2007 NCAA Division I men's basketball championship game
{{short description|American college basketball final}}
{{see also|2007 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox NCAABasketballSingleGame
| name = 2007 NCAA Tournament Championship Game
| type = ncg
| image = NCAA logo.svg
| date = April 2, 2007
| year = 2006–07
| visitor_school = Ohio State University
| visitor_name_short = Ohio State
| visitor_nickname = Buckeyes
| visitor_record = 35–3
| visitor_conference = Big Ten
| visitor_AP = 1
| visitor_coaches = 1
| visitor_coach = Thad Matta
| visitor_per1 = 29
| visitor_per2 = 46
| home_school = University of Florida
| home_name_short = Florida
| home_nickname = Gators
| home_record = 34–5
| home_conference = SEC
| home_AP = 3
| home_coach = Billy Donovan
| home_per1 = 40
| home_per2 = 44
| arena = Georgia Dome
| city = Atlanta, Georgia
| attendance = 51,458
| referee = Karl Hess, Tony Greene, Edward Corbett
| MVP = Corey Brewer, Florida
| odds = Florida by 3
| US_network = CBS
| ratings = 12.2
| US_announcers = Jim Nantz (play-by-play)
Billy Packer (color)
Sam Ryan (sideline)
| previous = 2006
| next = 2008
}}
The 2007 NCAA Division I men's basketball championship game was the finals of the 2007 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament and determined the national champion for the 2006–07 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The game was played at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia, between the South Regional Champion and top-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes and the Midwest Regional Champion and defending national champion, the overall No. 1 seed Florida Gators. Florida won 84–75, to successfully defend their national championship, becoming the seventh school to repeat as national champions, and were the last to accomplish such a feat until Connecticut in 2024.
For the second time in three years, the national title game was played between two No. 1 seeds. This game was a rematch of the game at O'Connell Center on December 23, 2006, which was won by Florida who defeated Ohio State in an 86–60 victory.{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=263570057|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201017053959/https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=263570057|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 17, 2020|title=Horford's return sparks Gators in surprising rout|work=ESPN.com|date=23 December 2006|access-date=4 May 2014}} This game featured the same two teams that participated in the 2007 BCS National Championship Game marking the first time (and only current in Tournament history) that the same two schools were competing for the football and basketball national championships which saw Florida beat Ohio State 41–14 to be the national champions of college football.{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=270080194|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180926131012/http://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=270080194|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 26, 2018|title=Gators attack: Florida gets title with rout of Ohio State|work=ESPN.com|date=8 January 2007|access-date=4 May 2014}}
This was Florida’s last national championship until 2025.
Participants
=Ohio State Buckeyes=
{{main|2006–07 Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball team}}
Ohio State entered the South region of the tournament as the No. 1 seed. In the first round, Greg Oden had a double-double to beat Central Connecticut State 78–57.{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=274000032|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201017054004/https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=274000032|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 17, 2020|title=Oden's double-double leads top seed Ohio State over CCSU|work=ESPN.com|date=15 March 2007|access-date=4 May 2014}} In the second round, Ohio State overcame a late deficit for a 78–71 overtime win over Xavier.{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=274000032|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201017054004/https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=274000032|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 17, 2020|title=Ohio State overcomes late deficit, wins in overtime|work=ESPN.com|date=17 March 2007|access-date=4 May 2014}} In the Sweet 16, Oden blocked a last second shot by Ramar Smith to beat Tennessee 85–84.{{cite news|url= https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=274000038|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201017054023/https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=274000038|url-status= dead|archive-date= October 17, 2020|title=Oden blocks Smith's last effort; Buckeyes top Vols|work=ESPN.com|date=22 March 2007|access-date=4 May 2014}} In the Elite Eight, Ohio State used Oden's 17 points to beat Memphis 92–76 for a trip to the Final Four.{{cite news|url= https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=274000046|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160915005119/http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=274000046|url-status= dead|archive-date= September 15, 2016|title=Ohio State rides Oden past Memphis to Final Four|work=ESPN.com|date=24 March 2007|access-date=4 May 2014}} In the Final Four, Oden's 13 points were six points short of Roy Hibbert's 19 points but it was Ohio State who got the victory beating Georgetown 67–60 for a trip to the National Championship Game for the first time since 1962.{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=274000062|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180327023348/http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=274000062|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 27, 2018|title=Hibbert wins matchup with Oden, but Ohio St. moves on|work=ESPN.com|date=31 March 2007|access-date=4 May 2014}}
=Florida Gators=
{{main|2006–07 Florida Gators men's basketball team}}
