
|
Adolph Rupp Adolph Frederick Rupp was one of the most successful coaches in the history of American college basketball. Rupp is fourth in total victories by a men's NCAA Division I college coach, winning 876 games in 41 years of coaching...
|
Regional Runner-up |
Ohio StateThe Lucas Sapp men's basketball team represents The Ohio State University in NCAA Division I college basketball competition. The Buckeyes are a member of the Big Ten Conference. The Buckeyes won their only National Championship in 1960 and have made a total of 21 NCAA Tournament appearances...
|
L 87-74 |
| Mideast |
n/a |
LouisvilleThe Louisville Cardinals men's basketball team is the 18th winningest college basketball team in NCAA Division I history and has the 10th best winning percentage in college basketball history. Currently coached by Rick Pitino, the Cardinals of the University of Louisville have been to 37 NCAA...
|
Peck Hickman |
Regional Third Place |
Morehead StateMorehead State University is a public, co-educational university located in Morehead, Kentucky, United States in the foothills of the Daniel Boone National Forest in Rowan County, midway between Lexington, Kentucky, and Huntington, West Virginia. The 2012 edition of "America's Best Colleges" by U.S...
|
W 83-61 |
| Mideast |
n/a |
Morehead StateMorehead State University is a public, co-educational university located in Morehead, Kentucky, United States in the foothills of the Daniel Boone National Forest in Rowan County, midway between Lexington, Kentucky, and Huntington, West Virginia. The 2012 edition of "America's Best Colleges" by U.S...
|
Robert Laughlin |
Regional Fourth Place |
LouisvilleThe Louisville Cardinals men's basketball team is the 18th winningest college basketball team in NCAA Division I history and has the 10th best winning percentage in college basketball history. Currently coached by Rick Pitino, the Cardinals of the University of Louisville have been to 37 NCAA...
|
L 83-61 |
| Mideast |
n/a |
Ohio The Ohio Bobcats men’s basketball team is an intercollegiate varsity sports program of Ohio University. The team represents the university as a member of the Mid-American Conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, playing at the Division 1 level...
|
James Snyder Jim Snyder was head coach of the Ohio Bobcats men's basketball team for 26 years . He led his teams to 7 NCAA Tournament appearances and one National Invitation Tournament appearance...
|
First round |
LouisvilleThe Louisville Cardinals men's basketball team is the 18th winningest college basketball team in NCAA Division I history and has the 10th best winning percentage in college basketball history. Currently coached by Rick Pitino, the Cardinals of the University of Louisville have been to 37 NCAA...
|
L 76-70 |
| Mideast |
n/a |
Ohio StateThe Lucas Sapp men's basketball team represents The Ohio State University in NCAA Division I college basketball competition. The Buckeyes are a member of the Big Ten Conference. The Buckeyes won their only National Championship in 1960 and have made a total of 21 NCAA Tournament appearances...
|
Fred Taylor |
Runner Up |
CincinnatiThe Cincinnati Bearcats are the NCAA athletic teams representing the University of Cincinnati. Since July 1, 2005, the school's athletic teams have been members of the Big East Conference....
|
L 70-65 |
| Mideast |
n/a |
XavierXavier University is a co-educational Jesuit university in the United States located in Cincinnati, Ohio. The University is the sixth-oldest Catholic university in the nation and has an undergraduate enrollment of about 4,000 students and graduate enrollment of 2,600 students. Xavier is primarily...
|
Jim McCafferty |
First round |
Morehead StateMorehead State University is a public, co-educational university located in Morehead, Kentucky, United States in the foothills of the Daniel Boone National Forest in Rowan County, midway between Lexington, Kentucky, and Huntington, West Virginia. The 2012 edition of "America's Best Colleges" by U.S...
|
L 71-66 |
| Midwest |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Midwest |
n/a |
CincinnatiThe Cincinnati Bearcats are the NCAA athletic teams representing the University of Cincinnati. Since July 1, 2005, the school's athletic teams have been members of the Big East Conference....
|
Ed Jucker Edwin Louis "Ed" Jucker was an American college basketball player and coach. He was the former head basketball coach at the University of Cincinnati in the 1960s. Jucker also attended Cincinnati as an undergraduate student and played on the school's basketball teams during the 1938, 1939, and 1940...
|
Champion |
Ohio StateThe Lucas Sapp men's basketball team represents The Ohio State University in NCAA Division I college basketball competition. The Buckeyes are a member of the Big Ten Conference. The Buckeyes won their only National Championship in 1960 and have made a total of 21 NCAA Tournament appearances...
|
W 70-65 |
| Midwest |
n/a |
HoustonThe Houston Cougars men's basketball team represents the University of Houston in Houston, Texas in U.S. NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. The university is a member of Conference USA...
|
Guy Lewis Guy Vernon Lewis II is a former NCAA basketball coach who led the University of Houston Cougars program for 30 years from 1956-86.-Coaching career:...
|
Regional Fourth Place |
Texas TechThe Texas Tech Red Raiders are the athletic teams that represent Texas Tech University . The women's basketball team uses the name Lady Raiders; however, the school's other women's teams use the "Red Raiders" name. The university's athletic program fields teams in 15 varsity sports and 30 club sports...
