1991 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament

The 1991 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 14, 1991, and ended with the championship game on April 1 in Indianapolis, Indiana. A total of 63 games were played.

1991 NCAA Division I
Men's Basketball Tournament
Season199091
Teams64
Finals siteHoosier Dome
Indianapolis, Indiana
ChampionsDuke Blue Devils (1st title, 5th title game,
9th Final Four)
Runner-upKansas Jayhawks (6th title game,
9th Final Four)
Semifinalists
Winning coachMike Krzyzewski (1st title)
MOPChristian Laettner (Duke)
Attendance665,707
Top scorerChristian Laettner Duke
(125 points)
NCAA Division I Men's Tournaments
«1990 1992»

Duke, coached by Mike Krzyzewski, won a rematch of the previous year's national final matchup against undefeated UNLV 79–77 in the semifinal,[1] then won the national title with a 72–65 victory in the final game over Kansas, coached by Roy Williams.[2] This was the first National Championship game for Williams as a head coach. Kansas defeated Williams' mentor Dean Smith and North Carolina (where Williams later coached) in the semifinal. Kansas made its second trip to the National Championship game in four seasons, the prior appearance being 1988 when they defeated Oklahoma. Christian Laettner of Duke was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.

This tournament marked the first time a #15 seed upset a #2 seed since the tournament field expanded to 64 teams in 1985, when Richmond accomplished against Syracuse in the East region.

This tournament adopted the NBA's 10ths-second timer during the final minute of each period in all arenas.

Schedule and venues

Atlanta
College Park
Louisville
Dayton
Syracuse
Minneapolis
Tucson
Salt Lake City
1991 first and second rounds
Seattle
Charlotte
Pontiac
E. Rutherford
Indianapolis
1991 Regionals (blue) and Final Four (red)

The following are the sites that were selected to host each round of the 1991 tournament:

First and Second Rounds

Regional Semifinals and Finals (Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight)

National Semifinals and Championship (Final Four and Championship)

For the second time, Indianapolis was the host of the Final Four, this time at the Hoosier Dome, which would host the Final Four three more times. The tournament also returned to Charlotte in 1991, this time to the new Charlotte Coliseum, then the off-campus home of the Charlotte 49ers men's basketball team. This year also saw the final appearance of the Pontiac Silverdome and two former Final Four venues, in Cole Field House and Freedom Hall. Games played in Detroit since have either been at The Palace of Auburn Hills, Ford Field or, starting in 2018, Little Caesars Arena. While both Cole Field House and Freedom Hall have both been replaced, only Freedom Hall's replacement, the KFC Yum! Center, has hosted games since. Games in the Washington area have since been played at either Baltimore, Landover or in Washington itself at Capital One Arena. All subsequent tournament games played in Atlanta are now played at either the Georgia Dome (since demolished) or Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Any future tournament games played in Charlotte would be played at Spectrum Center (although the Coliseum did host the Final Four in 1994).

