Season | 1970–71 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Teams | 32 | ||||
Finals site | Municipal Auditorium Kansas City, Missouri | ||||
Champions | Kentucky State (2nd title, 2nd title game, 2nd Final Four) | ||||
Runner-up | Eastern Michigan (1st title game, 1st Final Four) | ||||
Semifinalists |
| ||||
MVP | Travis Grant (Kentucky State) | ||||
|
The 1971 NAIA men's basketball tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 34th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format. [1]
The championship game featured Kentucky State University for the second time. It was the fourth time since seeding began in 1957 that the number one team won the tournament.
First round | Second round | Elite Eight | NAIA national semifinals | NAIA national championship | ||||||||||||||||||||
1 | Kentucky State | 100 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
- | St. Thomas (Minn.) | 66 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
1 | Kentucky State | 73 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
16 | Central Washington State | 59 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
- | Doane (Neb.) | 73 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
16 | Central Washington State | 98 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
1 | Kentucky State | 93 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
TOP TIER | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
9 | Grambling State | 81 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
9 | Grambling State (La.) | 88 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
- | Mansfield State (Pa.) | 78 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
9 | Grambling State | 77* | ||||||||||||||||||||||
- | Glassboro State | 75 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
- | Glassboro State (N.J.) | 71 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
8 | East Central State (Okla.) | 60 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
1 | Kentucky State | 104 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
12 | Elizabeth City State | 91 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
5 | Indiana (Pa.) | 81 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
- | Eastern New Mexico | 72 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
5 | Indiana | 72 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
12 | Elizabeth City State | 74 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
- | Western New England (Mass.) | 76 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
12 | Elizabeth City State (N.C.) | 90 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
12 | Elizabeth City State | 90 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
TOP TIER | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
4 | Stephen F. Austin State | 88 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
13 | Illinois Wesleyan | 76 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
- | Northern State (S.D.) | 88 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
- | Northern State | 62 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
4 | Stephen F. Austin State | 99 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
- | North Carolina-Asheville | 73 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
4 | Stephen F. Austin State (Tex.) | 91 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
1 | Kentucky State | 102 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
6 | Eastern Michigan | 82 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
3 | Eau Claire State (Wis.) | 66 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
- | Southern State (Ark.) | 50 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
3 | Eau Claire State | 97 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
14 | Earlham | 76 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
- | Lewis & Clark (Ore.) | 83 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
14 | Earlham (Ind.) | 105 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
3 | Eau Claire State | 80 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
BOTTOM TIER | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
6 | Eastern Michigan | 87 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
11 | Whittier (Calif.) | 65 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
- | Sacred Heart (Kan.) | 59 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
11 | Whittier | 70 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
6 | Eastern Michigan | 71* | ||||||||||||||||||||||
- | Ohio Dominican | 81 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
6 | Eastern Michigan | 119 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
6 | Eastern Michigan | 89 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
2 | Fairmont State | 78 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
7 | North Carolina A&T | 70 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
- | Drury (Mo.) | 53 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
7 | North Carolina A&T | 86* | ||||||||||||||||||||||
10 | Jackson State | 73 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
- | Northwestern (Iowa) | 91 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
10 | Jackson State (Miss) | 96 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
7 | North Carolina A&T | 74 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
BOTTOM TIER | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
2 | Fairmont State | 78 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
15 | Augusta State (Ga.) | 71 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
- | Great Falls (Mont.) | 75 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
- | Great Falls | 80 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
2 | Fairmont State | 83 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
- | Texas Southern | 78 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
2 | Fairmont State (W.Va.) | 79 |
The third-place game featured the losing national semifinalist teams to determine 3rd and 4th places in the tournament. This game was played until 1988.
NAIA third-place game | ||||
12 | Elizabeth City State | 88* | ||
2 | Fairmont State | 87 |
The 2002 Buffalo Funds - NAIA Division I men's basketball tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. This was the first NAIA tournament back in Kansas City since 1993. The NAIA headquarters also relocated to Olathe, Kansas this year. The 65th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format. The 2002 champion was 2001's runner-up, University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma. The Drovers faced Sooner Athletic Conference rival Oklahoma Baptist University in the championship game. It was the first time two teams from the Sooner Athletic Conference ever met in the national championship game. And the first SAC team to win the tournament since Oklahoma City University won in 1996. The Drovers rolled over the Bison 96–79. Finishing out the NAIA Semifinals were Azusa Pacific University and Barat College.
