Welcome back everyone! Yesterday, I unveiled my official 2020 March Madness Bracket. While we won't get the opportunity to enjoy the NCAA tournament this season, I'll still be simulating my bracket all the way through. In the mean time, I'm launching a new series that will take a look back at different NCAA basketball tournaments from yesteryear. There have been a countless number of priceless moments from over the years that have helped to make the tournament what it is today.
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In today's "Back In Time with @sportsguychris", I'll be taking us back to 1976, and the last time a team finished an entire season undefeated - from start to finish - including being crowned National Champions. Come along for the ride, and as we revisit the 1976 NCAA Tournament.
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During the 1960s and 1970s, UCLA had dominated college basketball under legendary head coach John Wooden, winning 10 National Championships in 12 seasons, including Wooden's final season in 1974-75. With Wooden now retired, the 1975-76 season brought with it an opportunity for a new program to emerge and finally challenge the Bruins' dominance for the National Title.
The 1976 NCAA Tournament brought with it plenty of intrigue, as UCLA once-again turned in another fine season, finishing 28-4 and Pacific 8 Champions. Despite another fine regular season, the Bruins actually took a backseat to two teams that managed to finish the regular season both unbeaten as the tournament was set to tip-off. Both Indiana, and Rutgers managed to go through their regular season slates undefeated, and both made a run through the bracket and reached the Final Four.
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Before we get to what was a truly dynamic 1976 Final Four, there were several results that made the 1976 Tournament one to remember. At the time, 32 teams made the "Big Dance", with the tournament having expanded from 25 for the first time the year prior. Before the expansion, only 1 team per conference was permitted, but after the expansion to 32, that rule was lifted. With the expansion came more teams, and with more teams, came more noteworthy results.
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Pepperdine upset Memphis State, 87-77, in the opening round. The Tigers had been the National Runners-up to John Wooden and UCLA just 3 years prior. North Carolina suffered a rare opening-round loss, as they fell to Alabama. Then there was the biggest surprise of the tournament, as Virginia Military Institute (VMI) not only upset Tennessee in the first round, they also went on to sneak past DePaul in overtime, before finally bowing out in the Regional Finals (Elite 8) to undefeated Rutgers. The Keydets were 22-10 and had won the SoCon Tournament to reach the field. To date, it is by far the most success they've had in the tournament.
While VMI's run finally came to an end in the Elite 8, Rutgers' was still going. The Scarlet Knights were two wins away from an unbeaten season, but first they had to get past Michigan in the National Semifinal. The Wolverines finished runners-up to Indiana in the Big TEN after going 14-4 in conference play and 21-6 overall during the regular season. They defeated Wichita State in a thriller, 74-73, in the opening round, then got past Notre Dame and Missouri to punch their ticket to the Final Four.
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Meanwhile, the defending National Champions were back to business as usual as they cruised to the Final Four with victories over San Diego State, Pepperdine, and Arizona. After winning their three games by 10, 9, and 16 points, respectively, it appeared the Bruins hadn't missed a beat despite the retirement of John Wooden. Waiting for them in the National Semifinal, however, was a completely different beast than they had seen during their years of unprecedented success.
Bobby Knight and Indiana not only went undefeated in the Big TEN, they were a perfect 27-0 heading into the Tournament. They knocked off St. John's in dominant fashion, 90-70, in the opening round, then got past Alabama 74-69, and then took out a very good Marquette squad, 65-56 in the Elite 8. At 30-0 heading into the showdown with UCLA, the stakes couldn't have been any higher for the Hoosiers, as one of the most highly anticipated Final Four matchups of all-time was set.
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The Hoosiers dominated the Bruins in an impressive defensive effort, taking out the defending Champs 65-51. Indiana wasn't the only team to impress in the National Semifinal, however, as Michigan looked equally dominant in an 86-70 thrashing of previously unbeaten Rutgers. The victory meant a third matchup between Indiana & Michigan, this time, with the National Title on the line. The first game between the two in Ann Arbor ended in a narrow 80-74 victory for the Hoosiers, and the second matchup in Bloomington was even more grueling, as the game went to overtime before Indiana gutted out a 72-67 victory.
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Despite the two close games during the regular season, Bobby Knight's Hoosiers were ready for the National Championship game as they rolled the Wolverines, 86-68 in a surprisingly easy contest to capture the 1976 National Championship. The 76' Title game was the first one contested between two teams from the same conference (Indiana & Michigan - Big TEN). It also marked the last time that a team finished the season from start to finish - including winning the NCAA Tournament and being crowned National Champions - undefeated, as Indiana finished up a perfect 32-0.
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I hope you enjoyed today's visit to the past to revisit the 1976 version of March Madness. I'll be back again tomorrow doing my best to keep March Madness 2020 alive the best I can with my play-in game results for my official bracket released yesterday. That will bring us to the regular field of 64, at which time I'll be looking for your picks and input on who you think will make a run. Over the course of the next couple of weeks, I'll be re-visiting other NCAA Tournaments from yesterday, and providing you all with many more "Back In Time with @sportsguychris" moments.
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Chris Elgersma
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Be sure to follow me on Instagram & Youtube -
@sportsguychris
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