Teams

RegionSeedTeamCoachConferenceFinishedFinal OpponentScore Officials
East
East1North CarolinaDean SmithAtlantic CoastNational Semifinals3 KansasL 79–73
East2SyracuseJim BoeheimBig EastRound of 6415 RichmondL 73–69
East3Oklahoma StateEddie SuttonBig EightSweet Sixteen10 TempleL 72–63
East4UCLAJim HarrickPacific-10Round of 6413 Penn StateL 74–69
East5Mississippi StateRichard WilliamsSoutheasternRound of 6412 Eastern MichiganL 76–56
East6NC StateLes RobinsonAtlantic CoastRound of 323 Oklahoma StateL 73–64
East7PurdueGene KeadyBig TenRound of 6410 TempleL 80–63
East8PrincetonPete CarrilIvy LeagueRound of 649 VillanovaL 50–48
East9VillanovaRollie MassiminoBig EastRound of 321 North CarolinaL 84–69
East10TempleJohn ChaneyAtlantic 10Regional Runner-up1 North CarolinaL 75–72
East11Southern MissM.K. TurkMetroRound of 646 NC StateL 114–85
East12Eastern MichiganBen BraunMid-AmericanSweet Sixteen1 North CarolinaL 93–67 Bobby Dibler, David Bair, and Harrell Allen[3]
East13Penn StateBruce ParkhillAtlantic 10Round of 3212 Eastern MichiganL 71–68
East14New MexicoDave BlissWestern AthleticRound of 643 Oklahoma StateL 67–54
East15RichmondDick TarrantColonialRound of 3210 TempleL 77–64
East16NortheasternKarl FogelNorth AtlanticRound of 641 North CarolinaL 101–66
Midwest
Midwest1Ohio StateRandy AyersBig TenSweet Sixteen4 St. John'sL 91–74
Midwest2DukeMike KrzyzewskiAtlantic CoastChampion3 KansasW 72–65
Midwest3NebraskaDanny NeeBig EightRound of 6414 XavierL 89–84
Midwest4St. John'sLou CarneseccaBig EastRegional Runner-up2 DukeL 78–61
Midwest5TexasTom PendersSouthwestRound of 324 St. John'sL 84–76
Midwest6LSUDale BrownSoutheasternRound of 6411 ConnecticutL 79–62
Midwest7IowaTom DavisBig TenRound of 322 DukeL 85–70
Midwest8Georgia TechBobby CreminsAtlantic CoastRound of 321 Ohio StateL 65–61
Midwest9DePaulJoey MeyerIndependentRound of 648 Georgia TechL 87–70
Midwest10East Tennessee StateAlan LeForceSouthernRound of 647 IowaL 76–73
Midwest11ConnecticutJim CalhounBig EastSweet Sixteen2 DukeL 81–67
Midwest12Saint Peter'sTed FioreMetro AtlanticRound of 645 TexasL 73–65
Midwest13Northern IllinoisJim MolinariMid-ContinentRound of 644 St. John'sL 75–68
Midwest14XavierPete GillenMidwesternRound of 3211 ConnecticutL 66–50
Midwest15Northeast LouisianaMike ViningSouthlandRound of 642 DukeL 102–73
Midwest16Towson StateTerry TruaxEast CoastRound of 641 Ohio StateL 97–86
Southeast
Southeast1ArkansasNolan RichardsonSouthwestRegional Runner-up3 KansasL 93–81
Southeast2IndianaBob KnightBig TenSweet Sixteen3 KansasL 83–65
Southeast3KansasRoy WilliamsBig EightRunner Up2 DukeL 72–65
Southeast4AlabamaWimp SandersonSoutheasternSweet Sixteen1 ArkansasL 93–70
Southeast5Wake ForestDave OdomAtlantic CoastRound of 324 AlabamaL 96–88
Southeast6PittsburghPaul EvansBig EastRound of 323 KansasL 77–66
Southeast7Florida StatePat KennedyMetroRound of 322 IndianaL 82–60
Southeast8Arizona StateBill FriederPacific-10Round of 321 ArkansasL 97–90
Southeast9RutgersBob WenzelAtlantic 10Round of 648 Arizona StateL 79–76 David Libbey, Tom Clark, Gary Mancum[4]
Southeast10USCGeorge RavelingPacific-10Round of 647 Florida StateL 75–72
Southeast11GeorgiaHugh DurhamSoutheasternRound of 646 PittsburghL 76–68
Southeast12Louisiana TechJerry LoydAmerican SouthRound of 645 Wake ForestL 71–65
Southeast13Murray StateSteve NewtonOhio ValleyRound of 644 AlabamaL 89–79
Southeast14New OrleansTim FloydAmerican SouthRound of 643 KansasL 55–49
Southeast15Coastal CarolinaRuss BergmanBig SouthRound of 642 IndianaL 79–69
Southeast16Georgia StateBob ReinhartTrans AmericaRound of 641 ArkansasL 117–76
West
West1UNLVJerry TarkanianBig WestNational Semifinals2 DukeL 79–77
West2ArizonaLute OlsonPacific-10Sweet Sixteen3 Seton HallL 81–77
West3Seton HallP.J. CarlesimoBig EastRegional Runner-up1 UNLVL 77–65
West4UtahRick MajerusWestern AthleticSweet Sixteen1 UNLVL 83–66
West5Michigan StateJud HeathcoteBig TenRound of 324 UtahL 85–84
West6New Mexico StateNeil McCarthyBig WestRound of 6411 CreightonL 64–56
West7VirginiaJeff JonesAtlantic CoastRound of 6410 BYUL 61–48
West8GeorgetownJohn ThompsonBig EastRound of 321 UNLVL 62–54
West9VanderbiltEddie FoglerSoutheasternRound of 648 GeorgetownL 70–60
West10BYURoger ReidWestern AthleticRound of 322 ArizonaL 76–61
West11CreightonTony BaroneMissouri ValleyRound of 323 Seton HallL 81–69
West12Wisconsin-Green BayDick BennettMid-ContinentRound of 645 Michigan StateL 60–58
West13South AlabamaRonnie ArrowSun BeltRound of 644 UtahL 82–72
West14PepperdineTom AsburyWest CoastRound of 643 Seton HallL 71–51
West15Saint Francis (PA)Jim BaronNortheastRound of 642 ArizonaL 93–80
West16MontanaStew MorrillBig SkyRound of 641 UNLVL 99–65

