1998 NCAA Division I men's basketball championship game

The 1998 NCAA Division I men's basketball championship game was the finals of the 1998 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament and it determined the national champion for the 1997–98 NCAA Division I men's basketball season The game was played on March 30, 1998, at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, and featured the South Regional Champion, No. 2-seeded Kentucky versus the West Regional Champion, No. 3-seeded Utah.[2]

1998 NCAA Tournament Championship Game
National championship game
Utah Utes Kentucky Wildcats
WAC SEC
(30–3) (34–4)
69 78
Head coach:
Rick Majerus
Head coach:
Tubby Smith
1st half2nd half Total
Utah Utes 4128 69
Kentucky Wildcats 3147 78
DateMarch 30, 1998
VenueAlamodome, San Antonio, Texas
MVPJeff Sheppard, Kentucky
FavoriteKentucky by 3.5[1]
RefereesJim Burr, Donnie Gray, Mike Sanzere
Attendance40,509
United States TV coverage
NetworkCBS
AnnouncersJim Nantz (play-by-play)
Billy Packer (color)
Michele Tafoya and Armen Keteyian (sideline)
← 1997
1999 →

Participants

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Utah Utes

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  • West Regional
    • (3) Utah 85, (14) San Francisco 68
    • (3) Utah 75, (6) Arkansas 69
    • (3) Utah 65, (10) West Virginia 62
    • (3) Utah 76, (1) Arizona 51
  • Final Four
    • (W3) Utah 65, (E1) North Carolina 59

Kentucky Wildcats

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Seeding in brackets

  • South
    • (2) Kentucky 82, (15) South Carolina State 67
    • (2) Kentucky 88, (10) Saint Louis 61
    • (2) Kentucky 94, (6) UCLA 66
    • (2) Kentucky 86, (1) Duke 84
  • Final Four
    • (S2) Kentucky 86, (MW3) Stanford 85 (OT)

Starting lineups

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Utah Position Kentucky
Andre Miller 1 G Wayne Turner
Derek Broomhall G Jeff Sheppard
Hanno Möttölä 2 F Allen Edwards
Alex Jensen F Scott Padgett 1
Michael Doleac 1 C Nazr Mohammed 1
 Players selected in an NBA draft  (number indicates round)

Source[3]

Game summary

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CBS
Monday, March 30
#S2 Kentucky Wildcats 78, #W3 Utah Utes 69
Scoring by half: 31–41, 47–28
Pts: Scott Padgett 17
Rebs: Heshimu Evans 6
Asts: Allen Edwards 5
Pts: Andre Miller 16
Rebs: Michael Doleac 10
Asts: Andre Miller 5
Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas
Attendance: 40,509
Referees: Jim Burr, Donnie Gray, Mike Sanzere

[4]

References

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  1. ^ Roxborough, Michael (March 30, 1998). "America's Line". Daily Record. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  2. ^ "Kentucky Turns Comeback Into Its 2d Title in 3 Years". The New York Times. March 31, 1998. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
  3. ^ "Utah vs. Kentucky Box Score (Men), March 30, 1998". Sports Reference. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
  4. ^ "Utah vs. Kentucky Box Score, March 30, 1998". Sports Reference. Retrieved March 10, 2019.