Defending champion Florida entered the tournament as the overall No. 1 seed. In the first round, Florida played a dominant second half against Jackson State outscoring them 71–34 in the 2nd half to take a 112–69 win.{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=274000047|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201017054032/https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=274000047|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 17, 2020|title=Gators turn it on in second half, blow out Jackson St.|work=ESPN.com|date=16 March 2007|access-date=4 May 2014}} In the second round, Florida beat Purdue 74–67 to stay alive in their quest for a 2nd straight national title.{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=274000049|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200805230613/https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=274000049|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 5, 2020|title=Repeat still possible: Gators win 14th straight in postseason|work=ESPN.com|date=18 March 2007|access-date=4 May 2014}} In the Sweet 16, Florida took another step closer to becoming the first team to win back-to-back championships since the 1991–92 Duke Blue Devils with a 65–57 win over Butler.{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=274000053|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201017054000/https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=274000053|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 17, 2020|title=Gators closer to becoming first team to repeat since '92 Duke|work=ESPN.com|date=23 March 2007|access-date=4 May 2014}} In the Elite Eight, Florida beat Oregon 85–77 to advance to the Final Four.{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=274000061|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160915001600/http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=274000061|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 15, 2016|title=Gators stretch postseason winning streak to 16|work=ESPN.com|date=25 March 2007|access-date=4 May 2014}} In the national semi-final, Florida beat UCLA 76–66 to advance to the championship game.{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=274000031|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200410235957/https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=274000031|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 10, 2020|title=Florida runs over UCLA, sets up another battle with Ohio St.|work=ESPN.com|date=31 March 2007|access-date=4 May 2014}}
Starting lineups
| class="wikitable" | ||
| style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Ohio State Buckeyes|border=2|color=white}};" |Ohio State | colspan="2" | Position | style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Florida Gators|border=2|color=white}}"|Florida |
|---|---|---|
| Jamar Butler | colspan=2 style="text-align:center"| G | style="background:#ffcc00" | Taurean Green 2 |
| style="background:#ffcc00" | Mike Conley Jr. 1 | colspan=2 style="text-align:center"| G | Lee Humphrey |
| Ron Lewis | colspan=2 style="text-align:center"| G/F | style="background:#ffcc00" | Corey Brewer 1 |
| Ivan Harris | colspan=2 style="text-align:center"| F | style="background:#ffcc00" | Joakim Noah 1 |
| style="background:#ffcc00" | Greg Oden 1 | colspan=2 style="text-align:center"| C | style="background:#ffcc00" | Al Horford 1 |
| colspan="5" align=center|{{small|{{color box|#ffcc00|Players selected in an NBA draft}} (number indicates round)}} |
Game summary
{{basketballbox
| bg=#e3e3e3
|date=April 2, 2007
|time=9:21 PM ET
|TV=CBS
|place=Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia
|team1=#MW1 Florida Gators
|score1=84
|team2=#S1 Ohio State Buckeyes
|score2=75
|H1=40–29
|H2=44–46
|points1=Al Horford 18
|rebounds1=Al Horford 12
|assist1=Taurean Green 6
|points2=Greg Oden 25
|rebounds2=Greg Oden 12
|assist2=Mike Conley Jr. 6
|attendance=51,458
|report=[https://web.archive.org/web/20160915005631/http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=274000063 Recap]
}}
In a rematch of a regular season meeting which had been won 86–60 by Florida in Gainesville, the Gators survived 25 points and 12 rebounds from Buckeyes center Greg Oden with stellar play from guards Lee Humphrey and Taurean Green with inside contributions coming from Al Horford (18 points) and tourney Most Outstanding Player Corey Brewer. Billy Donovan became the third-youngest coach (at age 41) to win two titles. Only Bob Knight (at Indiana) and San Francisco's Phil Woolpert both won two titles at the age of 40.
The Gators are the first team ever to hold the NCAA Division I college football and basketball titles in the same academic year (2006–07) and calendar year (2006 and 2007). Coincidentally, Florida also beat Ohio State (by a score of 41–14) in the College Football Championship, the first time in college sports history that identical match-ups and results have occurred in both football and basketball championships. This was also the first time in NCAA D-I men's basketball history that exactly the same starting five were able to win back-to-back titles (Joakim Noah, Corey Brewer, Lee Humphrey, Al Horford, Taurean Green). Florida's Lee Humphrey also set the all-time NCAA Tournament record for three-point field goals made with 47. Humphrey surpassed Bobby Hurley's record of 42.{{cite news|url= https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=274000063|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160915005631/http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=274000063|url-status= dead|archive-date= September 15, 2016|title=Florida becomes first team in 15 years to repeat; Brewer is MOP|work=ESPN.com|date=2 April 2007|access-date=4 May 2014}}
With the loss to Florida, Ohio State's record in the national championship game fell to 1–4.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship Game navbox}}
{{2007 Florida Gators men's basketball navbox}}
NCAA Division I men's basketball championship game
Category:NCAA Division I men's basketball championship games
Category:Florida Gators men's basketball
Category:Ohio State Buckeyes men's basketball
Category:College basketball tournaments in Georgia (U.S. state)
Category:Basketball competitions in Atlanta
Category:April 2007 sports events in the United States