2004 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament

Infobox NCAA Basketball Tournament
Year=2004


ImageSize=150px
Caption=2004 Final Four logo
Teams=65
FinalFourArena=Alamodome
FinalFourCity=San Antonio, Texas
Champions=Connecticut
TitleCount=2nd
RunnerUp=Georgia Tech
GameCount=1st
Semifinal1=Duke
FinalFourCount=14th
Semifinal2=Oklahoma State
FinalFourCount2=6th
Coach=Jim Calhoun
CoachCount=2nd
MOP=Emeka Okafor
MOPTeam=Connecticut
Attendance=716,899
OneTopScorer=*
TwoTopScorers=
TopScorer=Ben Gordon
TopScorerTeam=Connecticut
Points=154The 2004 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 16, 2004, and ended with the championship game on April 5 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. A total of 64 games were played.

This was the first year in which the regional sites were referred to by the cities in which the games were held in instead of the "East", "Midwest", "South", and "West" designations. It was also the first year that the matchups for the national semifinals were determined at least in part by the overall seeding of the top team in each regional. The top four teams in the tournament were Kentucky, Duke, Stanford, and Saint Joseph's. Had all of those teams advanced to the Final Four, Kentucky would have played Saint Joseph's and Duke would have played Stanford in the semifinal games. Only Duke advanced to the Final Four, where it played and lost to Connecticut in the semifinals. Despite being a #2 seed, Connecticut was widely considered the best team in the tournament, and many commentators felt this semifinal game should have been for the national championship.

Connecticut, coached by Jim Calhoun, won the national title with an 82-73 victory in the final game over Georgia Tech, coached by Paul Hewitt. Emeka Okafor of Connecticut was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.

Locations

Final Four

At Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas

National Semifinals

*April 3, 2004
**Connecticut (W2) 79, Duke (S1) 78
*:With the Connecticut Huskies trailing by 8 points with less than 3 minutes to go, it looked as if the Duke Blue Devils were going to spoil Jim Calhoun's chance at a second national title. Connecticut's All-American center Emeka Okafor was limited to just 22 minutes because of early foul trouble, but he came up clutch with several big plays down the stretch and finished with 18 points and only 3 fouls. By contrast, all three of Duke's centers fouled out, including Shelden Williams, who committed his fifth foul with 3:04 to play. In addition, Duke went without a field goal for the last 4 1/2 minutes until Chris Duhon's meaningless three-pointer at the buzzer. Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski was denied his 65th NCAA Tournament victory which would have tied him with Dean Smith for the all-time record.cite web|author=CNN Sports Illustrated|publisher=CNNSI.com|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/recaps/2004/04/03/10225_recap.html|title=2004 NCAA National Semifinals: (W2) Connecticut 79, (S1) Duke 78|accessdate=2008-03-06]

**Georgia Tech (M3) 67, Oklahoma State (E2) 65
*:Will Bynum's layup in the final moments kept the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets dream for a National Championship alive as they defeated the Oklahoma State Cowboys, in a nail-biter, in the first of the National Semifinal doubleheader. Georgia Tech led for most of the game including a seven-point edge at halftime. However, Oklahoma State was able to tie the game on John Lucas's three-pointer with 26.3 seconds left. Georgia Tech then milked the clock which set up Bynum's game-winner. Georgia Tech advanced to their first ever National Championship appearance. Oklahoma State coach Eddie Sutton was denied yet another chance at an elusive national title.cite web|author=CNN Sports Illustrated|publisher=CNNSI.com|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/ncaa/men/recaps/2004/04/03/10224_recap.html|title=2004 NCAA National Semifinals: (MW3) Georgia Tech 67, (E2) Oklahoma State 65|accessdate=2008-03-06]

National Championship Game

*April 5, 2004
**Connecticut (W2) 82, Georgia Tech (M3) 73
*:The 2004 National Championship Game proved to be a coronation for the Connecticut Huskies as they handled Paul Hewitt's Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. The final nine-point margin of victory for the Huskies was misleading, as Connecticut led 60-35 midway through the second Half. Georgia Tech's rare inability to hit the three in the game contributed as much to the loss for the Jackets as anything UConn did. Tech shot only 31%, 7 of 22, from behind the arch including making 3 of their final 4 attempts to close the gap, meaning the Jackets were an uncharacteristic 4 of 18 before the stretch run. In addition the Jackets shot only 57% from the freethrow line. Had Tech managed to equal their tournament production up to this point in these two areas the outcome of the game could have been different. Emeka Okafor led Connecticut with 24 points and was an easy choice for Most Outstanding Player of the tournament. Guard Ben Gordon added 21 points to Connecticut's cause. The victory gave Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun his second National Championship (1999).cite web|author=CNN Sports Illustrated|publisher=CNNSI.com|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/basketball/ncaa/specials/ncaa_tourney/2004/04/05/ncaa.championship/index.html|title=2004 NCAA National Championship: (W2) Connecticut 82, (MW3) Georgia Tech 73|accessdate=2008-03-06]

