The 1989 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 16, 1989, and ended with the championship game on April 3 in Seattle, Washington. A total of 63 games were played.
Michigan, coached by Steve Fisher, won the national title with a 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 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, and a third came with 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 being the first, in which the defending national champion did not participate in the tournament. Kansas, 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. It is the only time the Jayhawks have missed the NCAA tournament between 1984 and 2012.
Read more about 1989 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament: Teams, Announcers
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