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The 1989
NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament The NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, branded as March Madness, or The Big Dance, is a single-elimination tournament played in the United States to determine the men's college basketball national champion of the NCAA Division I, Di ...
involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's
NCAA Division I NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest division of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major collegiate athlet ...
college basketball College basketball is basketball that is played by teams of Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. In the Higher education in the United States, United States, colleges and universities are governed by collegiate athle ...
. It began on March 16, 1989, and ended with the championship game on April 3 in
Seattle Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...
. A total of 63 games were played.
Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...
, coached by Steve Fisher, won the national title with an 80–79 overtime victory in the final game over Seton Hall, coached by P. J. Carlesimo. Glen Rice of Michigan set an NCAA tournament record by scoring 184 points in six games and was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. Just prior to the start of this tournament, Michigan coach Bill Frieder had announced that he would accept the head coaching position at
Arizona State University Arizona State University (Arizona State or ASU) is a public university, public research university in Tempe, Arizona, United States. Founded in 1885 as Territorial Normal School by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, the university is o ...
at the end of the season. Michigan athletic director Bo Schembechler promptly fired Frieder and appointed top assistant Fisher as interim coach, stating famously, that "a Michigan man is going to coach a Michigan team." Two 16-seeded teams came within one point of victory in the first round ( Georgetown vs. Princeton, Oklahoma vs. East Tennessee State), and a third came within six points. This tournament was also unusual in that all four 11-seeds advanced out of the first round. The 1989 Tournament was the second one since 1980, with
1987 Events January * January 1 – Bolivia reintroduces the Boliviano currency. * January 2 – Chadian–Libyan conflict – Battle of Fada: The Military of Chad, Chadian army destroys a Libyan armoured brigade. * January 3 – Afghan leader ...
being the first, in which the defending national champion did not participate in the tournament.
Kansas Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...
, winner of the 1988 NCAA title, had been placed on probation for violations committed by former coach Larry Brown and was barred from the tournament. Brown left Kansas immediately after winning the national championship to return to coaching in the NBA with the
San Antonio Spurs The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...
, leaving first-year coach Roy Williams to coach the team. It is the only time the Jayhawks have missed the NCAA tournament from 1984 to the present day. The defending champion would not be left out of the next year's tournament again until
2008 2008 was designated as: *International Year of Languages *International Year of Planet Earth *International Year of the Potato *International Year of Sanitation The Great Recession, a worldwide recession which began in 2007, continued throu ...
. The tournament was notable for the poor performance of the SEC. After traditional stalwart Kentucky missed the postseason after experiencing its first losing season since 1927, none of the five SEC teams won a game in the tournament.


