Here`s a glimpse at the most memorable of the many special championship games through the years:
1955: San Francisco 77, La Salle 63
1956: San Francisco 83, Iowa 71
Bill Russell and K.C. Jones are the stars of these Dons, who enter the record books as one of the great teams.
1957: North Carolina 54, Kansas 53 (3 OTs)
The Tar Heels win their first national title by conquering the Jayhawks and Wilt Chamberlain, who makes the only Final Four appearance of his career.
1959: California 71, West Virgina 70
Golden Bears All-American Darrall Imhoff leads his team past the Mountaineers and their All-American, guard Jerry West.
1960: Ohio State 75, California 55
The only title for a Buckeye class that includes Jerry Lucas, John Havlicek and a sub named Bob Knight.
1961: Cincinnati 70, Ohio State 65 (OT)
1962: Cincinnati 71, Ohio State 59
The Buckeyes enter both tourneys with Lucas, Havlicek and the No. 1 ranking, but lose to their in-state rivals, led by center Paul Hogue. The Bearcat starters include Tony Yates, who one day will be an Illinois assistant.
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1963: Loyola 60, Cincinnati 58 (OT)
The surprising Ramblers keep the Bearcats from becoming the first team to win three consecutive titles.
1966: Texas Western 72, Kentucky 65
The unknown Miners, who start five black players, defeat the all-white Wildcats, and are immediately transformed into a sociological milestone.
1973: UCLA 87, Memphis State 66
Bruins center Bill Walton makes UCLA`s seventh straight title memorable by going a record 21-of-22 (95.5 percent) from the field.
1976: Indiana 86, Michigan 68
The Hoosiers, another of history`s great teams, cap a perfect season, and deliver Knight`s first national title.
1977: Marquette 67, North Carolina 59
Al McGuire, coaching his final game, makes it memorable by crying on the bench once his title is assured.
1979: Michigan State 75, Indiana State 64
Not a great game, but in it Magic Johnson and Larry Bird begin what will become one of basketball`s best rivalries.
1982: North Carolina 63, Georgetown 62
Michael Jordan`s 15-foot jumper with 17 seconds remaining wins it. But the hug Hoyas coach John Thompson gives Freddie Brown after the guard throws away a late pass remains this game`s most riveting memory.
1983: North Carolina State 54, Houston 52
The underdog Wolfpack wins on a last-second tip, and coach Jim Valvano becomes an instant celeb by dashing onto the court looking for someone to hug.
1985: Villanova 66, Georgetown 64
The Wildcats, who lost twice to the Hoyas in the regular season, get an unexpected championship by shooting a record 78.6 percent in the title game.
1989: Michigan 80, Seton Hall 79 (OT)
Steve Fisher, who takes over for Bill Frieder just before the tourney begins, goes into the record book as the only interim coach to win a title.
1990: UNLV 103, Duke 73
A record-breaking performance by the Rebels, who establish marks for most points, most field goals (41), most assists (24), most steals (16) and largest victory margin.