1996 NCAA Division I men's basketball championship game

Last updated

1996 NCAA Tournament Championship Game
National championship game
NCAA primary logo 1980.svg
Syracuse Orangemen Kentucky Wildcats
Big East SEC
(29–8)(34–2)
6776
Head coach:
Jim Boeheim
Head coach:
Rick Pitino
1st half2nd halfTotal
Syracuse Orangemen 333467
Kentucky Wildcats 423476
DateApril 1, 1996
Venue Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, New Jersey
MVP Tony Delk, Kentucky
Favorite Kentucky by 14
Referees John Clougherty, Scott Thornley and David Libbey
Attendance19,229
United States TV coverage
Network CBS
Announcers Jim 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 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.

Contents

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

Kentucky Wildcats

Starting lineups

SyracusePositionKentucky
Jason Cipolla GTony Delk 1
Lazarus Sims GAnthony Epps
Todd BurganF Derek Anderson
John Wallace 1F 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

External videos
Nuvola apps kaboodle.svg Full game broadcast by CBS on YouTube
CBS
April 1, 1996
#MW1 Kentucky Wildcats76, #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

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