1973 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
Encyclopedia
The 1973 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 25 schools playing in single-elimination
play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA
University Division (the predecessor to today's Division I, which would be created later in 1973) college basketball
. It began on March 10, 1973, and ended with the championship game on March 26 in St. Louis, Missouri
. A total of 29 games were played, including a third place game in each region and a national third place game.
UCLA
, coached by John Wooden
, won the national title with a 87–66 victory in the final game over Memphis State, coached by Gene Bartow
. This gave UCLA their 7th consecutive title. Bill Walton
of UCLA was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player
. This year's Final Four marked the first time the championship game was televised on a Monday night in prime time, a practice which continues as of 2010.
list of the greatest NCAA tournament games of all time at #18. Bill Walton set a championship game record, hitting 21 of 22 shots and scoring 44 points.
Gene Bartow, the Memphis State coach, would be John Wooden's successor at UCLA after the 1975–1976 season.
Single-elimination tournament
A single-elimination tournament, also called a knockout, cup or sudden death tournament, is a type of elimination tournament where the loser of each match or bracket is immediately eliminated from winning the championship or first prize in the event...
play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
University Division (the predecessor to today's Division I, which would be created later in 1973) college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
. It began on March 10, 1973, and ended with the championship game on March 26 in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
. A total of 29 games were played, including a third place game in each region and a national third place game.
UCLA
UCLA Bruins men's basketball
The UCLA Bruins men's basketball program, established in 1920, owns a record 11 Division I NCAA championships. UCLA teams coached by John Wooden won 10 national titles in 12 seasons from 1964 to 1975, including 7 straight from 1967 to 1973. UCLA went undefeated a record 4 times, in 1964, 1967,...
, coached by John Wooden
John Wooden
John Robert Wooden was an American basketball player and coach. Nicknamed the "Wizard of Westwood", he won ten NCAA national championships in a 12-year period — seven in a row — as head coach at UCLA, an unprecedented feat. Within this period, his teams won a record 88 consecutive games...
, won the national title with a 87–66 victory in the final game over Memphis State, coached by Gene Bartow
Gene Bartow
Gene Bartow is a former men's college basketball coach. The Browning, Missouri, native coached 36 years at six universities after coaching two high schools in Missouri for six years.-High school:...
. This gave UCLA their 7th consecutive title. Bill Walton
Bill Walton
William Theodore "Bill" Walton III is a retired American basketball player and television sportscaster. The "Big Red-Head", as he was called, achieved superstardom playing for John Wooden's powerhouse UCLA Bruins in the early '70s, winning three straight College Player of the Year Awards, while...
of UCLA was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player
NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player
At the conclusion of the NCAA men's and women's Division I basketball championships , the Associated Press selects a Most Outstanding Player. The MOP need not be, but almost always is a member of the Championship team, especially since the third place game was eliminated after 1981...
. This year's Final Four marked the first time the championship game was televised on a Monday night in prime time, a practice which continues as of 2010.
Tournament notes
The UCLA - Memphis State championship game made USA Today'sUSA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
list of the greatest NCAA tournament games of all time at #18. Bill Walton set a championship game record, hitting 21 of 22 shots and scoring 44 points.
Locations
| Region | Site | Other Locations |
|---|---|---|
| East | Charlotte, North Carolina Charlotte, North Carolina Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009... |
Jamaica, New York, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,... , Williamsburg, Virginia Williamsburg, Virginia Williamsburg is an independent city located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, USA. As of the 2010 Census, the city had an estimated population of 14,068. It is bordered by James City County and York County, and is an independent city... |
| Mideast | Nashville, Tennessee Nashville, Tennessee Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home... |
Dayton, Ohio Dayton, Ohio Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census... |
| Midwest | Houston, Texas Houston, Texas Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ... |
Wichita, Kansas Wichita, Kansas Wichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area... |
| West | Los Angeles, California Los Angeles, California Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California... |
Logan, Utah Logan, Utah -Layout of the City:Logan's city grid originates from its Main and Center Street block, with Main Street running north and south, and Center east and west. Each block north, east, south, or west of the origin accumulates in additions of 100 , though some streets have non-numeric names... |
| Finals | St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St... |
Teams
| Region | Seed | Team | Coach | Finished | Final Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East | ||||||
| East | n/a | Furman Furman University Furman University is a selective, private, coeducational, liberal arts college in Greenville, South Carolina, United States. Furman is one of the oldest, and more selective private institutions in South Carolina... |
