1996 NCAA Division I men's basketball championship game

See also: 1996 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament

1996 NCAA Tournament Championship Game

National championship game
Syracuse Orangemen Kentucky Wildcats Big East SEC (29–8) (34–2) 67 76 Head coach: Jim Boeheim Head coach: Rick Pitino
AP: 15 Coaches: 14 AP: 2 Coaches: 2
1st half 2nd half Total Syracuse Orangemen 33 34 67 Kentucky Wildcats 42 34 76
Date	April 1, 1996
Venue	Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, New Jersey
MVP	Tony Delk, Kentucky
Favorite	Kentucky by 14
Referees	John Clougherty, Scott Thornley and David Libbey
Attendance	19,229
United States TV coverage
Network	CBS
Announcers	Jim Nantz (play-by-play) Billy Packer (color) Michele Tafoya and Andrea Joyce (sideline)

The 1996 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship Game was the finals of the 1996 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament and it determined the national champion for the 1995-96 NCAA Division I men's basketball season The game was played on April 1, 1996, at Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and featured the Midwest Regional Champion, #1-seeded Kentucky versus the West Regional Champion, #4-seeded Syracuse.

This was the first time the national championship game was held in the Greater New York Area since 1950. This was also the last men's national championship game to be held in a basketball/hockey-specific facility. Every Men's National Championship Game since then has been held in a domed stadium (usually built for football) because of NCAA venue capacity requirements. Therefore, this was the last time the national championship game was held in the Greater New York Area, or anywhere else in the Northeastern United States.

Kentucky defeated Syracuse 76-67 to win their first national championship since 1978. Kentucky star Antoine Walker faced off against former high school teammate, Donovan McNabb, in the national championship against Syracuse University. McNabb would later gain fame as a quarterback with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Participating teams

Syracuse Orangemen

Main article: 1995–96 Syracuse Orangemen basketball team

• West
  • (4) Syracuse 88, (13) Montana State 55
  • (4) Syracuse 69, (12) Drexel 58
  • (4) Syracuse 83, (8) Georgia 81 (OT)
  • (4) Syracuse 60, (2) Kansas 57
• Final Four
  • (W4) Syracuse 77, (SE5) Mississippi State 69

Kentucky Wildcats

Main article: 1995–96 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team

• Midwest
  • (1) Kentucky 110, (16) San Jose State 72
  • (1) Kentucky 84, (9) Virginia Tech 60
  • (1) Kentucky 101, (4) Utah 70
  • (1) Kentucky 83, (2) Wake Forest 63
• Final Four
  • (MW1) Kentucky 81, (E1) Massachusetts 74

Starting lineups

Syracuse	Position		Kentucky
Jason Cipolla	G		† Tony Delk 1
Lazarus Sims	G		Anthony Epps
Todd Burgan	F		Derek Anderson
John Wallace 1	F		Antoine Walker 1
Otis Hill	C		Walter McCarty 1
† 1996 Consensus First Team All-American
Players selected in the 1996 NBA draft  (number indicates round)

Source

Game summary

CBS

Monday, April, 1

Box score

#MW1 Kentucky Wildcats 76, #W4 Syracuse Orangemen 67
Pts: T. Delk - 24 Rebs: A. Walker - 9 Asts: A. Epps - 7		Pts: J. Wallace - 29 Rebs: J. Wallace, O. Hill - 10 Asts: L. Sims - 7 Halftime Score: Kentucky, 42-33

Continental Airlines Arena - East Rutherford, NJ