| Teams | 32 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finals site | Municipal Auditorium Kansas City, Missouri | ||||
| Champions | Central Missouri State (2nd title, 2nd title game, 2nd Final Four) | ||||
| Runner-up | Roanoke (1st title game, 1st Final Four) | ||||
| Semifinalists |
| ||||
| |||||
The 1938 NAIA basketball tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The second annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format. [1]
This was the first tournament to expand to 32 teams. The tournament featured the only forfeit in tournament history when Western Kentucky forfeited to Simpson due to not showing up. The first-round game between Delta State University (Miss.) and Drury gave the first overtime in tournament history. Delta State beat Drury College 52–51 in one overtime.
The championship game featured Central Missouri State defending their first national championship over Roanoke, making them the first team to win back-to-back titles. It would be the last year without a Chuck Taylor Most Valuable Player Award. [2]
Many of the records set by the 1938 tournament have been broken, and many of the awards were established much later:
| First round | Second round | Elite Eight | NAIA national semifinals | NAIA national championship | |||||||||||||||
| Marshall | 67 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Peru State | 60 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Marshall | 51 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Washburn | 53 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Washburn | 37 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winona State | 36 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Washburn | 44 | ||||||||||||||||||
| TOP TIER | |||||||||||||||||||
| Jordan | 21 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Jordan | 32 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Ottawa (KS) | 31 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Jordan | 31 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Simpson | 29 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Simpson | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Western Kentucky | 0† | ||||||||||||||||||
| Washburn | 24 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Central Missouri State | 44 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Delta State | 52 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Drury | 51* | ||||||||||||||||||
| Delta State | 48 | ||||||||||||||||||
| North Texas State | 39 | ||||||||||||||||||
| North Texas State | 31 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Morningside | 29 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Delta State | 35 | ||||||||||||||||||
| TOP TIER | |||||||||||||||||||
| Central Missouri State | 48 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Valparaiso | 57 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Oregon College | 48 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Valparaiso | 24 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Central Missouri State | 44 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Central Missouri State | 36 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Dakota Wesleyan | 33 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Central Missouri State | 45 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Roanoke | 30 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Roanoke | 45 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Nebraska Wesleyan | 20 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Roanoke | 38 | ||||||||||||||||||
| West Texas State | 34 | ||||||||||||||||||
| West Texas State | 35 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Westminster (MO) | 34 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Roanoke | 46 | ||||||||||||||||||
| BOTTOM TIER | |||||||||||||||||||
| St. Ambrose | 43 | ||||||||||||||||||
| St. Ambrose | 50 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Kansas Wesleyan | 35 | ||||||||||||||||||
| St. Ambrose | 38 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Central State (OK) | 36 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Central State (OK) | 43 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Arkansas State Teachers | 34 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Roanoke | 35 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Murray State | 29 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Idaho State | 41 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Manchester (IN) | 38 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Idaho State | 40 | ||||||||||||||||||
| New Mexico A&M State | 56 | ||||||||||||||||||
| New Mexico A&M State | 53 | NAIA third-place game | |||||||||||||||||
| McPherson | 37 | ||||||||||||||||||
| New Mexico A&M State | 29 | Murray State | 33 | ||||||||||||||||
| BOTTOM TIER | |||||||||||||||||||
| Murray State | 30 | Washburn | 24 | ||||||||||||||||
| NW Missouri State | 39 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Sioux Falls | 27 | ||||||||||||||||||
| NW Missouri State | 30 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Murray State | 38 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Murray State | 47 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Drake | 40 | ||||||||||||||||||
The 1937 NAIA men's basketball tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The first annual National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) basketball tournament featured eight teams playing in a single-elimination format. In 1938, it would expand to its current size of 32 teams.
The 72nd Buffalo Funds - NAIA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament was held from March 18 to 24 at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 72nd annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format. The Heart of America Athletic Conference was the host conference for the tournament. This was the Heart of America Athletic Conference's first year as a Division I conference.
The 1939 NAIA basketball tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 3rd annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format. This was also the year the NCAA basketball tournament was started.
The 1941 NAIA basketball tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 5th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format.
The 1942 NAIA basketball tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 6th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format.
The 1943 NAIA basketball tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 7th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format. The championship game featured Southeast Missouri State defeating Northwest Missouri State 34–32.
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The 1946 NAIA basketball tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 9th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format.
The 1947 NAIA National Tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 10th annual men's basketball tournament of what is now the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format.
The 1948 NAIA basketball tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 11th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format.
The 1949 NAIA basketball tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 12th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format.
The 1950 NAIA basketball tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 13th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format.
The 1951 NAIA basketball tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 14th Annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format.
The 1952 NAIA basketball tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 15th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format. In 1952, the National Association of Intercollegiate Basketball (NAIB) changes its name to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA)
The 1954 NAIA basketball tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 17th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format.
The 1958 NAIA men's basketball tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 21st annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format.
The 1960 NAIA men's basketball tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 23rd annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format.
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