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 1981 NAIA men's basketball tournament was held in March at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri. The 44th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format. The championship game featured Bethany Nazarene College and the University of Alabama in Huntsville. It was the first time that the championship game went into overtime. Bethany Nazarene edged out Alabama-Huntsville with the final score of 86-85 (OT). 1981 was also the first year the NAIA held a women's national basketball championship tournament. For the second time since 1963, the year the award was established, there was a tie for the leading scorer. Todd Thurman and George Torres both scored 104 over the course of the 1981 tournament. There have been no ties since. And for the first time since the Coach of the Year Award was established, Ken Anderson, won Coach of the Year for the second time. No other coach has won the award twice.
The 1967 NAIA men's basketball tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 30th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format. There were only 3 upsets in this tournament. The championship game featured St. Benedict's College (Kan.) and Oklahoma Baptist University. The Ravens would defeat the Biso 71–65. The 3rd place game featured Central Washington University defeating Morris Harvey College by a score of 106 to 92. 1967 was the final year of 21 straight tournaments to have a player make it on the all-time leading scorers list. The streak that began with Harold Haskins in 1947 ended with Al Tucker in 1967. This streak had peaked in 1957 when 7 all-timers played in one tournament. It is argued that this marked the end of the "golden age" of NAIA basketball. It was the third tournament won by the number one seed.
The 1959 NAIA men's basketball tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 22nd annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format. The 1959 Tournament is the first tournament to use the 16-seed system, which was used until the 2015.
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.
The 1961 NAIA men's basketball tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 24th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format. The championship game featured the 13th seeded Grambling and the third seeded Georgetown. For the first time since seeding, in 1958, the third-place game featured the first and second seeds, Northern Michigan, and Westminster.
The 1962 NAIA men's basketball tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 25th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format. It would be the last tournament without a formal leading scorer and rebounder awards presented. This was also the first tournament since seeding began to feature the top two teams in the Championship Game. The number 2 seeded Prairie View A&M (Texas) beat Westminster (Pa.) 62 to 53.
The 1964 NAIA men's basketball tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 27th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format. It was the first time the leading rebounder was also the leading scorer, Lucious Jackson of runner-up Pan American (Texas). Lucious was also named tournament Most Valuable Player, which made him the third player to receive the award back to back.
The 1965 NAIA men's basketball tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 28th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format. This is the first tournament since 1947 tournament to feature four new teams to the NAIA Semifinals.. It was the longest gap up until it was eclipsed by the gap between 1969-2001 which featured 1 or more repeating semi-finalist each year. It was the second time the number one seed has won the tournament.
The 1968 NAIA men's basketball tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 31st annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format.
The 1969 NAIA men's basketball tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 32nd annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format. This is the first tournament since 1965 tournament to feature four new teams to the NAIA Semifinals. This would not happen again until 2001.
The 1970 NAIA men's basketball tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 33rd annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format.
The 1972 NAIA men's basketball tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 35th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format.
The 1973 NAIA men's basketball tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 36th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format. Valdosta State ended (3) Kentucky State's run to get 4 championship in a row by upsetting (3) Kentucky State in the first round by 9.
The 1974 NAIA men's basketball tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 37th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format. It would be the last tournament to be played in Municipal until 2002. In 1975, it would be held in the new Kemper Arena. Kemper would host the NAIA Tournament until 1993, when the NAIA would move the tournament and its offices to Tulsa.
The 1976 NAIA men's basketball tournament was held in March at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri. The 39th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format. This was the first tournament since 1969 tournament to feature four new teams to the NAIA semifinals..
The 1978 NAIA men's basketball tournament was held in March at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri, the United States. The 41st annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format.
The 1980 NAIA men's basketball tournament was held in March at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri. The 43rd annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format. Cameron became the champions.
The Western Carolina Catamounts men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men' basketball team that represents Western Carolina University. The team currently competes in the Southern Conference. Western Carolina won the 1996 Southern Conference tournament and participated in the 1996 NCAA tournament.