Michigan won its first men's basketball championship at the 1989 NCAA tournament, beating Seton Hall 80-79 in overtime for the national title.
The Wolverines earned a 3-seed for the postseason under coach Bill Frieder. However interim coach Steve Fisher guided the team to the championship. Michigan was led by forward Glen Rice, who scored 34 points against the Pirates and was named Most Outstanding Player. Rice led the tournament in scoring.
Seton Hall, a 3-seed, met Michigan in the national championship game after winning its first five games by an average of 15.2 points. No. 1 seed Illinois and No. 2 seed Duke also competed at the 1989 Final Four.
Double-digit seeds won nine games in the 1989 NCAA tournament, with No. 11 seed Minnesota advancing to the Sweet 16. History was nearly made as two 16-seeds — East Tennessee State and Princeton — lost their opening round games to No. 1 seeds by one point each.
No. 1 seeds would remain unbeaten against No. 16 seeds until 2018, when UMBC became the first to advance to the Round of 32.
1989 NCAA tournament: Bracket
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1989 NCAA tournament: Scores
- First Round (Round of 64)
- East Regional
- No. 1 Georgetown 50, No. 16 Princeton 49
- No. 2 Duke 90, No. 15 South Carolina State 69
- No. 14 Siena 80, No. 3 Stanford 78
- No. 4 Iowa 87, No. 13 Rutgers 73
- No. 5 NC State 81, No. 12 South Carolina 66
- No. 11 Minnesota 86, No. 6 Kansas State 75
- No. 7 West Virginia 84, No. 10 Tennessee 68
- No. 9 Notre Dame 81, No. 8 Vanderbilt 65
- West Regional
- No. 1 Arizona 94, No. 16 Robert Morris 60
- No. 2 Indiana 99, No. 15 George Mason 85
- No. 3 Seton Hall 60, No. 14 Missouri State 51
- No. 4 UNLV 68, No. 13 Idaho 56
- No. 12 DePaul 66, No. 5 Memphis 63
- No. 11 Evansville 94, No. 6 Oregon State 90 (OT)
- No. 7 UTEP 85, No. 10 LSU 74
- No. 9 Clemson 83, No. 8 Saint Mary's 70
- Southeast Regional
- No. 1 Oklahoma 72, No. 16 East Tennessee State 71
- No. 2 North Carolina 93, No. 15 Southern 79
- No. 3 Michigan 92, No. 14 Xavier 87
- No. 13 Middle Tennessee State 97, No. 4 Florida State 83
- No. 5 Virginia 100, No. 12 Providence 97
- No. 11 South Alabama 86, No. 6 Alabama 84
- No. 7 UCLA 84, No. 10 Iowa State 74
- No. 9 Louisiana Tech 83, No. 8 La Salle 74
- Midwest Regional
- No. 1 Illinois 77, No. 16 McNeese State 71
- No. 2 Syracuse 104, No. 15 Bucknell 81
- No. 3 Missouri 85, No. 14 Creighton 69
- No. 4 Louisville 76, No. 13 Arkansas-Little Rock 71
- No. 5 Arkansas 120, No. 12 Loyola Marymount 101
- No. 11 Texas 76, No. 6 Georgia Tech 70
- No. 10 Colorado State 68, No. 7 Florida 46
- No. 9 Ball State 68, No. 8 Pittsburgh 64
- East Regional
- Second Round (Round of 32)
- East Regional
- No. 1 Georgetown 81, No. 9 Notre Dame 74
- No. 2 Duke 70, No. 7 West Virginia 63
- No. 11 Minnesota 80, No. 14 Siena 67
- No. 5 NC State 102, No. 4 Iowa 96 (2OT)
- West Regional
- No. 1 Arizona 94, No. 9 Clemson 68
- No. 2 Indiana 92, No. 7 UTEP 69
- No. 3 Seton Hall 87, No. 11 Evansville 73
- No. 4 UNLV 85, No. 12 DePaul 70
- Southeast Regional
- No. 1 Oklahoma 124, No. 9 Louisiana Tech 81
- No. 2 North Carolina 88, No. 7 UCLA 81
- No. 3 Michigan 91, No. 11 South Alabama 82
- No. 5 Virginia 104, No. 13 Middle Tennessee State 88
- Midwest Regional
- No. 1 Illinois 72, No. 9 Ball State 60
- No. 2 Syracuse 65, No. 10 Colorado State 50
- No. 3 Missouri 108, No. 11 Texas 89
- No. 4 Louisville 93, No. 5 Arkansas 84
- East Regional
- Sweet 16
- East Regional
- No. 1 Georgetown 69, No. 5 NC State 61
- No. 2 Duke 87, No. 11 Minnesota 70
- West Regional
- No. 4 UNLV 68, No. 1 Arizona 67
- No. 3 Seton Hall 78, No. 2 Indiana 65
- Southeast Regional
- No. 5 Virginia 86, No. 1 Oklahoma 80
- No. 3 Michigan 92, No. 2 North Carolina 87
- Midwest Regional
- No. 1 Illinois 83, No. 4 Louisville 69
- No. 2 Syracuse 83, No. 3 Missouri 80
- East Regional
- Elite Eight
- East Regional
- No. 2 Duke 85, No. 1 Georgetown 77
- West Regional
- No. 3 Seton Hall 84, No. 4 UNLV 61
- Southeast Regional
- No. 3 Michigan 102, No. 5 Virginia 65
- Midwest Regional
- No. 1 Illinois 89, No. 2 Syracuse 86
- East Regional
- Final Four (Seattle, Washington)
- National semifinals
- No. 3 Michigan 83, No. 1 Illinois 81 | Watch full game
- No. 3 Seton Hall 95, No. 2 Duke 78
- National championship
- No. 3 Michigan 80, No. 3 Seton Hall 79 (OT)
- National semifinals
1989 NCAA tournament: Upsets
The following double-digit seeds won games (not counting the First Four):
TEAM | SCORE | OPPONENT |
---|---|---|
FIRST ROUND (Round of 64) | ||
No. 14 Siena | 80-78 | No. 3 Stanford |
No. 13 Middle Tennessee State | 97-83 | No. 4 Florida State |
No. 12 DePaul | 66-63 | No. 5 Memphis |
No. 11 Evansville | 94-90 (OT) | No. 6 Oregon State |
No. 11 Minnesota | 86-75 | No. 6 Kansas State |
No. 11 South Alabama | 86-84 | No. 6 Alabama |
No. 11 Texas | 76-70 | No. 6 Georgia Tech |
No. 10 Colorado State | 68-46 | No. 7 Florida |
SECOND ROUND (Round of 32) | ||
No. 11 Minnesota | 80-67 | No. 14 Siena |
1989 NCAA tournament: Stats, records
Here are the tournament leaders, with games in parentheses (minimum three games):
Individual scoring
- Glen Rice, Michigan (6) — 30.7
Individual rebounding
- Pervis Ellison, Louisville and Stacey King, Oklahoma (3 each) — 10.3
Individual assists
- John Crotty, Virginia (4) — 9.75
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