Brackets

East Rutherford Regional

16TeamBracket | RD1=First round
RD2=Second round
RD3=Regional semifinals
RD4=Regional finals
RD1-team01=Saint Joseph's
RD1-team02=Liberty
RD1-score01=82
RD1-score02=63
RD1-team03=Texas Tech
RD1-team04=UNC-Charlotte
RD1-score03=76
RD1-score04=73
RD1-team05=Florida
RD1-team06=Manhattan
RD1-score05=60
RD1-score06=75
RD1-team07=Wake Forest
RD1-team08=Virginia Commonwealth
RD1-score07=79
RD1-score08=78
RD1-team09=Wisconsin
RD1-team10=Richmond
RD1-score09=76
RD1-score10=64
RD1-team11=Pittsburgh
RD1-team12=Central Florida
RD1-score11=53
RD1-score12=44
RD1-team13=Memphis
RD1-team14=South Carolina
RD1-score13=59
RD1-score14=43
RD1-team15=Oklahoma State
RD1-team16=Eastern Washington
RD1-score15=75
RD1-score16=56
RD2-seed01=1
RD2-team01=Saint Joseph's
RD2-seed02=8
RD2-team02=Texas Tech
RD2-score01=70
RD2-score02=65
RD2-seed03=12
RD2-team03=Manhattan
RD2-seed04=4
RD2-team04=Wake Forest
RD2-score03=80
RD2-score04=84
RD2-seed05=6
RD2-team05=Wisconsin
RD2-seed06=3
RD2-team06=Pittsburgh
RD2-score05=55
RD2-score06=59
RD2-seed07=7
RD2-team07=Memphis
RD2-seed08=2
RD2-team08=Oklahoma State
RD2-score07=53
RD2-score08=70
RD3-seed01=1
RD3-team01=Saint Joseph's
RD3-seed02=4
RD3-team02=Wake Forest
RD3-score01=84
RD3-score02=80
RD3-seed03=3
RD3-team03=Pittsburgh
RD3-seed04=2
RD3-team04=Oklahoma State
RD3-score03=51
RD3-score04=63
RD4-seed01=1
RD4-team01=Saint Joseph's
RD4-seed02=2
RD4-team02=Oklahoma State
RD4-score01=62
RD4-score02=64

t. Louis Regional

16TeamBracket | RD1=First round
RD2=Second round
RD3=Regional semifinals
RD4=Regional finals
RD1-team01=Kentucky
RD1-team02=Florida A&M
RD1-score01=96
RD1-score02=76
RD1-team03=Washington
RD1-team04=UAB
RD1-score03=100
RD1-score04=102
RD1-team05=Providence
RD1-team06=Pacific
RD1-score05=58
RD1-score06=66
RD1-team07=Kansas
RD1-team08=UIC
RD1-score07=78
RD1-score08=53
RD1-team09=Boston College
RD1-team10=Utah
RD1-score09=58
RD1-score10=51
RD1-team11=Georgia Tech
RD1-team12=Northern Iowa
RD1-score11=65
RD1-score12=60
RD1-team13=Michigan State
RD1-team14=Nevada
RD1-score13=66
RD1-score14=72
RD1-team15=Gonzaga
RD1-team16=Valparaiso
RD1-score15=76
RD1-score16=49
RD2-seed01=1
RD2-team01=Kentucky
RD2-seed02=9
RD2-team02=UAB
RD2-score01=75
RD2-score02=76
RD2-seed03=12
RD2-team03=Pacific
RD2-seed04=4
RD2-team04=Kansas
RD2-score03=63
RD2-score04=78
RD2-seed05=6
RD2-team05=Boston College
RD2-seed06=3
RD2-team06=Georgia Tech
RD2-score05=54
RD2-score06=57
RD2-seed07=10
RD2-team07=Nevada
RD2-seed08=2
RD2-team08=Gonzaga
RD2-score07=91
RD2-score08=72
RD3-seed01=9
RD3-team01=UAB
RD3-seed02=4
RD3-team02=Kansas
RD3-score01=74
RD3-score02=100
RD3-seed03=3
RD3-team03=Georgia Tech
RD3-seed04=10
RD3-team04=Nevada
RD3-score03=72
RD3-score04=67
RD4-seed01=4
RD4-team01=Kansas
RD4-seed02=3
RD4-team02=Georgia Tech
RD4-score01=71
RD4-score02=79*