Schedule and venues

The following are the sites that were selected to host each round of the 1989 tournament, and their hosts: First and Second Rounds *March 16 and 18 **East Region *** Greensboro Coliseum,
Greensboro, North Carolina Greensboro (; ) is a city in Guilford County, North Carolina, United States, and its county seat. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, its population was 299,035; it was estimated to be 307,381 in 2024. It is the List of municipalitie ...
(Host:
Atlantic Coast Conference The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference in the United States. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the ACC's eighteen member universities compete in the National Collegiate Athlet ...
) **Midwest Region *** Hoosier Dome,
Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis ( ), colloquially known as Indy, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Indiana, most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana, Marion ...
(Hosts:
Butler University Butler University is a private university in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Founded in 1855 and named after founder Ovid Butler, the university has over 60 major academic fields of study within six colleges in the arts, business, communic ...
, Midwestern Collegiate Conference) **Southeast Region *** Memorial Gymnasium,
Nashville, Tennessee Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...
(Host:
Vanderbilt University Vanderbilt University (informally Vandy or VU) is a private university, private research university in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, it was named in honor of shipping and railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provide ...
) **West Region *** BSU Pavilion,
Boise, Idaho Boise ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Idaho, most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, there were 235,685 people residing in the city. Loca ...
(Host: Boise State University) *March 17 and 19 **East Region *** Providence Civic Center,
Providence, Rhode Island Providence () is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Rhode Island, most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. The county seat of Providence County, Rhode Island, Providence County, it is o ...
(Host:
Providence College Providence College is a Private university, private Roman Catholic university in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1917 by the Dominican Order and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence, it offers 47 undergraduate Academic ...
) **Midwest Region *** Reunion Arena,
Dallas, Texas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...
(Host:
Southwest Conference The Southwest Conference (SWC) was an NCAA Division I college athletic conference in the United States that existed from 1914 to 1996. Composed primarily of schools from Texas, at various times the conference also included schools from Oklaho ...
) **Southeast Region ***
Omni Coliseum Omni Coliseum (often called The Omni) was an indoor arena in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Completed in 1972, the arena seated 16,378 for basketball and 15,278 for ice hockey, hockey. It was part of the Omni Complex, now known as the CNN Cente ...
,
Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...
(Host: Georgia Tech) **West Region *** McKale Center,
Tucson, Arizona Tucson (; ; ) is a city in Pima County, Arizona, United States, and its county seat. It is the second-most populous city in Arizona, behind Phoenix, Arizona, Phoenix, with a population of 542,630 in the 2020 United States census. The Tucson ...
(Host:
University of Arizona The University of Arizona (Arizona, U of A, UArizona, or UA) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Tucson, Arizona, United States. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, it ...
) Regional semifinals and finals (Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight) *March 23 and 25 **Southeast Regional, Rupp Arena,
Lexington, Kentucky Lexington is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city coterminous with and the county seat of Fayette County, Kentucky, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census the city's population was 322,570, making it the List of ...
(Host:
University of Kentucky The University of Kentucky (UK, UKY, or U of K) is a Public University, public Land-grant University, land-grant research university in Lexington, Kentucky, United States. Founded in 1865 by John Bryan Bowman as the Agricultural and Mechanical ...
) **West Regional,
McNichols Sports Arena McNichols Sports Arena was an indoor arena located in Denver, Colorado, United States. Located adjacent to Mile High Stadium and completed in 1975, at a cost of $16 million, it seated 16,061 for hockey games and 17,171 for basketball games. Sp ...
,
Denver, Colorado Denver ( ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Consolidated city and county, consolidated city and county, the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous city of the U.S. state of ...
(Hosts: University of Colorado Boulder, Big 8 Conference) *March 24 and 26 **East Regional, Brendan Byrne Arena,
East Rutherford, New Jersey East Rutherford is a Borough (New Jersey), borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is an inner suburb, inner-ring suburb of New York City, located west of Midtown Manhattan. As of the 2020 Unit ...
(Hosts:
Seton Hall University Seton Hall University (SHU) is a Private university, private Catholic Church, Catholic research university in South Orange, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1856 by then-Bishop James Roosevelt Bayley and named after his aunt, Saint Elizab ...
,
Big East Conference The Big East Conference (stylized as BIG EAST) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference that competes in National Collegiate Athletic Association, NCAA NCAA Division I, Division I in 10 men's sports and 12 women's sports. H ...
) **Midwest Regional, Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome,
Minneapolis, Minnesota Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the state's List of cities in Minnesota, most populous city. Locat ...
(Host:
University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota Twin Cities (historically known as University of Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint ...
) National semifinals and championship (Final Four and championship) *April 1 and 3 ** Kingdome,
Seattle, Washington Seattle ( ) is the List of municipalities in Washington, most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the List of Unit ...
(Host:
University of Washington The University of Washington (UW and informally U-Dub or U Dub) is a public research university in Seattle, Washington, United States. Founded in 1861, the University of Washington is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast of the Uni ...
)


