1971 NCAA University Division
basketball tournament
NCAA logo from 1971 to 1979
Season1970–71
Teams25
Finals siteAstrodome
Houston, Texas
ChampionsUCLA Bruins (7th title, 7th title game,
8th Final Four)
Runner-upVillanova Wildcats (Vacated) (1st title game,
2nd Final Four)
Semifinalists
Winning coachJohn Wooden (7th title)
MOPHoward Porter (Villanova, vacated)
Attendance207,200
Top scorerJim McDaniels (Western Kentucky)
(147 points)
NCAA Division I men's tournaments
«1970 1972»

The 1971 NCAA University Division basketball tournament involved 25 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 13, 1971, and ended with the championship game on March 27 in Houston, Texas. 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 its fifth consecutive national title (its seventh all-time) with a 68–62 victory in the final game over Villanova, coached by Jack Kraft. Howard Porter of Villanova was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. However, Villanova's placement in the tournament was later vacated because it was found that Porter had signed with an agent prior to the competition. Having lost to undefeated, second-ranked Penn (coached by Dick Harter) twice before, Porter did not think they would make it past the regionals where third-ranked South Carolina was also in their path. However, Penn vanquished South Carolina by 15 points, then had their worst game of the year against Villanova in the East Regional final, losing 90–47. Villanova's first-place finish in the East Regional was relinquished to Penn, with the regional consolation game winner, Fordham (coached by Digger Phelps, a former Penn assistant coach), receiving second place.

Championship Game

UCLA was a heavy favorite over Villanova in the title game. But the Bruins did not cruise through the season in their accustomed fashion. They were severely threatened in their own conference (and backyard) by second-ranked USC, who lost only twice all season – both to UCLA. In addition, UCLA lost at Notre Dame and had several other close calls against Washington, Oregon, and Oregon State. In the West Regional final, the Bruins trailed Long Beach State by 11 points midway through the second half, and their star player Sidney Wicks was on the bench with four personal fouls. But Wicks returned and avoided his fifth foul (and disqualification), and the Bruins rallied to take a 55–53 lead. With 20 seconds remaining, Wicks sank two clinching free throws and UCLA escaped 57–55.

In the national championship game, UCLA jumped out to an early lead, but star players Sidney Wicks and Curtis Rowe struggled against Villanova's stingy zone defense. Only the outside shooting of Henry Bibby and a career best 29 points from center Steve Patterson kept the Bruins in the lead. In the meantime, Villanova stars Howard Porter and Chris Ford overcame early struggles to keep the Wildcats in the game. Midway through the second half, UCLA coach John Wooden ordered the Bruins to go into a four-corner stall offense (there was no shot clock in college basketball at this time), a tactic he rarely employed. Wooden said after the game he did so to bring Villanova out of their zone, and because he wanted to use the stage of the national championship game to show the NCAA that they should adopt a shot clock (something Wooden had long argued for). However, the tactic almost backfired as Villanova started forcing turnovers with an aggressive man-to-man defense. In addition, the stall took UCLA out of its offensive rhythm. Villanova closed the gap to 63–60 and had the ball with one minute to play. However, Porter missed a 15-foot off-balance jumper, Wicks grabbed the rebound, and UCLA made 5 of 6 free throws down the stretch to win 68–62.

In the national third-place game, Western Kentucky defeated Kansas, 77–75.[1]

In a situation similar to Villanova's, Western Kentucky's placement in the tournament was vacated due to an NCAA investigation that showed Jim McDaniels had signed a professional contract and accepted money during the 1970–71 season. Western Kentucky would be found in violation twice more in the next 10 years, earning the school a "lack of institutional control" violation.[2] This made the 1971 Final Four officially the first without a school from east of the Mississippi River. The 2021 Final Four is the first to actually have all four teams come from west of the Mississippi (Baylor, Gonzaga, Houston and UCLA).

The total attendance for the tournament was 220,447, a new record. The crowd of 31,765 for the championship game was also a new record.[3]

Schedule and venues

The following are the sites that were selected to host each round of the 1971 tournament:

First round

Regional semifinals, 3rd-place games, and finals (Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight)

National semifinals, 3rd-place game, and championship (Final Four and championship)

