Indiana won its fifth national championship at the 1987 NCAA tournament, beating Syracuse 74-73 in the title game. Keith Smart was named Most Outstanding Player after scoring 21 points against Syracuse, including the game-winning shot. Find the bracket, scores and more below.
The Hoosiers were one of two top-seeded teams to reach the Final Four in addition to UNLV. Syracuse won the East Regional as a No. 2 seed while Providence became the first No. 6 seed in NCAA tournament history to play in a national semifinal.
The Friars weren't the only lower-seeded team with a strong showing. Double-digit seeds won nine games in this tournament. Among them, No. 12 Wyoming reached the Sweet 16 while No. 10 LSU made it to the Elite Eight. It was the Tigers' second straight appearance in the regional final as a double-digit seed (1986).
The 1987 tournament was also the first postseason in college basketball history to feature the 3-point line and the last to allow a home-court advantage.
1987 NCAA tournament: Bracket
Click or tap here for a closer look at the bracket.
1987 NCAA tournament: Scores
- First Round (Round of 64)
- East Regional
- No. 1 North Carolina 113, No. 16 Penn 82
- No. 2 Syracuse 79, No. 15 Georgia Southern 73
- No. 3 Purdue 104, No. 14 Northeastern 95
- No. 4 TCU 76, No. 13 Marshall 60
- No. 5 Notre Dame 84, No. 12 Middle Tennessee State 71
- No. 6 Florida 82, No. 11 NC State 70
- No. 10 Western Kentucky 64, No. 7 West Virginia 62
- No. 9 Michigan 97, No. 8 Navy 82
- West Regional
- No. 1 UNLV 95, No. 16 Idaho State 70
- No. 2 Iowa 99, No. 15 Santa Clara 76
- No. 3 Pitt 93, No. 14 Marist 68
- No. 4 UCLA 92, No. 13 Central Michigan 73
- No. 12 Wyoming 64, No. 5 Virginia 60
- No. 6 Oklahoma 74, No. 11 Tulsa 69
- No. 7 UTEP 98, No. 10 Arizona 91 (OT)
- No. 9 Kansas State 82, No. 8 Georgia 79 (OT)
- Southeast Regional
- No. 1 Georgetown 75, No. 16 Bucknell 53
- No. 2 Alabama 88, No. 15 North Carolina A&T 71
- No. 14 Austin Peay 68, No. 3 Illinois 67
- No. 13 Southwest Missouri State 65, No. 4 Clemson 60
- No. 5 Kansas 66, No. 12 Houston 55
- No. 6 Providence 90, No. 11 UAB 68
- No. 7 New Orleans 83, No. 10 BYU 79
- No. 9 Ohio State 91, No. 8 Kentucky 77
- Midwest Regional
- No. 1 Indiana 92, No. 16 Fairfield 58
- No. 2 Temple 75, No. 15 Southern 56
- No. 3 DePaul 76, No. 14 Louisiana Tech 62
- No. 13 Xavier 70, No. 4 Missouri 69
- No. 5 Duke 58, No. 12 Texas A&M 51
- No. 6 St. John's 57, No. 11 Wichita State 55
- No. 10 LSU 85, No. 7 Georgia Tech 79
- No. 8 Auburn, No. 9 San Diego 61
- East Regional
- Second Round (Round of 32)
- East Regional
- No. 1 North Carolina 109, No. 9 Michigan 97
- No. 2 Syracuse 104, No. 10 Western Kentucky 86
- No. 6 Florida 85, No. 3 Purdue 66
- No. 5 Notre Dame 58, No. 4 TCU 57
- West Regional
- No. 1 UNLV 80, No. 9 Kansas State 61
- No. 2 Iowa 84, No. 7 UTEP 82
- No. 6 Oklahoma 96, No. 3 Pittsburgh 93
- No. 12 Wyoming 78, No. 4 UCLA 68
- Southeast Regional
- No. 1 Georgetown 82, No. 9 Ohio State 79
- No. 2 Alabama 101, No. 7 New Orleans 76
- No. 6 Providence 90, No. 14 Austin Peay 87 (OT)
- No. 5 Kansas 67, No. 13 Southwest Missouri State 63
- Midwest Regional
- No. 1 Indiana 107, No. 8 Auburn 90
- No. 10 LSU 72, No. 2 Temple 62
- No. 3 DePaul 83, No. 6 St. John's 75 (OT)
- No. 5 Duke 65, No. 13 Xavier 60
- East Regional
- Sweet 16
- East Regional
- No. 1 North Carolina 74, No. 5 Notre Dame 68
- No. 2 Syracuse 87, No. 6 Florida 81
- West Regional
- No. 1 UNLV 92, No. 12 Wyoming 78
- No. 2 Iowa 93, No. 6 Oklahoma 91 (OT)
- Southeast Regional
- No. 1 Georgetown 70, No. 5 Kansas 57
- No. 6 Providence 103, No. 2 Alabama 82
- Midwest Regional
- No. 1 Indiana 88, No. 5 Duke 82
- No. 10 LSU 63, No. 3 DePaul 58
- East Regional
- Elite Eight
- East Regional
- No. 2 Syracuse 79, No. 1 North Carolina 75
- West Regional
- No. 1 UNLV 84, No. 2 Iowa 81
- Southeast Regional
- No. 6 Providence 88, No. 1 Georgetown 73
- Midwest Regional
- No. 1 Indiana 77, No. 10 LSU 76
- East Regional
- Final Four (New Orleans, Louisiana)
- National semifinals
- No. 1 Indiana 97, No. 1 UNLV 93
- No. 2 Syracuse 77, No. 6 Providence 63
- National championship
- No. 1 Indiana 74, No. 2 Syracuse 73 | Watch full game
- National semifinals
1987 NCAA tournament: Upsets
The following double-digit seeds won games:
TEAM | SCORE | OPPONENT |
---|---|---|
FIRST ROUND (Round of 64) | ||
No. 14 Austin Peay | 68-67 | No. 3 Illinois |
No. 13 Southwest Missouri State | 65-60 | No. 4 Clemson |
No. 13 Xavier | 70-69 | No. 4 Missouri |
No. 12 Wyoming | 64-60 | No. 5 Virginia |
No. 10 Western Kentucky | 64-62 | No. 7 West Virginia |
No. 10 LSU | 85-79 | No. 7 Georgia Tech |
SECOND ROUND (Round of 32) | ||
No. 12 Wyoming | 78-68 | No. 4 UCLA |
No. 10 LSU | 72-62 | No. 2 Temple |
SWEET 16 | ||
No. 10 LSU | 63-58 | No. 3 DePaul |
1987 NCAA tournament: Stats, records
Here are the tournament leaders, with games in parentheses (minimum three games):
Individual scoring
- Fennis Dembo, Wyoming (3) — 28.0
Individual rebounding
- Derrick Coleman, Syracuse (6) — 12.2
Individual assists
- Mark Wade, UNLV (5) — 12.2
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