DOG ASIDE:
The 1982 NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament involved 48 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men’s NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 11, 1982….and ended with the championship game on March 29 in New Orleans, Louisiana….as a total of 47 games were played. North Carolina University and Coach Dean Smith won the national title game with a 63-62 victory in the final game over Georgetown University and Coach John Thompson. The other two teams at the 1982 Final Four in New Orleans, LA at the Louisiana Superdome were Houston University and Coach Guy V. Lewis…..and Louisville University and Coach Denny Crum. James Worthy of North Carolina was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.
This tournament was the first to eliminate the national third place game, which had been held every year since the 1947 tournament. It was also the first tournament to be televised by CBS after it acquired the broadcasting rights from NBC….as CBS is still bringing the tournament some 34 years later. Sportscasters Gary Bender and Billy Packer called the Final Four and National Championship games for many years thereafter..
