1973 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament

Infobox NCAA Basketball Tournament
Year=1973


ImageSize=
Caption=
Teams=25
FinalFourArena=St. Louis Arena
FinalFourCity=St. Louis, Missouri
Champions=UCLA
TitleCount=9th
RunnerUp=Memphis State
GameCount=1st
Semifinal1=Indiana
FinalFourCount=3rd
Semifinal2=Providence
FinalFourCount2=1st
Coach=John Wooden
CoachCount=9th
MOP=Bill Walton
MOPTeam=UCLA
Attendance=163,160
OneTopScorer=*
TwoTopScorers=
TopScorer=Ernie DiGregorio
TopScorerTeam=Providence
Points=128

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 Division I 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. Bill Walton of UCLA was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.

Tournament notes

The UCLA - Memphis State championship game made USA Today's list of the greatest NCAA tournament games of all time at #18. [Mike Douchant - [http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/basketball/men/02tourney/greatest-games.htm Greatest 63 games in NCAA Tournament history] . The Sports Xchange, published in USA Today, March 25, 2002] Bill Walton set a championship game record, hitting 21 of 22 shots and scoring 44 points.

Locations

Teams

Bracket

East region

3RoundBracket-Byes | RD1-seed3=
RD1-team3=Syracuse
RD1-score3=83
RD1-seed4=
RD1-team4=Furman
RD1-score4=82
RD1-seed5=
RD1-team5=Pennsylvania
RD1-score5=62
RD1-seed6=
RD1-team6=St. John's
RD1-score6=61
RD1-seed7=
RD1-team7=Providence
RD1-score7=89
RD1-seed8=
RD1-team8=St. Joseph's
RD1-score8=76
RD2-seed1=
RD2-team1=Maryland
RD2-score1=91
RD2-seed2=
RD2-team2=Syracuse
RD2-score2=75
RD2-seed3=
RD2-team3=Pennsylvania
RD2-score3=65
RD2-seed4=
RD2-team4=Providence
RD2-score4=87
RD3-seed1=
RD3-team1=Maryland
RD3-score1=89
RD3-seed2=
RD3-team2=Providence
RD3-score2=103

Midwest region

3RoundBracket-Byes | RD1-seed3=
RD1-team3=South Carolina
RD1-score3=78
RD1-seed4=
RD1-team4=Texas Tech
RD1-score4=70
RD1-seed7=
RD1-team7=Southwest Louisiana
RD1-score7=102
RD1-seed8=
RD1-team8=Houston
RD1-score8=89
RD2-seed1=
RD2-team1=Memphis State
RD2-score1=90
RD2-seed2=
RD2-team2=South Carolina
RD2-score2=76
RD2-seed3=
RD2-team3=Kansas State
RD2-score3=66
RD2-seed4=
RD2-team4=Southwest Louisiana
RD2-score4=63
RD3-seed1=
RD3-team1=Memphis State
RD3-score1=92
RD3-seed2=
RD3-team2=Kansas State
RD3-score2=72

Mideast region

3RoundBracket-Byes | RD1-seed3=
RD1-team3=Marquette
RD1-score3=77
RD1-seed4=
RD1-team4=Miami-OH
RD1-score4=62
RD1-seed7=
RD1-team7=Austin Peay
RD1-score7=77
RD1-seed8=
RD1-team8=Jacksonville
RD1-score8=75
RD2-seed1=
RD2-team1=Indiana
RD2-score1=75
RD2-seed2=
RD2-team2=Marquette
RD2-score2=69
RD2-seed3=
RD2-team3=Kentucky
RD2-score3=106
RD2-seed4=
RD2-team4=Austin Peay
RD2-score4=100*
RD3-seed1=
RD3-team1=Indiana
RD3-score1=72
RD3-seed2=
RD3-team2=Kentucky
RD3-score2=65

West region

3RoundBracket-Byes | RD1-seed3=
RD1-team3=Arizona State
RD1-score3=103
RD1-seed4=
RD1-team4=Oklahoma City
RD1-score4=78
RD1-seed7=
RD1-team7=Long Beach State
RD1-score7=88
RD1-seed8=
RD1-team8=Weber State
RD1-score8=75
RD2-seed1=
RD2-team1=UCLA
RD2-score1=98
RD2-seed2=
RD2-team2=Arizona State
RD2-score2=81
RD2-seed3=
RD2-team3=San Francisco
RD2-score3=77
RD2-seed4=
RD2-team4=Long Beach State
RD2-score4=67
RD3-seed1=
RD3-team1=UCLA
RD3-score1=54
RD3-seed2=
RD3-team2=San Francisco
RD3-score2=39

Final Four

4TeamBracket | RD1=National Semifinals | RD2=National Finals | RD1-seed1=
RD1-team1=Providence
RD1-score1=85
RD1-seed2=
RD1-team2=Memphis State
RD1-score2=98
RD1-seed3=
RD1-team3=Indiana
RD1-score3=59
RD1-seed4=
RD1-team4=UCLA
RD1-score4=70
RD2-seed1=
RD2-team1=Memphis State
RD2-score1=66
RD2-seed2=
RD2-team2=UCLA
RD2-score2=87

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 1975-1975 season.

References

External links

* [http://www.shrpsports.com/collbask/1973.htm 1973 NCAA Basketball Tournament] on Shrp Sports (source for the bracket)
* [http://www.hoopstournament.net/index.html HoopsTournament.Net] , source for much of the information on this page.
* [http://michaelpeters.blogspot.com/2005_04_02_michaelpeters_archive.html Michael Peters Blog] source for Trivia