Teams

RegionTeamCoachConferenceFinishedFinal OpponentScore
East
EastDuquesneJohn ManningIndependentFirst roundPennL 70–65
EastFordhamDigger PhelpsIndependentRegional third placeSouth CarolinaW 100–90
EastFurmanJoe WilliamsSouthernFirst roundFordhamL 105–74
EastPennDick HarterIvy LeagueRegional Runner-upVillanovaL 90–47
EastSouth CarolinaFrank McGuireAtlantic CoastRegional Fourth PlaceFordhamL 100–90
EastSaint Joseph'sJack McKinneyMiddle AtlanticFirst roundVillanovaL 93–75
EastVillanovaJack KraftIndependentRunner UpUCLAL 68–62
Mideast
MideastJacksonvilleTom WasdinIndependentFirst roundWestern KentuckyL 74–72
MideastKentuckyAdolph RuppSoutheasternRegional Fourth PlaceMarquetteL 91–74
MideastMarquetteAl McGuireIndependentRegional third placeKentuckyW 91–74
MideastMiami (OH)Darrell HedricMid-AmericanFirst roundMarquetteL 62–47
MideastOhio StateFred TaylorBig TenRegional Runner-upWestern KentuckyL 81–78
MideastWestern KentuckyJohnny OldhamOhio ValleyThird PlaceKansasW 77–75
Midwest
MidwestDrakeMaury JohnMissouri ValleyRegional Runner-upKansasL 73–71
MidwestHoustonGuy LewisIndependentRegional third placeNotre DameW 119–106
MidwestKansasTed OwensBig EightFourth PlaceWestern KentuckyL 77–75
MidwestNew Mexico StateLou HensonMissouri ValleyFirst roundHoustonL 72–69
MidwestNotre DameJohnny DeeIndependentRegional Fourth PlaceHoustonL 119–106
MidwestTCUJohnny SwaimSouthwestFirst roundNotre DameL 102–94
West
WestBYUStan WattsWestern AthleticRegional Fourth PlacePacificL 84–81
WestLong Beach StateJerry TarkanianPacific CoastRegional Runner-upUCLAL 57–55
WestPacificDick EdwardsWest CoastRegional third placeBYUW 84–81
WestUCLAJohn WoodenPacific-8ChampionVillanovaW 68–62
WestUtah StateLaDell AndersenIndependentFirst roundBYUL 91–82
WestWeber StatePhil JohnsonBig SkyFirst roundLong Beach StateL 77–66

Bracket

* – Denotes overtime period

East region

Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
      
South Carolina 64
Penn 79
Penn 70
Duquesne 65
Penn 47
Villanova 90
Villanova 93
Saint Joseph's 75
Villanova 85 East Regional third place
Fordham 75
Fordham 105 South Carolina 90
Furman 74 Fordham 100

Mideast region

Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
      
Kentucky 83
Western Kentucky 107
Western Kentucky 74
Jacksonville 72
Western Kentucky 81
Ohio State 78*
Ohio State 60 Mideast Regional third place
Marquette 59
Marquette 62 Kentucky 74
Miami (OH) 47 Marquette 91

Midwest region

Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
      
Kansas 78
Houston 77
Houston 72
New Mexico State 69
Kansas 73
Drake 71
Drake 79 Midwest Regional third place
Notre Dame 72*
Notre Dame 102 Houston 119
TCU 94 Notre Dame 106

West region

Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
      
UCLA 91
BYU 73
BYU 91
Utah State 82
UCLA 57
Long Beach State 55
Pacific 65 West Regional third place
Long Beach State 78
Long Beach State 77 BYU 81
Weber State 66 Pacific 84

Final Four

Kenny Booker of UCLA against Kansas in the Final Four.
National semifinals National Championship Game
      
E Villanova 92
ME Western Kentucky 89**
E Villanova 62
W UCLA 68
MW Kansas 60
W UCLA 68 National third-place game
ME Western Kentucky 77
MW Kansas 75

Tournament notes

  • Jim McDaniels of Western Kentucky had 147 points, top scorer in the playoffs.
  • Austin Carr of Notre Dame scored 289 career tournament points in seven games.
  • As a result of the Villanova’s forfeit to Penn, the 1971 Penn Quakers technically went undefeated but did not win the national championship. North Carolina State went undefeated in 1972–73 but did not win the national championship because they were on NCAA probation and were not eligible to participate in the NCAA tournament.

Announcers

Curt Gowdy, Tom Hawkins, and Jim Simpson (Final Four only) - First Round at Notre Dame, Indiana (Marquette-Miami Ohio, Western Kentucky-Jacksonville); Mideast Regional Final at Athens, Georgia; Final Four in Houston, Texas

  • Jim Simpson and Pat Hernon - East Regional Final at Raleigh, North Carolina

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1972 Official Collegiate Basketball Guide, Published by College Athletics Publishing Service, Phoenix, Arizona
  2. ↑ "NCAA Legislative Service Database Home Page". goomer.ncaa.org. Archived from the original on March 4, 2007. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  3. ↑ Smith Barrier, "Unusual West Coast Watch Factory – They Don't Make Any, Just Win Them", 1972 Official Collegiate Basketball Guide, Published by College Athletics Publishing Service

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