| Year: | 1971 |
| Teams: | 25 |
| Finalfourarena: | Astrodome |
| Finalfourcity: | Houston, Texas |
| Champions: | UCLA Bruins |
| Titlecount: | 7th |
| Champgamecount: | 7th |
| Champffcount: | 8th |
| Runnerup: | Villanova Wildcats (Vacated) |
| Gamecount: | 1st |
| Runnerffcount: | 2nd |
| Semifinal1: | Kansas Jayhawks |
| Finalfourcount: | 5th |
| Semifinal2: | Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (Vacated) |
| Finalfourcount2: | 1st |
| Coach: | John Wooden |
| Coachcount: | 7th |
| Mop: | Howard Porter |
| Mopteam: | Villanova, vacated |
| Attendance: | 207,200 |
| Topscorer: | Jim McDaniels |
| Topscorerteam: | Western Kentucky |
| Points: | 147 |
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. This was the last time the Final Four was held in Houston until 2011.
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.
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]
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)
| Region | Team | Coach | Conference | Finished ! | Final Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East | ||||||
| East | Independent | First round | Penn | L 70–65 | ||
| East | Independent | Regional third place | South Carolina | W 100–90 | ||
| East | Southern | First round | Fordham | L 105–74 | ||
| East | Ivy League | Regional Runner-up | Villanova | L 90–47 | ||
| East | Atlantic Coast | Regional Fourth Place | Fordham | L 100–90 | ||
| East | Middle Atlantic | First round | Villanova | L 93–75 | ||
| East | Independent | UCLA | L 68–62 | |||
| Mideast | ||||||
| Mideast | Independent | First round | Western Kentucky | L 74–72 | ||
| Mideast | Southeastern | Regional Fourth Place | Marquette | L 91–74 | ||
| Mideast | Independent | Regional third place | Kentucky | W 91–74 | ||
| Mideast | Mid-American | First round | Marquette | L 62–47 | ||
| Mideast | Big Ten | Regional Runner-up | Western Kentucky | L 81–78 | ||
| Mideast | Ohio Valley | Kansas | W 77–75 | |||
| Midwest | ||||||
| Midwest | Missouri Valley | Regional Runner-up | Kansas | L 73–71 | ||
| Midwest | Independent | Regional third place | Notre Dame | W 119–106 | ||
| Midwest | Big Eight | Fourth Place | Western Kentucky | L 77–75 | ||
| Midwest | Missouri Valley | First round | Houston | L 72–69 | ||
| Midwest | Independent | Regional Fourth Place | Houston | L 119–106 | ||
| Midwest | Southwest | First round | Notre Dame | L 102–94 | ||
| West | ||||||
| West | Western Athletic | Regional Fourth Place | Pacific | L 84–81 | ||
| West | Pacific Coast | Regional Runner-up | UCLA | L 57–55 | ||
| West | West Coast | Regional third place | BYU | W 84–81 | ||
| West | Pacific-8 | Champion | Villanova | W 68–62 | ||
| West | Independent | First round | BYU | L 91–82 | ||
| West | Big Sky | First round | Long Beach State | L 77–66 | ||
* – Denotes overtime period
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