The 1962 NCAA University Division basketball tournament involved 25 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball in the United States. The 24th annual edition of the tournament began on March 12, 1962, and ended with the championship game on March 24, at Freedom Hall in Louisville, Kentucky. A total of 29 games were played, including a third-place game in each region and a national third-place game, which was won by Wake Forest.
For the second consecutive season, Cincinnati, coached by Ed Jucker, played Ohio State, coached by Fred Taylor, in the final game. Cincinnati won the national title with a 71–59 victory over Ohio State. Paul Hogue of Cincinnati was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.
The total attendance for the tournament was 177,469, a new record.
<nowiki>*</nowiki> â Denotes overtime period