Teams


Bracket

* – Denotes overtime period


East Regional – East Rutherford, New Jersey


First round summary


Second round summary


Regional Semi-final summary


Regional Final summary


West Regional – Denver, Colorado


First round summary


Second round summary


Regional Semi-final summary


Regional Final summary


Southeast Regional – Lexington, Kentucky


First round summary


Second round summary


Regional Semi-final summary


Regional Final summary


Midwest Regional – Minneapolis


First round summary


Second round summary


Regional Semi-final summary


Regional Final summary


Final Four – Seattle


Game summaries


National Championship


Announcers


Television

CBS Sports CBS Sports is the American sports programming division of Paramount Global that is responsible for sports broadcasts carried by its broadcast network CBS and streaming service Paramount+, as well as the operator of its cable channel CBS Sports N ...
* Jim Nantz &
James Brown James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, musician, and record producer. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th-century music, he is referred to by Honorific nick ...
served as studio hosts. *
Brent Musburger Brent Woody Musburger (born May 26, 1939) is an American sportscaster, currently the lead broadcaster and managing editor at Vegas Stats and Information Network (VSiN). With CBS Sports from 1973 until 1990, he was the original host of their ...
and Billy Packer – first round (DePaul–Memphis State) at Boise, Idaho; second round at Indianapolis, Indiana and Atlanta, Georgia; East Regionals at East Rutherford, New Jersey; Final Four at Seattle, Washington * Dick Stockton and Bill Raftery – second round at Greensboro, North Carolina and Dallas, Texas; West Regionals at Denver, Colorado * Tim Brant and Len Elmore – second round at Boise, Idaho; Southeast Regionals at Lexington, Kentucky * Verne Lundquist and Tom Heinsohn – first round (Louisiana State–UTEP) and Second Round at Tucson, Arizona; Midwest Regionals at Minneapolis, Minnesota * Steve Zabriskie and Curry Kirkpatrick – second round at Nashville, Tennessee * Greg Gumbel and Quinn Buckner – second round at Providence, Rhode Island
ESPN ESPN (an initialism of their original name, which was the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by the Walt Disney Company (80% and operational control) and Hearst Commu ...
and NCAA Productions * Tim Brando (NCAA Tournament Today) and John Saunders (NCAA Tournament Tonight) served as studio hosts and
Dick Vitale Richard "Dick" John Vitale (; born June 9, 1939), also known as "Dickie V", is an American basketball sportscaster. A former head coach in the college and professional ranks, he is well known for his 41-year tenure as a college basketball broadc ...
served as studio analyst. * Bob Carpenter and Quinn Buckner – first round (South Carolina–North Carolina State) & (Notre Dame–Vanderbilt) at Providence, Rhode Island * Mike Gorman and Ron Perry – first round (Rutgers–Iowa) & (Princeton–Georgetown) at Providence, Rhode Island * Mike Patrick and Dan Bonner – first round (Minnesota–Kansas State) & (South Carolina State–Duke) at Greensboro, North Carolina * Bob Rathbun and Bucky Waters – first round (Siena–Stanford) & (Tennessee–West Virginia) at Greensboro, North Carolina * Tom Hammond and Clark Kellogg – first round (UALR–Louisville) & (Ball State–Pittsburgh) at Indianapolis, Indiana * Mick Hubert and Jim Gibbons – first round (Loyola Marymount–Arkansas) & (McNeese State–Illinois) at Indianapolis, Indiana * Ron Franklin and Billy King – first round (Texas–Georgia Tech) at Dallas, Texas *Frank Fallon and Bob Ortegel – first round (Colorado State–Florida), (Creighton–Missouri), & (Syracuse–Bucknell) at Dallas, Texas * Wayne Larrivee and Jack Givens – first round (Louisiana Tech–LaSalle) & (Middle Tennessee State–Florida State) at Nashville, Tennessee * John Sanders and Gary Thompson – first round (East Tennessee State–Oklahoma) & (Providence–Virginia) at Nashville, Tennessee *Ralph Hacker and Dan Belluomini – first round (Xavier–Michigan) & (Iowa State–UCLA) at Atlanta, Georgia * Fred White and Larry Conley – first round (South Alabama–Alabama) & (Southern–North Carolina) at Atlanta, Georgia * Brad Nessler and Irv Brown – first round (Robert Morris–Arizona) & (Idaho–UNLV) at Boise, Idaho * Ted Robinson and Mike Pratt– first round (Clemson–Saint Mary's) at Boise, Idaho *Pete Solomon and Bob Elliott – first round (Evansville–Oregon State) at Tucson, Arizona * Barry Tompkins and Bruce Larson – first round (SW Missouri State–Seton Hall) & (George Mason–Indiana) at Tucson, Arizona


Radio


First and second rounds

CBS Radio


Regionals

* – East Regionals at East Rutherford, New Jersey * – Midwest Regionals at Minneapolis, Minnesota * – Southeast Regionals at Lexington, Kentucky * Ted Robinson and – West Regionals at Denver, Colorado


Final Four

* – at Seattle, Washington


Legacy

The story of the Wolverines' success was cited as inspiration in another sport. When the
Spain national football team The Spain national football team () has represented Spain in men's international Association football, football competitions since 1920. It is governed by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. Spain i ...
manager Julen Lopetegui was sacked days before the
2018 FIFA World Cup The 2018 FIFA World Cup was the 21st FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for national association football, football teams organized by FIFA. It took place in Russia from 14 June to 15 July 2018, after the country was awarded t ...
started after agreeing to join
Real Madrid Real Madrid Club de Fútbol (), commonly referred to as Real Madrid, is a Spanish professional Football club (association football), football club based in Madrid. The club competes in La Liga, th ...
after the tournament, Spanish defender Gerard Piqué drew parallels with Michigan's NCAA win amid similar circumstances. Unfortunately, Spain failed to advance beyond the round of 16 while
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
won the tournament.


See also

* 1989 NCAA Division II men's basketball tournament * 1989 NCAA Division III men's basketball tournament *
1989 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament The 1989 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament began on March 15 and ended on April 2. The tournament expanded from 40 to 48 teams. The Final Four consisted of Auburn University, Auburn, Louisiana Tech, Tennessee Lady Volunteers Basketba ...
* 1989 NCAA Division II women's basketball tournament * 1989 NCAA Division III women's basketball tournament * 1989 National Invitation Tournament * 1989 National Women's Invitation Tournament * 1989 NAIA Division I men's basketball tournament * 1989 NAIA Division I women's basketball tournament


References

{{1989 Michigan Wolverines men's basketball navbox NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament Naia Basketball in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex Basketball competitions in Seattle
NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament The NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, branded as March Madness, or The Big Dance, is a single-elimination tournament played in the United States to determine the men's college basketball national champion of the NCAA Division I, Di ...
NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament The NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, branded as March Madness, or The Big Dance, is a single-elimination tournament played in the United States to determine the men's college basketball national champion of the NCAA Division I, Di ...
1980s in Seattle
NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament The NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, branded as March Madness, or The Big Dance, is a single-elimination tournament played in the United States to determine the men's college basketball national champion of the NCAA Division I, Di ...