1962 NCAA University Division basketball tournament
The 1962 NCAA University Division basketball tournament involved 25 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball in the United States. It began on March 12, 1962, and ended with the championship game on March 24 in Louisville, Kentucky. A total of 29 games were played, including a third-place game in each region and a national third-place game, which was won by Wake Forest.
| Season | 1961–62 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teams | 25 | ||||
| Finals site | Freedom Hall Louisville, Kentucky | ||||
| Champions | Cincinnati Bearcats (2nd title, 2nd title game, 4th Final Four) | ||||
| Runner-up | Ohio State Buckeyes (4th title game, 7th Final Four) | ||||
| Semifinalists |
| ||||
| Winning coach | Ed Jucker (2nd title) | ||||
| MOP | Paul Hogue (Cincinnati) | ||||
| Attendance | 177,469 | ||||
| Top scorer | Len Chappell (Wake Forest) (134 points) | ||||
| |||||
For the second consecutive season, Cincinnati, coached by Ed Jucker, played Ohio State, coached by Fred Taylor, in the final game. Cincinnati won the national title with a 71–59 victory over Ohio State. Paul Hogue of Cincinnati was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.
The total attendance for the tournament was 177,469, a new record.