1996 NCAA Division I men's basketball championship game

The 1996 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship Game was the finals of the 1996 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament and it determined the national champion for the 1995-96 NCAA Division I men's basketball season The game was played on April 1, 1996, at 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.

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
VenueContinental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, New Jersey
MVPTony Delk, Kentucky
FavoriteKentucky by 14
RefereesJohn Clougherty, Scott Thornley and David Libbey
Attendance19,229
United States TV coverage
NetworkCBS
AnnouncersJim Nantz (play-by-play)
Billy Packer (color)
Michele Tafoya and Andrea Joyce (sideline)
← 1995
1997 →

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

edit

Syracuse Orangemen

edit
  • 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

edit
  • 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

edit
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

edit
CBS
April 1, 1996
#MW1 Kentucky Wildcats 76, #W4 Syracuse Orangemen 67
Pts: Tony Delk - 24
Rebs: Antoine Walker - 9
Asts: Anthony Epps - 7
Pts: John Wallace - 29
Rebs: John Wallace, Otis Hill - 10
Asts: Lazarus Sims - 7
Halftime Score: Kentucky, 42-33

References

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