The 1961 NCAA University Division basketball tournament involved 24 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball in the United States. The 23rd annual edition of the tournament began on March 14, 1961, and ended with the championship game on March 25, at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. A total of 28 games were played, including a third place game in each region and a national third place game.

Cincinnati, coached by Ed Jucker, won the national title with a 70–65 victory in the final game over in-state rival and defending national champion Ohio State, coached by Fred Taylor. Jerry Lucas of Ohio State was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.

The national third-place game, won by Saint Joseph's over by the score of 127–120 in four overtimes, tied the record for the longest game in NCAA Division I tournament history, set in 1956 in a first-round game between Canisius and North Carolina State. As of the regional finals of the 2019 tournament, no NCAA Division I tournament games since then have gone to a fourth overtime period. Saint Joseph's victory was later vacated because of the 1961 gambling scandal.

Locations

Round Region Site Venue Host(s) First RoundEastNew York, New YorkMadison Square Garden MideastLouisville, KentuckyFreedom HallLouisville MidwestHouston, TexasDelmar FieldhouseHouston WestPortland, OregonMemorial Coliseum Regionals EastCharlotte, North CarolinaCharlotte Coliseum MideastLouisville, KentuckyFreedom HallLouisvilleMidwestLawrence, KansasAllen FieldhouseKansas WestPortland, OregonMemorial Coliseum Final FourKansas City, MissouriMunicipal Auditorium

Teams Region Team Coach Conference Finished Final Opponent Score East East George Washington Bill Reinhart Southern First roundPrincetonL 84–67 East Princeton Jake McCandless Ivy League Regional Fourth PlaceSt. BonaventureL 85–67 East Rhode Island Ernie Calverley Yankee First roundSt. BonaventureL 86–76 East St. Bonaventure Eddie Donovan Independent Regional third placePrincetonW 85–67 East St. John's Joe Lapchick Metro NY First roundWake ForestL 97–74 East Saint Joseph's Jack Ramsay Middle Atlantic Third PlaceUtahW 127–120 (4OT) East Wake Forest Bones McKinney Atlantic Coast Regional Runner-upSaint Joseph'sL 96–86 Mideast Mideast Kentucky Adolph Rupp Southeastern Regional Runner-upOhio StateL 87–74 Mideast Louisville Peck Hickman Independent Regional third placeMorehead StateW 83–61 Mideast Morehead State Robert Laughlin Ohio Valley Regional Fourth PlaceLouisvilleL 83–61 Mideast Ohio James Snyder Mid-American First roundLouisvilleL 76–70 Mideast Ohio State Fred Taylor Big Ten Runner UpCincinnatiL 70–65 Mideast Xavier Jim McCafferty Independent First roundMorehead StateL 71–66 Midwest Midwest Cincinnati Ed Jucker Missouri Valley ChampionOhio StateW 70–65 Midwest Houston Guy Lewis Independent Regional Fourth PlaceTexas TechL 69–67 Midwest Kansas State Tex Winter Big 8 Regional Runner-upCincinnatiL 69–64 Midwest Marquette Eddie Hickey Independent First roundHoustonL 77–61 Midwest Texas Tech Polk Robison Southwest Regional third placeHoustonW 69–67 West West Arizona State Ned Wulk Border Regional Runner-upUtahL 88–80 West Loyola (Los Angeles) William Donovan West Coast Athletic Regional third placeUSCW 69–67 West Oregon Steve Belko Independent First round USCL 81–79 West Seattle Vince Cazzetta Independent First roundArizona StateL 72–70 West USC Forrest Twogood AAWU Regional Fourth PlaceLoyola (Los Angeles)L 69–67 West Utah Jack Gardner Mountain States Fourth PlaceSaint Joseph'sL 127–120 (4OT)

Bracket * – Denotes overtime period

East region

Mideast region

Midwest region

West region

Final Four

* - denotes overtime

# - Saint Joseph's was later forced to vacate their appearance in the 1961 NCAA Tournament due to a gambling scandal involving a player on the team. Unlike forfeiture, a vacated game does not result in the other school being credited with a win, only with Saint Joseph's removing the wins from its own record.

National Third Place Game

Regional third place games

See also 1961 NCAA College Division basketball tournament 1961 National Invitation Tournament 1961 NAIA basketball tournament

References