March Madness Chronicle
A comprehensive look at the 1971 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, detailing the games, teams, key players, and the controversial outcomes that shaped college basketball history.
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Tournament Overview
The Pinnacle of College Hoops
The 1971 NCAA University Division basketball tournament was the 33rd annual single-elimination competition to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It commenced on March 13, 1971, culminating in the championship game on March 27, held at the iconic Astrodome in Houston, Texas. This tournament featured 25 participating schools and saw a total of 29 games played, including regional third-place contests and a national third-place game. Notably, this marked the last time Houston hosted the Final Four until 2011.
UCLA's Dominance and Controversy
The UCLA Bruins, under the legendary guidance of Coach John Wooden, secured their fifth consecutive national title, their seventh overall. They triumphed over Villanova in the final game with a score of 68-62. However, the tournament's legacy is significantly marked by controversy: Villanova's placement and subsequent runner-up status were later vacated due to Howard Porter signing with an agent prior to the competition. Similarly, Western Kentucky's participation and third-place finish were also vacated due to eligibility issues concerning Jim McDaniels. These vacaturs meant that, officially, no team from east of the Mississippi River reached the Final Four in this particular year.
Record Crowds
The 1971 tournament set new attendance records, drawing a total of 220,447 spectators across all games. The championship game alone attracted a record crowd of 31,765 attendees, underscoring the immense popularity and excitement surrounding college basketball's premier event.
Championship Game:
UCLA vs. Villanova
The Matchup
UCLA entered the championship game as the heavy favorite, but faced a stern challenge from Villanova's disciplined zone defense. Despite the Bruins' usual offensive prowess, key players like Sidney Wicks and Curtis Rowe found scoring difficult. The game remained tight, with UCLA's Henry Bibby and Steve Patterson providing crucial offensive support. Patterson delivered a career-best 29 points, keeping UCLA in contention.
Strategic Stall and Close Finish
Midway through the second half, with Villanova closing the gap, UCLA coach John Wooden controversially employed a four-corner stall offense. Wooden stated his intention was to draw Villanova out of their zone and to advocate for the adoption of a shot clock in college basketball, a policy he strongly supported. While the tactic aimed to control the tempo, it also disrupted UCLA's offensive rhythm and allowed Villanova to press aggressively. With under a minute remaining and Villanova trailing by three, Howard Porter missed a critical shot, and UCLA secured the victory with clutch free throws, winning 68-62.
Most Outstanding Player (Vacated)
Villanova's Howard Porter was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. However, due to his prior signing with an agent, his award and Villanova's runner-up status were officially vacated by the NCAA. This remains a significant footnote in tournament history.
Schedule and Venues
Regional Sites
The tournament utilized various venues across the country for its initial rounds:
- East Region: Alumni Hall (Jamaica, NY), WVU Coliseum (Morgantown, WV), The Palestra (Philadelphia, PA)
- Mideast Region: Athletic & Convocation Center (Notre Dame, IN)
- Midwest Region: Hofheinz Pavilion (Houston, TX)
- West Region: USU Assembly Center (Logan, UT)
Regional semifinals and finals were held in Raleigh, NC; Athens, GA; Wichita, KS; and Salt Lake City, UT.
National Finals
The prestigious Final Four and the National Championship Game convened at the renowned Astrodome in Houston, Texas, serving as the ultimate stage for the season's conclusion.
Tournament Teams & Results
Team Performance Overview
The following table details the participating teams, their coaches, conferences, and final tournament outcomes. Note that results marked with a '#' symbol were officially vacated by the NCAA due to eligibility violations.
Tournament Bracket
The following tables illustrate the progression through the tournament, highlighting key matchups and results. Note the vacated games indicated by '#'.
