For the second time in the last three seasons, the defending national champions reached the final game and lost.

Several years later, Minnesota was stripped of its Final Four appearance following the discovery of NCAA academic rule violations.

Two conference champions made their first NCAA tournament appearances: Charleston Southern (Big South) and Jackson State (SWAC).

Minnesota vacated all NCAA tournament wins from the 1996–97 season due to an academic fraud scandal.

Pat O'Brien and Jim Nantz respectively served as the first round afternoon and evening studio hosts, joined by analyst Clark Kellogg.