Joe Williams Joe Williams (basketball coach) Joe Williams is a retired college basketball coach. He was head coach of the Jacksonville University men's basketball team from 1964 to 1970, Furman University from 1970 to 1978 and the Florida State University from 1978 to 1986. He notably led Jacksonville University, to the Finals of the NCAA... |
First round | Syracuse Syracuse Orange men's basketball The Syracuse Orange men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball team representing Syracuse University. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big East Conference... |
L 83-82 |
| East | n/a | Maryland Maryland Terrapins men's basketball The Maryland Terrapins men's basketball team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I competition... |
Lefty Driesell Lefty Driesell Charles Grice "Lefty" Driesell is an American former college basketball coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Maryland, Davidson College, James Madison University, and Georgia State University. During his 41-year coaching career, Driesell led teams from each school to the NCAA... |
Regional Runner-up | Providence Providence College Providence College is a private, coeducational, Catholic university located about two miles west of downtown Providence, Rhode Island, United States, the state's capital city. With a 2010–2011 enrollment of 3,850 undergraduate students and 735 graduate students, the College specializes in academic... |
L 103-89 |
| East | n/a | Penn | Chuck Daly Chuck Daly Charles Jerome "Chuck" Daly was an American basketball head coach. He led the Detroit Pistons to consecutive National Basketball Association Championships in 1989 and 1990, and the Dream Team to the men's basketball gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics. He had a 14-year NBA coaching... |
Regional Fourth Place | Syracuse Syracuse Orange men's basketball The Syracuse Orange men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball team representing Syracuse University. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big East Conference... |
L 69-68 |
| East | n/a | Providence Providence College Providence College is a private, coeducational, Catholic university located about two miles west of downtown Providence, Rhode Island, United States, the state's capital city. With a 2010–2011 enrollment of 3,850 undergraduate students and 735 graduate students, the College specializes in academic... |
Dave Gavitt Dave Gavitt David "Dave" Gavitt was a American college basketball coach and athletic director at Providence College in Providence, Rhode Island... |
Fourth Place | Indiana Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball The Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing Indiana University . The school competes in the Big Ten Conference in Division I of the NCAA. The Hoosiers play on Branch McCracken Court at the Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana on the IU... |
L 97-79 |
| East | n/a | St. John's | Frank Mulzoff | First round | Penn | L 62-61 |
| East | n/a | Saint Joseph's Saint Joseph's Hawks men's basketball 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... |
Jack McKinney Jack McKinney (basketball) Jack McKinney is a former college and professional basketball coach. He has served as head coach for three NBA teams--the Los Angeles Lakers, the Indiana Pacers, and the Kansas City Kings... |
First round | Providence Providence College Providence College is a private, coeducational, Catholic university located about two miles west of downtown Providence, Rhode Island, United States, the state's capital city. With a 2010–2011 enrollment of 3,850 undergraduate students and 735 graduate students, the College specializes in academic... |
L 89-76 |
| East | n/a | Syracuse Syracuse Orange men's basketball The Syracuse Orange men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball team representing Syracuse University. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big East Conference... |
Roy Danforth Roy Danforth Roy Danforth was the head basketball coach at Syracuse from 1968 to 1976. During his tenure, he compiled a 148-71 record. In his final four years as a coach, his teams went to the NCAA tournament, including an appearance in the Final Four in 1975. He was credited to rebuilding the Syracuse program,... |
Regional Third Place | Penn | W 69-68 |
| Mideast | ||||||
| Mideast | n/a | Austin Peay Austin Peay State University Austin Peay State University is a four-year public university located in Clarksville, Tennessee, and operated by the Tennessee Board of Regents. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools .-History:... |
Lake Kelly | Regional Fourth Place | Marquette Marquette Golden Eagles men's basketball The 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... |
L 88-73 |
| Mideast | n/a | Indiana Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball The Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing Indiana University . The school competes in the Big Ten Conference in Division I of the NCAA. The Hoosiers play on Branch McCracken Court at the Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana on the IU... |
Bob Knight | Third Place | Providence Providence College Providence College is a private, coeducational, Catholic university located about two miles west of downtown Providence, Rhode Island, United States, the state's capital city. With a 2010–2011 enrollment of 3,850 undergraduate students and 735 graduate students, the College specializes in academic... |
W 97-79 |
| Mideast | n/a | Jacksonville Jacksonville University Jacksonville University is a private university in Jacksonville, Florida, on the banks of the St. Johns River. The school was founded in 1934 as a two year college and was known as Jacksonville Junior College until 1958, when it shifted its focus to four-year university degrees and adopted its... |