Bracket

* – Denotes overtime period

East Regional – East Rutherford, New Jersey

First round Second round Regional Semifinals Regional Finals
            
1 North Carolina 101
16 Northeastern 66
1 North Carolina 84
Syracuse
9 Villanova 69
8 Princeton 48
9 Villanova 50
1 North Carolina 93
12 Eastern Michigan 67
5 Mississippi State 56
12 Eastern Michigan 76
12 Eastern Michigan 71
Syracuse
13 Penn State 68*
4 UCLA 69
13 Penn State 74
1 North Carolina 75
10 Temple 72
6 NC State 114
11 Southern Miss 85
6 NC State 64
College Park
3 Oklahoma State 73
3 Oklahoma State 67
14 New Mexico 54
3 Oklahoma State 63*
10 Temple 72
7 Purdue 63
10 Temple 80
10 Temple 77
College Park
15 Richmond 64
2 Syracuse 69
15 Richmond 73

Southeast Regional – Charlotte, North Carolina

First round Second round Regional Semifinals Regional Finals
            
1 Arkansas 117
16 Georgia State 76
1 Arkansas 97
Atlanta
8 Arizona State 90
8 Arizona State 79
9 Rutgers 76
1 Arkansas 93
4 Alabama 70
5 Wake Forest 71
12 Louisiana Tech 65
5 Wake Forest 88
Atlanta
4 Alabama 96
4 Alabama 89
13 Murray State 79
1 Arkansas 81
3 Kansas 93
6 Pittsburgh 76
11 Georgia 68*
6 Pittsburgh 66
Louisville
3 Kansas 77
3 Kansas 55
14 New Orleans 49
3 Kansas 83
2 Indiana 65
7 Florida State 75
10 Southern California 72
7 Florida State 60
Louisville
2 Indiana 82
2 Indiana 79
15 Coastal Carolina 69

Midwest Regional – Pontiac, Michigan

First round Second round Regional Semifinals Regional Finals
            
1 Ohio State 97
16 Towson State 86
1 Ohio State 65
Dayton
8 Georgia Tech 61
8 Georgia Tech 87
9 DePaul 70
1 Ohio State 74
4 St. John's 91
5 Texas 73
12 Saint Peter's 65
5 Texas 76
Dayton
4 St. John's 84
4 St. John's 75
13 Northern Illinois 68
4 St. John's 61
2 Duke 78
6 LSU 62
11 Connecticut 79
11 Connecticut 66
Minneapolis
14 Xavier 50
3 Nebraska 84
14 Xavier 89
11 Connecticut 67
2 Duke 81
7 Iowa 76
10 East Tennessee State 73
7 Iowa 70
Minneapolis
2 Duke 85
2 Duke 102
15 Northeast Louisiana 73

West Regional – Seattle, Washington

First round Second round Regional Semifinals Regional Finals
            
1 UNLV 99
16 Montana 65
1 UNLV 62
Tucson
8 Georgetown 54
8 Georgetown 70
9 Vanderbilt 60
1 UNLV 83
4 Utah 66
5 Michigan State 60
12 Wisconsin–Green Bay 58
5 Michigan State 84**
Tucson
4 Utah 85
4 Utah 82
13 South Alabama 72
1 UNLV 77
3 Seton Hall 65
6 New Mexico State 56
11 Creighton 64
11 Creighton 69
Salt Lake City
3 Seton Hall 81
3 Seton Hall 71
14 Pepperdine 51
3 Seton Hall 81
2 Arizona 77
7 Virginia 48
10 BYU 61
10 BYU 61
Salt Lake City
2 Arizona 76
2 Arizona 93
15 Saint Francis (PA) 80

Final Four – Indianapolis, Indiana

National Semifinals National Championship Game
      
E1 North Carolina 73
S3 Kansas 79
S3 Kansas 65
M2 Duke 72
M2 Duke 79
W1 UNLV 77

Broadcast information

For the first time, CBS Sports showed all 63 tournament games. In the first three rounds, games were shown on a regional basis, except for one game each on Saturday and Sunday in the second round. Usual start times were noon and 7:30 or 8 p.m. Eastern time on each of the Thursdays and Fridays. During the weekend of the second round, the national telecast began at noon, with the regional windows (three on Saturday, two on Sunday) following. Although the times would be adjusted, the same basic format was in place until 2010. As of 2011, the regional broadcasts have been replaced by simulcast feeds on non-broadcast networks owned by Turner Sports.