|
L 69-67 |
| Midwest |
n/a |
Kansas State Kansas State University's athletic teams are called the Wildcats. The official color of the teams is Royal Purple, making Kansas State one of very few schools that have only one official color; white and silver are generally used as complementary colors.Kansas State participates in...
|
Tex Winter Morice Fredrick "Tex" Winter is a Hall-of-Fame American basketball coach, and innovator of the triangle offense.-Early life:...
|
Regional Runner-up |
CincinnatiThe Cincinnati Bearcats are the NCAA athletic teams representing the University of Cincinnati. Since July 1, 2005, the school's athletic teams have been members of the Big East Conference....
|
L 69-64 |
| Midwest |
n/a |
MarquetteThe Marquette Golden Eagles Basketball team is the basketball team that represents Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The school's 1977 team, coached by Al McGuire, won the NCAA championship. Currently the team competes in the Big East Conference. It last played in the NCAA Division I...
|
Eddie Hickey Edgar S. "Eddie" Hickey was a college men's basketball coach. He coached at his alma mater of Creighton University , St. Louis University and Marquette University , compiling a 436-231 record...
|
First round |
HoustonThe Houston Cougars men's basketball team represents the University of Houston in Houston, Texas in U.S. NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. The university is a member of Conference USA...
|
L 77-61 |
| Midwest |
n/a |
Texas TechThe Texas Tech Red Raiders basketball team represents Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas in NCAA Division I men's basketball competition The team is currently coached by Billy Gillispie. Prior to Gillispie being named coach, the coach was Pat Knight who succeeded his father, Hall of Famer Bob...
|
Polk RobisonPolk Robison was an American collegiate basketball and football coach and college athletics administrator who served as the head coach of the Texas Tech Red Raiders basketball team from 1942 to 1946 and again from 1947 to 1961...
|
Regional Third Place |
HoustonThe Houston Cougars men's basketball team represents the University of Houston in Houston, Texas in U.S. NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. The university is a member of Conference USA...
|
W 69-67 |
| West |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| West |
n/a |
Arizona State |
Ned Wulk Ned W. Wulk was the men's basketball coach at Arizona State University from 1958 to 1982. He remains the most successful coach in the history of the men's basketball program with a record of 406 - 272 at ASU. Wells Fargo Arena's basketball court was named after him in 1999...
|
Regional Runner-up |
Utah The University of Utah Utes have consistently been one of the most successful basketball programs in the NCAA. They are currently an NCAA Division I program that plays in the Pacific-12 Conference. The school has made the NCAA Tournament 26 times, which ranks 16th in NCAA history and 3rd behind...
|
L 88-80 |
| West |
n/a |
Loyola, Los Angeles The Loyola Marymount Lions are the athletic teams that represent Loyola Marymount University, a Jesuit institution in Los Angeles, California. The school competes in NCAA Division I, with its primary affiliation in the West Coast Conference, an organization consisting solely of...
|
William Donovan |
Regional Third Place |
USC |
W 69-67 |
| West |
n/a |
OregonOregon Ducks men’s college basketball is an intercollegiate basketball program that competes in the NCAA Division I and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference, representing the University of Oregon. The Ducks play their home games at Matthew Knight Arena. Oregon, then coached by Howard Hobson, won...
|
Steve Belko Steve Belko was an American college basketball coach at the University of Oregon and Idaho State University. At Idaho State, his team made the NCAA tournament four out of his six years there. His record at Idaho State was 109-51, and he was named "Rocky Mountain Coach of the Year" three times. From...
|
First round |
USC |
L 81-79 |
| West |
n/a |
SeattleSeattle University is a Jesuit Catholic university located in the First Hill neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, USA.SU is the largest independent university in the Northwest US, with over 7,500 students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs within eight schools, and is one of 28 member...
|
Vince Cazzetta Vincent "Vince" Cazzetta was head coach of the Pittsburgh Pipers during the 1967-1968 season in which they won the American Basketball Association championship. He was one of the most successful head coaches in Seattle University's men's basketball historyCazzetta was head coach at Seattle...
|
First round |
Arizona State |
L 72-70 |
| West |
n/a |
USC |
Forrest Twogood |
Regional Fourth Place |
Loyola, Los Angeles The Loyola Marymount Lions are the athletic teams that represent Loyola Marymount University, a Jesuit institution in Los Angeles, California. The school competes in NCAA Division I, with its primary affiliation in the West Coast Conference, an organization consisting solely of...
|
L 69-67 |
| West |
n/a |
Utah The University of Utah Utes have consistently been one of the most successful basketball programs in the NCAA. They are currently an NCAA Division I program that plays in the Pacific-12 Conference. The school has made the NCAA Tournament 26 times, which ranks 16th in NCAA history and 3rd behind...
|
Jack Gardner -Head Coaching Record at Utah:-External links:*...
|
Fourth Place |
Saint Joseph's The Saint Joseph's Hawks men's basketball team represents Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the Atlantic 10 Conference. Its home court is the Hagan Arena. The team's only Final Four appearance in 1961 was removed from the NCAA records due to a gambling scandal. Through...
|
L 127-120 (4OT) |