Tom Wasdin | First round | Austin Peay Austin Peay State University Austin Peay State University is a four-year public university located in Clarksville, Tennessee, and operated by the Tennessee Board of Regents. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools .-History:... |
L 77-75 |
| Mideast | n/a | Kentucky Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball The 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... |
Joe B. Hall Joe B. Hall -See also:*Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball*NCAA Men's Division I Final Four appearances by coaches- External links :* at unofficial Fan Site* * *... |
Regional Runner-up | Indiana Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball The Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing Indiana University . The school competes in the Big Ten Conference in Division I of the NCAA. The Hoosiers play on Branch McCracken Court at the Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana on the IU... |
L 72-65 |
| Mideast | n/a | Marquette Marquette Golden Eagles men's basketball The 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... |
Al McGuire Al McGuire Al McGuire was the head coach of the Marquette University men's basketball team from 1964 to 1977. He compiled impressive numbers throughout his coaching career, resulting in his induction to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992, and was also well known for his colorful personality.-Early life:He... |
Regional Third Place | Austin Peay Austin Peay State University Austin Peay State University is a four-year public university located in Clarksville, Tennessee, and operated by the Tennessee Board of Regents. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools .-History:... |
W 88-73 |
| Mideast | n/a | Miami, Ohio Miami RedHawks men's basketball The Miami RedHawks men's basketball team intercollegiate men's basketball program representing Miami University. The school competes in the Mid-American Conference in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association . The RedHawks play home basketball games at Millett Hall in Oxford,... |
Darrell Hedric Darrell Hedric Darrell Hedric is an American basketball head coach and scout, most noted as the coach of the Miami University basketball team from 1970 to 1984.-Early history:... |
First round | Marquette Marquette Golden Eagles men's basketball The 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... |
L 77-62 |
| Midwest | ||||||
| Midwest | n/a | Houston Houston Cougars men's basketball The 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 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:... |
First round | Southwestern Louisiana Louisiana–Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns men's basketball The Louisiana–Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns men's basketball program represents intercollegiate men's basketball at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. The school competes in the West Division of the Sun Belt Conference in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and play home... |
L 102-89 |
| Midwest | n/a | Kansas State Kansas State Wildcats men's basketball The Kansas State Wildcats men's basketball team represents Kansas State University in college basketball competition. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and is a member of the Big 12 Conference. The current head coach is Frank Martin.... |
Jack Hartman Jack Hartman -Coaching record at Kansas State:- References :... |
Regional Runner-up | Memphis State | L 92-72 |
| Midwest | n/a | Southwestern Louisiana Louisiana–Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns men's basketball The Louisiana–Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns men's basketball program represents intercollegiate men's basketball at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. The school competes in the West Division of the Sun Belt Conference in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and play home... |
Beryl Shipley Beryl Shipley Beryl Cylde Shipley was an American former basketball coach. Shipley was born in Kingsport, Tennessee. He was a longtime coach at University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where he broke the color barrier at that school, and faced intense criticism and opposition for doing so. In 1975 he became coach... |
Regional Fourth Place | South Carolina South Carolina Gamecocks men's basketball The South Carolina Gamecocks men's basketball team represents the University of South Carolina and competes in the Southeastern Conference. The program attained national prominence under hall of fame coach Frank McGuire, posting a 205-65 record and three NCAA Sweet 16 appearances from 1967-1976... |
L 90-85 |
| Midwest | n/a | Memphis State | Gene Bartow Gene Bartow Gene Bartow is a former men's college basketball coach. The Browning, Missouri, native coached 36 years at six universities after coaching two high schools in Missouri for six years.-High school:... |
Runner Up | UCLA 1972-73 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team The 1972–73 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team won another National Championship for UCLA by beating the Memphis Tigers, 87–66 in the Final Four. In the NCAA Championship, Bill Walton led UCLA to an 87–66 win over Memphis State in which he made 21 of 22 field goal attempts and scored 44 points. Some... |
L 87-66 |
| Midwest | n/a | South Carolina South Carolina Gamecocks men's basketball The South Carolina Gamecocks men's basketball team represents the University of South Carolina and competes in the Southeastern Conference. The program attained national prominence under hall of fame coach Frank McGuire, posting a 205-65 record and three NCAA Sweet 16 appearances from 1967-1976... |
Frank McGuire Frank McGuire Frank Joseph McGuire was an American athletic coach who gained his greatest renown in collegiate basketball.... |