Announcers

Miscellaneous

  • Duke's 79–77 win over UNLV in the Final Four became one of the biggest upsets in tournament history. Duke was an 8-point underdog in the game. UNLV's juggernaut 1990–91 squad ranked #2 on ESPN Classic's Who's #1? for Best Teams Not To Win a Title. UNLV was undefeated entering the 1991 tournament, which was unmatched until Wichita State in 2014 and Kentucky in 2015. (Saint Joseph's went unbeaten in the 2004 regular season, finishing 27–0, but lost in their conference tournament before the NCAAs. Alcorn State went unbeaten in the 1979 regular season, but got invited to the NIT since the Southwestern Athletic Conference did not have an automatic bid to the NCAAs, and lost to eventual winner Indiana in the 2nd round. Indiana is the last team to win the championship undefeated in 1976).
  • This was Duke's fourth (of five) consecutive Final Four trip, the first team to achieve such a feat since UCLA. Since freshmen were not eligible at the time of UCLA's run, Duke's Greg Koubek became the first player to play in four Final Fours, a record matched by Duke teammates Christian Laettner and Brian Davis the next year when the team repeated as national champions.
  • For the first time in tournament history a 15-seed defeated a 2-seed. Richmond defeated Syracuse 73–69. Since then this has happened nine additional times: in 1993, Santa Clara defeated Arizona 64–61; in 1997, Coppin State defeated South Carolina 78–65; in 2001, Hampton defeated Iowa State 58–57; on the same day in 2012 Norfolk State defeated Missouri 86–84 and Lehigh defeated Duke 75–70; in 2013 Florida Gulf Coast defeated Georgetown 78–68;[5] in 2016, Middle Tennessee defeated Michigan State 90–81; in 2021, Oral Roberts defeated Ohio State 75–72; and in 2022, Saint Peter's defeated Kentucky 85-79.
  • In the Final Four against Kansas, legendary North Carolina coach Dean Smith was ejected from the game for leaving the coach's box.[6]
  • For bracketologists, this tournament is notable for several reasons. The first is the upset-heavy opening round, which led to every seed number except 16 being represented by at least one team in the second round. The East region, in particular, featured first round victories by seeds 9, 10, 12, 13, and 15. Two 11's and a 14-seed advanced in the other regions. The second round is equally remarkable because there were no upsets in this round whatsoever. The combination of these two anomalies led to an unprecedented occurrence in which a 10 (Temple), an 11 (Connecticut), and a 12-seed (Eastern Michigan) advanced to the Sweet Sixteen without any of the teams pulling off consecutive upsets. The reason for this was that the first round successes of 15-seed Richmond, 14-seed Xavier, and 13-seed Penn State led to Temple, Connecticut, and Eastern Michigan (respectively) being considered favorites for their second round matchups.
  • This was the first NCAA Tournament to feature all four of the North Carolina-based Atlantic Coast Conference teams, also known as the Tobacco Road or Big Four teams: North Carolina, NC State, Duke and Wake Forest.
  • The Final Four was also the first to include both halves of the North Carolina–Duke rivalry. Had both teams won, they would have faced each other for the national championship, but to this day, the teams have only faced each other once each in the NCAA Tournament and the NIT – the 1971 NIT semifinals at Madison Square Garden, which North Carolina won 73–67 and the 2022 Final Four in which #8 seed North Carolina won 81-77 over #2 seed Duke ending Mike Krzyzewski's coaching career.
  • This tournament featured three play-in games before the tournament field was announced, featuring the champions of the six conferences with the lowest computer ratings the previous season.[7] The results were: Saint Francis, Pennsylvania (NEC) defeated Fordham (Patriot) 70–64,[8] Coastal Carolina (Big South) over Jackson State (SWAC) 78–59,[9] and NE Louisiana (Southland) over Florida A&M (MEAC) 87–63.[9] These are not opening round games and the losers are not credited with an NCAA tournament appearance.
  • UNLV’s semi-final loss in the NCAA tournament brought an end to their astounding 45-game win streak. That is the fourth-longest consecutive-game win streak in NCAA Division 1 basketball history, and the longest win streak since the longest one ever (by UCLA) ended in 1974.[10]

See also

References

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