1997 NCAA Division I men's basketball championship game

See also: 1997 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament

1997 NCAA Tournament Championship Game

National championship game
Arizona Wildcats Kentucky Wildcats Pac-10 SEC (24–9) (35–4) 84 79 Head coach: Lute Olson Head coach: Rick Pitino
AP: 15 Coaches: 13 AP: 5 Coaches: 4
1st half 2nd half OT Total Arizona Wildcats 33 41 10 84 Kentucky Wildcats 32 42 5 79
Date	March 31, 1997
Venue	RCA Dome, Indianapolis, Indiana
MVP	Miles Simon, Arizona
Favorite	Kentucky by 7
Referees	Tim Higgins, Ted Valentine, and Tom O'Neil
Attendance	47,028
United States TV coverage
Network	CBS
Announcers	Jim Nantz (play-by-play) Billy Packer (color) Michele Tafoya and Andrea Joyce (sideline)

The 1997 NCAA Division I men's basketball championship game was the finals of the 1997 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament and it determined the national champion for the 1996–97 season. The game was played on March 31, 1997, at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, Indiana and featured the West Regional Champion and defending national champion, #1-seeded Kentucky versus the Southeast Regional Champion, #4-seeded Arizona.

Arizona defeated Kentucky 84-79 to win their first national championship in school history. Due to Kentucky coming back to win the national championship in 1998, Arizona effectively denied Kentucky a potential three-peat from 1996 to 1998.

This was the final national championship won by the Pac-12 Conference, which folded in 2024.

Participating teams

Arizona Wildcats

Main article: 1996–97 Arizona Wildcats men's basketball team

• Southeast
  • (4) Arizona 65, (13) South Alabama 57
  • (4) Arizona 73, (12) College of Charleston 69
  • (4) Arizona 85, (1) Kansas 82
  • (4) Arizona 96, (10) Providence 92
• Final Four
  • (SE4) Arizona 66, (E1) North Carolina 58

Kentucky Wildcats

Main article: 1996–97 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team

• West
  • (1) Kentucky 92, (16) Montana 58
  • (1) Kentucky 75, (8) Iowa 69
  • (1) Kentucky 83, (4) Saint Joseph's 68
  • (1) Kentucky 72, (2) Utah 59
• Final Four
  • (W1) Kentucky 78, (MW1) Minnesota 69

Starting lineups

Arizona	Position		Kentucky
Mike Bibby	G		Wayne Turner
Miles Simon	G		Anthony Epps
Bennett Davison	F		† Ron Mercer 1
Michael Dickerson	F		Scott Padgett
A. J. Bramlett	C		Jamaal Magloire
† 1997 Consensus First Team All-American
Players selected in the 1997 NBA draft  (number indicates round)

Source

Game summary

CBS

Monday, March 31

Box score

#SE4 Arizona Wildcats 84, #W1 Kentucky Wildcats 79 (OT)
Scoring by half: 33–32, 41–42 Overtime: 10–5
Pts: M. Simon 30 Rebs: M. Bibby 9 Asts: J. Terry 5		Pts: S. Padgett 17 Rebs: N. Mohammed 11 Asts: R. Mercer 6

RCA Dome – Indianapolis, Indiana Attendance: 47,028 Referees: Tim Higgins, Ted Valentine and Tom O'Neil