Atlanta Regional

16TeamBracket | RD1=First round
RD2=Second round
RD3=Regional semifinals
RD4=Regional finals
RD1-team01=Duke
RD1-team02=Alabama State
RD1-score01=96
RD1-score02=61
RD1-team03=Seton Hall
RD1-team04=Arizona
RD1-score03=80
RD1-score04=76
RD1-team05=Illinois
RD1-team06=Murray State
RD1-score05=72
RD1-score06=53
RD1-team07=Cincinnati
RD1-team08=East Tennessee State
RD1-score07=80
RD1-score08=77
RD1-team09=North Carolina
RD1-team10=Air Force
RD1-score09=63
RD1-score10=52
RD1-team11=Texas
RD1-team12=Princeton
RD1-score11=66
RD1-score12=49
RD1-team13=Xavier
RD1-team14=Louisville
RD1-score13=80
RD1-score14=70
RD1-team15=Mississippi State
RD1-team16=Monmouth
RD1-score15=85
RD1-score16=52
RD2-seed01=1
RD2-team01=Duke
RD2-seed02=8
RD2-team02=Seton Hall
RD2-score01=90
RD2-score02=62
RD2-seed03=5
RD2-team03=Illinois
RD2-seed04=4
RD2-team04=Cincinnati
RD2-score03=92
RD2-score04=68
RD2-seed05=6
RD2-team05=North Carolina
RD2-seed06=3
RD2-team06=Texas
RD2-score05=75
RD2-score06=78
RD2-seed07=7
RD2-team07=Xavier
RD2-seed08=2
RD2-team08=Mississippi State
RD2-score07=89
RD2-score08=74
RD3-seed01=1
RD3-team01=Duke
RD3-seed02=5
RD3-team02=Illinois
RD3-score01=72
RD3-score02=62
RD3-seed03=3
RD3-team03=Texas
RD3-seed04=7
RD3-team04=Xavier
RD3-score03=71
RD3-score04=79
RD4-seed01=1
RD4-team01=Duke
RD4-seed02=7
RD4-team02=Xavier
RD4-score01=66
RD4-score02=63

Phoenix Regional

16TeamBracket | RD1=First round
RD2=Second round
RD3=Regional semifinals
RD4=Regional finals
RD1-team01=Stanford
RD1-team02=Texas-San Antonio
RD1-score01=71
RD1-score02=45
RD1-team03=Alabama
RD1-team04=Southern Illinois
RD1-score03=65
RD1-score04=64
RD1-team05=Syracuse
RD1-team06=Brigham Young
RD1-score05=80
RD1-score06=75
RD1-team07=Maryland
RD1-team08=UTEP
RD1-score07=86
RD1-score08=83
RD1-team09=Vanderbilt
RD1-team10=Western Michigan
RD1-score09=71
RD1-score10=58
RD1-team11=North Carolina State
RD1-team12=Louisiana-Lafayette
RD1-score11=61
RD1-score12=52
RD1-team13=DePaul
RD1-team14=Dayton
RD1-score13=76
RD1-score14=69
RD1-team15=Connecticut
RD1-team16=Vermont
RD1-score15=70
RD1-score16=53
RD2-seed01=1
RD2-team01=Stanford
RD2-seed02=8
RD2-team02=Alabama
RD2-score01=67
RD2-score02=70
RD2-seed03=5
RD2-team03=Syracuse
RD2-seed04=4
RD2-team04=Maryland
RD2-score03=72
RD2-score04=70
RD2-seed05=6
RD2-team05=Vanderbilt
RD2-seed06=3
RD2-team06=North Carolina State
RD2-score05=75
RD2-score06=73
RD2-seed07=7
RD2-team07=DePaul
RD2-seed08=2
RD2-team08=Connecticut
RD2-score07=55
RD2-score08=72
RD3-seed01=8
RD3-team01=Alabama
RD3-seed02=5
RD3-team02=Syracuse
RD3-score01=80
RD3-score02=71
RD3-seed03=6
RD3-team03=Vanderbilt
RD3-seed04=2
RD3-team04=Connecticut
RD3-score03=53
RD3-score04=73
RD4-seed01=8
RD4-team01=Alabama
RD4-seed02=2
RD4-team02=Connecticut
RD4-score01=71
RD4-score02=87

Final Four

4TeamBracket | RD1=National Semifinals
RD2=National Championship Game
RD1-seed1=ER 2
RD1-team1=Oklahoma State
RD1-score1=65
RD1-seed2=StL 3
RD1-team2=Georgia Tech
RD1-score2=67
RD1-seed3=Atl 1
RD1-team3=Duke
RD1-score3=78
RD1-seed4=Phx 2
RD1-team4=Connecticut
RD1-score4=79
RD2-seed1=StL 3
RD2-team1=Georgia Tech
RD2-score1=73
RD2-seed2=Phx 2
RD2-team2=Connecticut
RD2-score2=82

External links

* [http://www.shrpsports.com/collbask/2004.htm 2004 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.

ee also

* 2004 NAIA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
* 2004 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament

References