Regional Third Place | Southwestern Louisiana Louisiana–Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns men's basketball The Louisiana–Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns men's basketball program represents intercollegiate men's basketball at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. The school competes in the West Division of the Sun Belt Conference in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and play home... |
W 90-85 |
| Midwest | n/a | Texas Tech | Gerald Myers Gerald Myers Gerald Myers is an American former college basketball coach. He was the head coach of the Texas Tech Red Raiders men's basketball team and the Houston Baptist Huskies men's basketball team.... |
First round | South Carolina South Carolina Gamecocks men's basketball The South Carolina Gamecocks men's basketball team represents the University of South Carolina and competes in the Southeastern Conference. The program attained national prominence under hall of fame coach Frank McGuire, posting a 205-65 record and three NCAA Sweet 16 appearances from 1967-1976... |
L 78-70 |
| West | ||||||
| West | n/a | Arizona State | Ned Wulk 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 Fourth Place | Long Beach State Long Beach State 49ers men's basketball The Long Beach State 49ers Basketball team represents California State University, Long Beach in Long Beach, California. The school's team currently competes in the Big West Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 2007... |
L 84-80 |
| West | n/a | Long Beach State Long Beach State 49ers men's basketball The Long Beach State 49ers Basketball team represents California State University, Long Beach in Long Beach, California. The school's team currently competes in the Big West Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 2007... |
Jerry Tarkanian Jerry Tarkanian Jerry Tarkanian , also known as "Tark the Shark", is a retired college basketball coach known as one of the winningest coaches in college basketball history... |
Regional Third Place | Arizona State | W 84-80 |
| West | n/a | Oklahoma City Oklahoma City University Oklahoma City University, often referred to as OCU, is a coeducational, urban, private university historically affiliated with the United Methodist Church... |
Abe Lemons Abe Lemons Abe Lemons was one of the most successful head basketball coaches in Oklahoma history.Lemons grew up in the town of Walters, Oklahoma. He served in World War II in the Pacific and often referred to the pressures of his war experience to put sports pressures into perspective... |
First round | Arizona State | L 103-78 |
| West | n/a | San Francisco San Francisco Dons The San Francisco Dons is the nickname of the athletic teams at the University of San Francisco .-History:Athletics at USF dates back to its founding in 1855, when founder Anthony Maraschi, S.J. organized ball games as recreation for the first students... |
Bob Gaillard Bob Gaillard Bob Gaillard is a college basketball coach and former businessman. He coached the San Francisco Dons as an assistant beginning in 1968, and became head coach in the 1970-71 season. Under Gaillard, the Dons finished 29-2 in the 1976-77 season, which saw them ranked number one in the nation... |
Regional Runner-up | UCLA 1972-73 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team The 1972–73 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team won another National Championship for UCLA by beating the Memphis Tigers, 87–66 in the Final Four. In the NCAA Championship, Bill Walton led UCLA to an 87–66 win over Memphis State in which he made 21 of 22 field goal attempts and scored 44 points. Some... |
L 54-39 |
| West | n/a | UCLA 1972-73 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team The 1972–73 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team won another National Championship for UCLA by beating the Memphis Tigers, 87–66 in the Final Four. In the NCAA Championship, Bill Walton led UCLA to an 87–66 win over Memphis State in which he made 21 of 22 field goal attempts and scored 44 points. Some... |
John Wooden John Wooden John Robert Wooden was an American basketball player and coach. Nicknamed the "Wizard of Westwood", he won ten NCAA national championships in a 12-year period — seven in a row — as head coach at UCLA, an unprecedented feat. Within this period, his teams won a record 88 consecutive games... |
Champion | Memphis State | W 87-66 |
| West | n/a | Weber State Weber State University Weber State University is a public university located in the city of Ogden in Weber County, Utah, USA. It was founded in 1889 and is a coeducational, publicly supported university offering professional, liberal arts and technical certificates, as well as associate, bachelor's and master's degrees... |
Gene Visscher | First round | Long Beach State Long Beach State 49ers men's basketball The Long Beach State 49ers Basketball team represents California State University, Long Beach in Long Beach, California. The school's team currently competes in the Big West Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 2007... |
L 88-75 |
East region
Midwest region
Mideast region
West region
Final Four
Aftermath
The 1973 NC State Wolfpack team averaged 93 ppg, led the nation in win margin (21.8 ppg), and posted a 27–0 record, but was ineligible for postseason play because of NCAA probation. David Thompson, a two-time national Player of the Year, and All-American Tom Burleson, led NC State to a 30–1 record the following season, losing only to seven-time defending champion UCLA. The Wolfpack avenged its only loss during the two-year period by defeating UCLA in the 1974 Final Four and winning the title.Gene Bartow, the Memphis State coach, would be John Wooden's successor at UCLA after the 1975–1976 season.
External links
- 1973 NCAA Basketball Tournament on Shrp Sports (source for the bracket)
- HoopsTournament.Net, source for much of the information on this page.
- Michael Peters Blog source for Trivia