1996 NCAA Division I men's basketball championship game

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

1996 NCAA Tournament Championship Game
National championship game
Syracuse Orangemen
Kentucky Wildcats
Big East
SEC
(29–8) (34–2)
67 76
Head coach:
Jim Boeheim
Head coach:
Rick Pitino
1st half2nd half Total
Syracuse Orangemen
3334 67
Kentucky Wildcats 4234 76
DateApril 1, 1996
Venue
CBS
AnnouncersJim Nantz (play-by-play)
Billy Packer (color)
Michele Tafoya and Andrea Joyce (sideline)
← 1995
1997 →

The 1996 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship Game was the finals of the

Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and featured the Midwest Regional Champion, #1-seeded Kentucky versus the West Regional Champion, #4-seeded Syracuse
.

This was the first time the national championship game was held in the Greater New York Area since

1950. This was also the last men's national championship game to be held in a basketball/hockey-specific facility. Every Men's National Championship Game since then has been held in a domed stadium (usually built for football) because of NCAA venue capacity requirements. Therefore, this was the last time the national championship game was held in the Greater New York Area, or anywhere else in the Northeastern United States
.

Kentucky defeated Syracuse 76–67 to win their first national championship since 1978. Kentucky star Antoine Walker faced off against former high school teammate, Donovan McNabb, in the national championship against Syracuse University. McNabb would later gain fame as a quarterback with the Philadelphia Eagles.[1]

Participating teams

Syracuse Orangemen

  • West
    • (4) Syracuse 88, (13) Montana State 55
    • (4) Syracuse 69, (12) Drexel 58
    • (4) Syracuse 83, (8) Georgia 81 (OT)
    • (4) Syracuse 60, (2) Kansas 57
  • Final Four
    • (W4) Syracuse 77, (SE5) Mississippi State 69

Kentucky Wildcats

  • Midwest
    • (1) Kentucky 110, (16) San Jose State 72
    • (1) Kentucky 84, (9) Virginia Tech 60
    • (1) Kentucky 101, (4) Utah 70
    • (1) Kentucky 83, (2) Wake Forest 63
  • Final Four
    • (MW1) Kentucky 81, (E1) Massachusetts 74

Starting lineups

Syracuse Position Kentucky
Jason Cipolla G Tony Delk 1
Lazarus Sims G Anthony Epps
Todd Burgan F Derek Anderson
John Wallace 1 F Antoine Walker 1
Otis Hill C Walter McCarty 1
1996 Consensus First Team All-American
 Players selected in the 1996 NBA draft  (number indicates round)

Source

Game summary

CBS
April 1, 1996
#MW1 Kentucky Wildcats 76, #W4 Syracuse Orangemen 67
: Anthony Epps - 7 Pts: John Wallace - 29
Rebs: John Wallace, Otis Hill - 10
Asts: Lazarus Sims - 7
Halftime Score: Kentucky, 42-33

References

  1. ^ "Prep Basketball 1994 Boys Preview. Mt. Carmel". November 29, 1994.