Year: | 1975 |
Teams: | 32 |
Finalfourarena: | San Diego Sports Arena |
Finalfourcity: | San Diego, CA |
Champions: | UCLA Bruins |
Titlecount: | 10th |
Champgamecount: | 10th |
Champffcount: | 12th |
Runnerup: | Kentucky Wildcats |
Gamecount: | 6th |
Runnerffcount: | 7th |
Semifinal1: | Louisville Cardinals |
Finalfourcount: | 3rd |
Semifinal2: | Syracuse Orangemen |
Finalfourcount2: | 1st |
Coach: | John Wooden |
Coachcount: | 10th |
Mop: | Richard Washington |
Mopteam: | UCLA |
Attendance: | 183,857 |
Topscorer: | Jim Lee |
Topscorerteam: | Syracuse |
Points: | 119 |
The 1975 NCAA Division I basketball tournament involved 32 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 15, 1975, and ended with the championship game on March 31 at the San Diego Sports Arena, now known as Pechanga Arena San Diego, in San Diego, California. A total of 36 games were played, including a third-place game in each region and a national third-place game. This was the first 32-team tournament.
UCLA, coached by John Wooden, won his 10th national title and last with a 92 - 85 victory in the final game over Kentucky, coached by Joe B. Hall. Richard Washington of UCLA was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.
The Bruins again had an advantage by playing the Final Four in their home state. It was the last time a team won the national championship playing in its home state.
There were two memorable games in the 1975 tournament. Number 2 ranked Kentucky upset previously unbeaten Indiana 92–90 in their regional final. The Hoosiers, coached by Bob Knight, were undefeated and the number one team in the nation, when leading scorer Scott May suffered a broken arm in a win over arch-rival Purdue. This was the only loss Indiana would suffer between March 1974 and December 1976. In the national semifinals, UCLA defeated Louisville, coached by former Wooden assistant Denny Crum, 75–74 in overtime, rallying late in regulation to force overtime and coming from behind in overtime to win on a last second shot by Richard Washington.
Both games made USA Todays 2002 list of the greatest NCAA tournament games of all time, with the former at #8 and the latter at #28.[7]
The following are the sites that were selected to host each round of the 1975 tournament:
First round
Regional semifinals 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 | Regional Fourth Place | North Carolina | L 110–90 | ||
East | Southern | Round of 32 | Boston College | L 82–76 | ||
East | Big Eight | Regional Runner-up | Syracuse | L 95–87 | ||
East | East Coast | Round of 32 | Syracuse | L 87–83 | ||
East | Missouri Valley | Round of 32 | North Carolina | L 93–69 | ||
East | Atlantic Coast | Regional third place | Boston College | W 110–90 | ||
East | Ivy League | Round of 32 | Kansas State | L 69–62 | ||
East | Independent | Fourth Place | Louisville | L 96–88 | ||
Mideast | ||||||
Mideast | Mid-American | Regional third place | Oregon State | W 88–87 | ||
Mideast | Independent | Round of 32 | Central Michigan | L 77–75 | ||
Mideast | Big Ten | Regional Runner-up | Kentucky | L 92–90 | ||
Mideast | Southeastern | Runner-up | UCLA | L 92–85 | ||
Mideast | Independent | Round of 32 | Kentucky | L 76–54 | ||
Mideast | Ohio Valley | Round of 32 | Oregon State | L 78–67 | ||
Mideast | Pacific-8 | Regional Fourth Place | Central Michigan | L 88–87 | ||
Mideast | Western Athletic | Round of 32 | Indiana | L 78–53 | ||
Midwest | ||||||
Midwest | Independent | Regional third place | Notre Dame | W 95–87 | ||
Midwest | Independent | Round of 32 | L 83–79 | |||
Midwest | Big Eight | Round of 32 | Notre Dame | L 77–71 | ||
Midwest | Missouri Valley | Third Place | Syracuse | W 96–88 | ||
Midwest | Atlantic Coast | Regional Runner-up | Louisville | L 96–82 | ||
Midwest | Independent | Regional Fourth Place | Cincinnati | L 95–87 | ||
Midwest | Independent | Round of 32 | Louisville | L 91–78 | ||
Midwest | Southwest | Round of 32 | Cincinnati | L 87–79 | ||
West | ||||||
West | Southeastern | Round of 32 | Arizona State | L 97–94 | ||
West | Western Athletic | Regional Runner-up | UCLA | L 89–75 | ||
West | Big Ten | Round of 32 | UCLA | L 103–91 | ||
West | Big Sky | Regional Fourth Place | UNLV | L 75–67 | ||
West | West Coast | Regional third place | Montana | W 75–67 | ||
West | Pacific Coast | Round of 32 | UNLV | L 90–80 | ||
West | Pacific-8 | Champion | Kentucky | W 92–85 | ||
West | Independent | Round of 32 | Montana | L 69–63 | ||
* – Denotes overtime period
Curt Gowdy, Billy Packer, Jim Simpson and Jerry Lucas (Final Four only) - First Round at Tuscaloosa, Alabama (Marquette-Kentucky); West Regional Final at Portland, Oregon; Final Four in San Diego, California