The 2008 NCAA tournament was the eighth NCAA tournament with a 65-team bracket, prior to the introduction of the 68-team bracket that featured the First Four in 2011. The 2008 NCAA tournament was the first time that all four No. 1 seeds made the Final Four: Kansas, Memphis, North Carolina and UCLA.
Kansas won its third national championship, winning an overtime thriller over Memphis 75-68. The tournament was also notable in that a double-digit seed won every game played in Tampa, Florida (No. 12 Villanova, No. 12 Western Kentucky, No. 13 Siena, No. 13 San Diego). This year also saw Stephen Curry lead No. 10 seed Davidson to the Elite Eight.
2008 NCAA tournament: Bracket
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2008 NCAA tournament: Scores
- Opening Round Game
- Dayton, Ohio
- No. 16 Mount St. Mary's 69, No. 16 Coppin State 60
- Dayton, Ohio
- First Round (Round of 64)
- East Regional
- No. 1 North Carolina 113, No. 16 Mount St. Mary's 74
- No. 9 Arkansas 86, No. 8 Indiana 72
- No. 5 Notre Dame 68, No. 12 George Mason 50
- No. 4 Washington State 71, No. 13 Winthrop 40
- No. 6 Oklahoma 72, No. 11 St. Joseph's 64
- No. 3 Louisville 79, No. 14 Boise State 61
- No. 7 Butler 81, No. 10 South Alabama 61
- No. 2 Tennessee 72, No. 15 American 57
- Midwest Regional
- No. 1 Kansas 85, No. 16 Portland State 61
- No. 8 UNLV 71, No. 9 Kent State 58
- No. 12 Villanova 75, No. 5 Clemson 69
- No. 13 Siena 83, No. 4 Vanderbilt 62
- No. 11 Kansas State 80, No. 6 USC 67
- No. 3 Wisconsin 71, No. 14 Cal State Fullerton 56
- No. 10 Davidson 82, No. 7 Gonzaga 76
- No. 2 Georgetown 66, No. 15 UMBC 47
- South Regional
- No. 1 Memphis 87, No. 16 Texas-Arlington 63
- No. 8 Mississippi State 76, No. 9 Oregon 69
- No. 5 Michigan State 72, No. 12 Temple 61
- No. 4 Pittsburgh 82, No. 13 Oral Roberts 63
- No. 6 Marquette 74, No. 11 Kentucky 66
- No. 3 Stanford 77, No. 14 Cornell 53
- No. 7 Miami (FL) 78, No. 10 Saint Mary's 64
- No. 2 Texas 74, No. 15 Austin Peay 54
- West Regional
- No. 1 UCLA 70, No. 16 Mississippi Valley State 29
- No. 9 Texas A&M 67, No. 8 BYU 62
- No. 12 Western Kentucky 101, No. 5 Drake 99 (OT)
- No. 13 San Diego 70, No. 4 UConn 69
- No. 6 Purdue 90, No. 11 Baylor 79
- No. 3 Xavier 73, No. 14 Georgia 61
- No. 7 West Virginia 75, No. 10 Arizona 65
- No. 2 Duke 71, No. 15 Belmont 70
- East Regional
- Second Round (Round of 32)
- East Regional
- No. 1 North Carolina 108, No. 9 Arkansas 77
- No. 4 Washington State 61, No. 5 Notre Dame 41
- No. 3 Louisville 78, No. 6 Oklahoma 48
- No. 2 Tennessee 76, No. 7 Butler 71 (OT)
- Midwest Regional
- No. 1 Kansas 75, No. 8 UNLV 56
- No. 12 Villanova 84, No. 13 Siena 72
- No. 3 Wisconsin 72, No. 11 Kansas State 55
- No. 10 Davidson 74, No. 2 Georgetown 70
- South Regional
- No. 1 Memphis 77, No. 8 Mississippi State 74
- No. 5 Michigan State 65, No. 4 Pittsburgh 54
- No. 3 Stanford 82, No. 6 Marquette 81 (OT)
- No. 2 Texas 75, No. 7 Miami (FL) 72
- West Regional
- No. 1 UCLA 51, No. 9 Texas A&M 49
- No. 12 Western Kentucky 72, No. 13 San Diego 63
- No. 3 Xavier 85, No. 6 Purdue 78
- No. 7 West Virginia 73, No. 2 Duke 67
- East Regional
- Sweet 16
- East Regional
- No. 1 North Carolina 68, No. 4 Washington State 47
- No. 3 Louisville 79, No. 2 Tennessee 60
- Midwest Regional
- No. 1 Kansas 72, No. 12 Villanova 57
- No. 10 Davidson 73, No. 3 Wisconsin 56
- South Regional
- No. 1 Memphis 92, No. 5 Michigan State 74
- No. 2 Texas 82, No. 3 Stanford 62
- West Regional
- No. 1 UCLA 88, No. 12 Western Kentucky 78
- No. 3 Xavier 79, No. 7 West Virginia 75 (OT)
- East Regional
- Elite Eight
- East Regional
- No. 1 North Carolina 83, No. 3 Louisville 73
- Midwest Regional
- No. 1 Kansas 59, No. 10 Davidson 57 |
- South Regional
- No. 1 Memphis 85, No. 2 Texas 67
- West Regional
- No. 1 UCLA 76, No. 3 Xavier 57
- East Regional
- Final Four
- National semifinals
- No. 1 Kansas 84, No. 1 North Carolina 66
- No. 1 Memphis 78, No. 1 UCLA 63
- National championship
- No. 1 Kansas 75, No. 1 Memphis 68 (OT) |
- National semifinals
2008 NCAA tournament: Upsets
The following double-digit seeds won games (not counting First Four games):
Team | Score | Opponent |
---|---|---|
FIRST ROUND (Round of 64) | ||
No. 10 Davidson | 82-76 | No. 7 Gonzaga |
No. 11 Kansas State | 80-67 | No. 6 USC |
No. 12 Villanova | 75-69 | No. 5 Clemson |
No. 12 Western Kentucky | 101-99 (OT) | No. 5 Drake |
No. 13 Siena | 83-62 | No. 4 Vanderbilt |
No. 13 San Diego | 70-69 | No. 4 UConn |
SECOND ROUND (Round of 32) | ||
No. 10 Davidson | 74-70 | No. 2 Georgetown |
No. 12 Villanova | 84-72 | No. 13 Siena |
No. 12 Western Kentucky | 72-63 | No. 13 San Diego |
SWEET 16 | ||
No. 10 Davidson | 73-56 | No. 3 Wisconsin |
2008 NCAA tournament: Stats, records
Here are the 2008 NCAA tournament leaders (number of games in parentheses):
Scoring offense
1. Drake (1): 99.0 points per game
2. North Carolina (5): 87.6 points per game
3. Purdue (2): 84.0 points per game
4. Western Kentucky (3): 83.7 points per game
5. Arkansas (2): 81.5 points per game
Scoring defense
1. Washington State (3): 49.7 points per game
2. Notre Dame (2): 55.5 points per game
3. Texas A&M (2): 57.5 points per game
4. UCLA (5): 58.2 points per game
5. Georgetown (2): 60.5 points per game
Rebounding margin
1. Kansas State (2): +13.5
T2. UConn (1): +12.0
T2. American (1): +12.0
4. North Carolina (4): +8.4
5. Kansas (6): +8.0
Individual scoring
- Stephen Curry, Davidson (4): 32.0 points per game
Individual rebounding
- Kevin Love, UCLA (5): 10.6 rebounds per game