Snappy anniversaries

Forty years ago, a sophomore named Lew Alcindor led UCLA to a 30-0 record and the first of seven consecutive national titles. But that’s not the only notable NCAA final celebrating a milestone anniversary:

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1997

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It has been 10 years since a team from the Pacific 10 Conference won the national championship, when Arizona made 10 free throws and no baskets in overtime to defeat Kentucky, 84-79. Arizona finished fifth in the conference, had a No. 4 seeding entering the tournament, and became the first team to defeat three No. 1-seeded teams on its way to the title. Miles Simon, a Santa Ana Mater Dei High standout, scored a game-high 30 points -- 14 from the free-throw line.

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1987

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A jump shot from the corner by Keith Smart with four seconds left provided the difference for the Indiana Hoosiers in a 74-73 victory over Syracuse. Smart, the Hoosiers’ fifth-leading scorer during the regular season, scored 12 of the team’s last 16 points and had 17 of his 21 points in the second half. Smart became the first junior college transfer to be MVP of the tournament, having come to Indiana from Garden City (Kan.) Community College.

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1982

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Before Michael Jordan became His Airness, he made a jump shot with 16 seconds left to provide the North Carolina Tar Heels with their final points in a 63-62 championship-game victory over Georgetown and Patrick Ewing, who had 23 points and 11 rebounds. The tournament MVP was Tar Heels forward James Worthy, who had 28 points in the title game and was 20 for 27 on field-goal attempts in the last two games.

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1977

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Marquette lost seven games during the regular season but none in the tournament despite trailing at halftime in its first three games and needing to come from behind late in a semifinal win over North Carolina Charlotte. The Warriors beat North Carolina in the final, 67-59, leaving bombastic coach Al McGuire with tears streaming down his cheeks well before the final buzzer. Ever popular, it was his last game at Marquette. Butch Lee was the tournament’s most outstanding player.

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1957

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Champion North Carolina finished 32-0, but don’t get the wrong idea. The Tar Heels barely even made it to the title game, needing three overtimes to defeat Michigan State in a game that was tied 21 times and in which the lead changed hands 31 times. In the final, North Carolina needed three overtimes again to escape with a 54-53 victory over Kansas and Wilt Chamberlain, who had 23 points (making 11 of 16 free throws) and 14 rebounds.

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1947

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Holy Cross’ 23rd consecutive victory came against Oklahoma in the national championship game, 58-47. The Crusaders trailed in all three of their tournament wins. George Kaftan, a center-forward, was the MVP of the tournament, becoming the first player to score 30 points in a Final Four -- his total in a semifinal against City College of New York. He had 11 points in the title game, and a freshman reserve named Bob Cousy had two.