East Region
| First Round | Regional Semifinals | Regional Final | National Semifinal | Championship | |||||||||
| Furman | 74 | Fordham | 105 | Penn | 79 | Villanova# | 92 | UCLA | 68 | ||||
| L | L | 70 | 90 | 62 | |||||||||
| Duquesne | 65 | Penn | 70 | 47 | UCLA | 57 | Villanova# | 62 | |||||
| L | 79 | 55 | 68 | 62 | |||||||||
| Saint Joseph's | 75 | South Carolina | 64 | UCLA | 91 | UCLA | 68 | UCLA | 68 | ||||
| L | 100 | 55 | 57 | 62 | |||||||||
Mideast Region
| First Round | Regional Semifinals | Regional Final | National Semifinal | Championship | |||||||||
| Miami (OH) | 47 | Marquette | 62 | Western Kentucky# | 81 | Western Kentucky# | 89** | UCLA | 68 | ||||
| L | 79 | 78 | 107 | 62 | |||||||||
| Jacksonville | 72 | Ohio State | 60 | Ohio State | 78* | UCLA | 68 | Villanova# | 62 | ||||
| L | 81 | 81 | 57 | 62 | |||||||||
Midwest Region
| First Round | Regional Semifinals | Regional Final | National Semifinal | Championship | |||||||||
| TCU | 94 | Notre Dame | 102 | Kansas | 73 | Kansas | 60 | UCLA | 68 | ||||
| L | 72 | 71 | 78 | 62 | |||||||||
| New Mexico State | 69 | Kansas | 72 | Kansas | 78 | UCLA | 68 | Villanova# | 62 | ||||
| L | 73 | 60 | 57 | 62 | |||||||||
West Region
| First Round | Regional Semifinals | Regional Final | National Semifinal | Championship | |||||||||
| Weber State | 66 | Long Beach State | 77 | UCLA | 57 | UCLA | 68 | UCLA | 68 | ||||
| L | 66 | 55 | 68 | 62 | |||||||||
| Utah State | 82 | UCLA | 91 | UCLA | 91 | UCLA | 68 | Villanova# | 62 | ||||
| L | 73 | 55 | 57 | 62 | |||||||||
Tournament Insights
Vacated Victories
The 1971 tournament is uniquely remembered for the NCAA vacating the tournament appearances of both Villanova and Western Kentucky due to eligibility violations. Villanova's Howard Porter and Western Kentucky's Jim McDaniels were found to have signed with agents. This resulted in their wins, including Villanova's runner-up finish and Western Kentucky's third-place finish, being removed from official records. This situation marked the first time such significant vacaturs impacted the Final Four.
Geographic Anomaly
A peculiar outcome of the vacated games was the official designation of the 1971 Final Four as having no teams from east of the Mississippi River. While this was due to the vacaturs, it highlighted the geographic distribution of powerhouse programs that year, with UCLA and Long Beach State representing the West, and Kansas and Houston from the Midwest.
Individual Brilliance
Despite the controversies, individual performances shone. Jim McDaniels of Western Kentucky led all scorers with 147 points in the tournament. Notre Dame's Austin Carr concluded his tournament career with an impressive 289 points over seven games, showcasing remarkable scoring ability.
Broadcast Voices
The Announcers
The tournament games were brought to audiences by a team of notable broadcasters:
- Play-by-play: Curt Gowdy, Tom Hawkins, Jim Simpson (Final Four only), Don Criqui, Frank Fallon, Frank Glieber, Charlie Jones, Joel Meyers, Jay Randolph, Dick Stockton, Barry Tompkins, Fred White.
- Color Commentary: John Andariese, Elgin Baylor, James Brown, Quinn Buckner, Dave Cowens, Joe Dean, Bill Enis, Jack Givens, Matt Guokas, Don Haskins, Tom Hawkins, Steve Jones, Jerry Lucas, Pete Maravich, Al McGuire, Ann Meyers, Billy Packer, Ross Porter, Lynn Shackelford, Jim Simpson, Fred Taylor, Gary Thompson, Jim Valvano, Bill Walton, Bucky Waters, John Wooden.
- Studio Hosts: Bryant Gumbel, Lee Leonard, Tim Ryan, Hannah Storm.
Specific pairings included Curt Gowdy, Tom Hawkins, and Jim Simpson for the Final Four, with Jim Simpson and Pat Hernon covering the East Regional Final.
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References
References
- 1972 Official Collegiate Basketball Guide, Published by College Athletics Publishing Service, Phoenix, Arizona
- Smith Barrier, "Unusual West Coast Watch Factory รขยย They Don't Make Any, Just Win Them", 1972 Official Collegiate Basketball Guide, Published by College Athletics Publishing Service
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Important Notice
This page was generated by an Artificial Intelligence and is intended for informational and educational purposes only. The content is based on a snapshot of publicly available data from Wikipedia and may not be entirely accurate, complete, or up-to-date.
This is not sports advice. The information provided on this website is not a substitute for professional historical research or analysis. Always refer to official NCAA records and consult with sports historians or statisticians for definitive information.
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