<Tr> <Td> "1989 </Td> <Td> 1991" </Td> </Tr> <P> The 1990 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single - elimination play to determine the national champion of NCAA Division I men's college basketball . It began on March 15, 1990, and ended with the championship game on April 2 in Denver, Colorado . A total of 63 games were played . </P> <P> UNLV, coached by Jerry Tarkanian, won the national title with a 103--73 victory in the final game over Duke, coached by Mike Krzyzewski . In doing so, UNLV set the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament record for largest margin of victory in a championship game . UNLV's win marks the last time a school from a non-power conference has won the championship game . Anderson Hunt of UNLV was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player . </P> <P> This tournament is also remembered for an emotional run by Loyola Marymount in the West Regional . In the semifinals of the West Coast Conference tournament, Lions star forward Hank Gathers collapsed and died due to a heart condition . The WCC tournament was immediately suspended, with the regular - season champion Lions given the conference's automatic bid . The team defeated New Mexico State, then laid a 34 - point thrashing on defending national champion Michigan, and defeated Alabama in the Sweet Sixteen (the only game in which Loyola Marymount did not score 100 or more points in the tournament) before running into eventual champion UNLV in the regional final . Gathers' childhood friend Bo Kimble, the team's undisputed floor leader in the wake of the tragedy, paid tribute to his friend by attempting his first free throw in each game left - handed despite being right - handed . (Gathers was right - handed, but struggled so much with free throws that he tried shooting them left - handed for a time .) Kimble made all of his left - handed attempts in the tournament . </P>

Who won the ncaa basketball championship in 1990