The 1957 NCAA University Division basketball tournament was a single-elimination tournament involving 23 teams to determine the national champion of men's college basketball in the NCAA University Division, which was replaced in 1973 by NCAA Division I. The 1956–57 school year was the first in which NCAA members were formally divided into separate competitive levels, with larger and more competitive athletic programs placed in the University Division and smaller programs placed in the College Division (which would be replaced by NCAA Division II and NCAA Division III in 1973).
The 19th annual edition of the NCAA tournament began on March 11, 1957, and ended with the championship game on March 23, at the Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. A total of 27 games were played, including a third-place game in each region and a national third-place game. North Carolina, coached by Frank McGuire, won the national title with a 54–53 triple-overtime victory in the final game over Kansas, coached by Dick Harp. Wilt Chamberlain of Kansas became the fourth player to be named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player despite not playing for the championship team.
Tournament notes North Carolina won two consecutive triple overtime games to win the championship. The North Carolina – Michigan State semi final game and North Carolina – Kansas final game both made USA Todays list of the greatest NCAA tournament games of all time at 11 and 6 respectively.Mike Douchant – Greatest 63 games in NCAA Tournament history. The Sports Xchange, published in USA Today, March 25, 2002
Locations Round Region Site Venue First RoundEastNew York, New YorkMadison Square Garden MideastColumbus, OhioSt. John Arena MidwestOklahoma City, Oklahoma Capitol Hill High School Arena WestPocatello, IdahoISU Gymnasium Regionals East Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaThe Palestra MideastLexington, KentuckyMemorial ColiseumMidwestDallas, TexasSMU Coliseum WestCorvallis, OregonOregon State Coliseum Final FourKansas City, MissouriMunicipal Auditorium
Teams Region Team Coach Conference Finished Final Opponent Score East East Canisius Joseph Curran WNY3 Regional third place LafayetteW 82–76 East Connecticut Hugh Greer Yankee First round Syracuse L 82–76 East Lafayette George Davidson Independent Regional Fourth PlaceCanisiusL 82–76 East North Carolina Frank McGuire Atlantic Coast Champion KansasW 54–53 East Syracuse Marc Guley Independent Regional Runner-upNorth CarolinaL 67–58 East West Virginia Fred Schaus Southern First roundCanisiusL 64–56 East Yale Joe Vancisin Ivy League First round North CarolinaL 90–74 Mideast Mideast Kentucky Adolph Rupp Southeastern Regional Runner-up Michigan State L 80–68 Mideast Miami (OH) Bill Rohr Mid-American First round Notre Dame L 89–77 Mideast Michigan State Forddy Anderson Big Ten Fourth Place San Francisco L 67–60 Mideast Morehead State Bobby Laughlin Ohio Valley First round Pittsburgh L 86–85 Mideast Notre Dame John Jordan Independent Regional third placePittsburghW 86–85 Mideast Pittsburgh Bob Timmons Independent Regional Fourth PlaceNotre DameL 86–85 Midwest Midwest Kansas Dick Harp Big 7 Runner UpNorth CarolinaL 54–53 Midwest Loyola (LA) Jim McCafferty Independent First round Oklahoma City L 76–55 Midwest Oklahoma City Abe Lemons Independent Regional Runner-upKansasL 81–61 Midwest SMU Doc Hayes Southwest Regional third placeSaint LouisW 78–68 Midwest Saint Louis Eddie Hickey Missouri Valley Regional Fourth PlaceSMUL 78–68 West West BYU Stan Watts Mountain States Regional third placeIdaho StateW 65–54 West California Pete Newell Pacific Coast Regional Runner-upSan FranciscoL 50–46 West Hardin–Simmons Bill Scott Border First roundIdaho StateL 68–57 West Idaho State John Grayson Independent Regional Fourth PlaceBYUL 65–54 West San Francisco Phil Woolpert West Coast Athletic Third Place Michigan StateW 67–60
Bracket * – Denotes overtime period
East region
Mideast region
Midwest region
West region
Final Four
See also 1957 NCAA College Division basketball tournament 1957 National Invitation Tournament 1957 NAIA basketball tournament
References