1997 NCAA Division I men's basketball championship game

American college basketball final March 2026 1997 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament August 2023 1997 NCAA Tournament Championship Game ncg File:NCAA primary logo 1980.svg March 31, 1997 1996–97 University of Arizona Arizona Wildcats 24–9 Pac-10 15 13 Lute Olson 33 41 10 University of Kentucky Kentucky Wildcats 35–4 SEC 5 4 Rick Pitino 32 42 5 RCA Dome Indianapolis, Indiana 47,028 Tim Higgins, Ted Valentine, and Tom O'Neil Miles Simon, Arizona Kentucky by 7 CBS Jim Nantz (play-by-play)Billy Packer (color)Michele Tafoya and Andrea Joyce (sideline) 1996 1998 The 1997 NCAA Division I men's basketball championship game was the finals of the 1997 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament and it determined the national champion for the 1996–97 season. The game was played on March 31, 1997, at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, Indiana and featured the West Regional Champion and defending national champion, #1-seeded Kentucky versus the Southeast Regional Champion, #4-seeded Arizona. Arizona defeated Kentucky 84–79 in overtime to win their first national championship in school history. Due to Kentucky coming back to win the national championship in 1998, Arizona effectively denied Kentucky a potential three-peat from 1996 to 1998. This was the most recent national championship won by the Pac-12 Conference. Participating teams Arizona Wildcats 1996–97 Arizona Wildcats men's basketball team Southeast (4) Arizona 65, (13) South Alabama 57 (4) Arizona 73, (12) College of Charleston 69 (4) Arizona 85, (1) Kansas 82 (4) Arizona 96, (10) Providence 92 Final Four (SE4) Arizona 66, (E1) North Carolina 58 http://www.databasesports.com/ncaab/tourney.htm?yr=1997 RotoWire Fantasy Football, Baseball, Basketball and More Kentucky Wildcats 1996–97 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team West (1) Kentucky 92, (16) Montana 58 (1) Kentucky 75, (8) Iowa 69 (1) Kentucky 83, (4) Saint Joseph's 68 (1) Kentucky 72, (2) Utah 59 Final Four (W1) Kentucky 78, (MW1) Minnesota 69 Starting lineups Arizona Position Kentucky Mike Bibby G Wayne Turner Miles Simon G Anthony Epps Bennett Davison F † Ron Mercer Michael Dickerson F Scott Padgett A. J. Bramlett C Jamaal Magloire† 1997 Consensus First Team All-American Game summary #e3e3e3 Monday, March 31 Box score #SE4 Arizona Wildcats 84 #W1 Kentucky Wildcats 79 33–32 41–42 10–5 Miles Simon 30 Mike Bibby 9 Jason Terry 5 Scott Padgett 17 Nazr Mohammed 11 Ron Mercer 6 RCA Dome – Indianapolis, Indiana 47,028 Tim Higgins, Ted Valentine and Tom O'Neil CBS yes yes yes #AB0520 G 34 Miles Simon 30 3 6 G 10 Mike Bibby 25 1 1 F 21 Bennett Davison 16 5 0 F 42 A. J. Bramlett 12 10 1 F 23 Michael Dickerson 8 5 3 yes yes yes G 31 Jason Terry 2 4 1 F 13 Donnell Harris 3 1 1 F 33 Eugene Edgerson 0 0 0 Lute Olson 002147 _thinwhitesides 002147 _thinwhitesides Arizona 0033A0 _thinsidesonwhite 0033A0 _blanksides2 Kentucky Arizona Statistics Kentucky 22/58 (38%) Field goals 30/72 (42%) 6/13 (46%) 3-pt. field goals 10/30 (33%) 34/41 (83%) Free throws 9/17 (53%) 16 Offensive rebounds 17 27 Defensive rebounds 23 43 Total rebounds 40 12 Assists 18 18 Turnovers 16 7 Steals 9 2 Blocks 7 16 Fouls 29 yes yes yes #0033A0 GF 33 Ron Mercer 13 9 6 G 25 Anthony Epps 11 5 4 F 34 Scott Padgett 17 1 0 G 5 Wayne Turner Wayne Turner (basketball) 23 11 1 C 42 Jamaal Magloire 0 4 1 yes yes yes C 13 Nazr Mohammed 12 11 0 G 21 Cameron Mills 12 1 1 F 32 Jared Prickett 6 5 1 GF 3 Allen Edwards Allen Edwards (basketball) 0 0 1 Rick Pitino References NCAA Division I men's basketball championship game Category:NCAA Division I men's basketball championship games Category:Arizona Wildcats men's basketball Category:Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball Category:College basketball tournaments in Indiana Category:Basketball competitions in Indianapolis NCAA Division I men's basketball championship game NCAA Division I men's basketball championship game Category:1990s in Indianapolis