March 23, 1963
Cincinnati vs Loyola: National Championship
Final: Loyola 60 Bearcats 58 (OT)
Freedom Hall, Louisville, KY
The Bearcats entered 26-1, ranked No. 1 in the AP poll every week of the season.
The Ramblers entered 28-2, ranked No. 3.
UC was going for a then unprecedented third consecutive national championship, having beaten Ohio State in 1961 and 1962.
Loyola missed 13 of its first 14 shots. UC led 29-21 at the half and 45-30 with 13:56 remaining.
But with :12 seconds left and Bearcats leading 53-52, UC’s Larry Shingleton was fouled. He made the first but missed the second.
Loyola’s Les Hunter grabbed the rebound. Ron Miller pushed the ball up court and found All-American Jerry Harkness on the wing. His baseline runner with :06 remaining forced overtime.
With one minute left in overtime, the Ramblers held for a last shot. Harkness found Hunter in the lane, who missed, but Vic Rouse put the rebound up and in for the first buzzer-beating title-winner in NCAA championship history.
Boxscore HERE