| Season | 1976–77 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teams | 32 | ||||
| Finals site | Kemper Arena Kansas City, Missouri | ||||
| Champions | Texas Southern (2 title, 1 title game, 3 Final Four) | ||||
| Runner-up | Campbell (1 title game, 1 Final Four) | ||||
| Semifinalists |
| ||||
Charles Stevenson Hustle Award | Don Laird (Campbell) | ||||
| MVP | Alonzo Bradley (Texas Southern) | ||||
| |||||
The 1977 NAIA men's basketball tournament was held in March at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri. The 40th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format. [1]
| First round | Second round | Elite Eight | NAIA national semifinals | NAIA national championship | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Newberry (S.C.) | 84 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Hastings (Neb.) | 81 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Newberry | 57 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16 | Central Washington State | 58 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Keene State (N.H.) | 56 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16 | Central Washington State | 72 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16 | Central Washington State | 71 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| TOP TIER | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | Grand Valley State | 75 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | Clarion State (Pa.) | 88 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Augsburg (Minn.) | 84 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | Clarion State | 65 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | Grand Valley State | 79 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Missouri-Kansas City | 88 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | Grand Valley State (Mich.) | 94 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | Grand Valley State | 62 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Texas Southern | 69 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Texas Southern | 89 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Central State (Ohio) | 65 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Texas Southern | 82 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | Wisconsin-Parkside | 80 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Paine (Ga.) | 65 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | Wisconsin-Parkside | 112 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13 | East Texas State | 68 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| TOP TIER | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Texas Southern | 87 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13 | East Texas State | 70 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Briar Cliff (Iowa) | 59 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13 | East Texas State | 92 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Emporia State | 89 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Emporia State (Kan.) | 76 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Fairmont State (W.Va.) | 71 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Texas Southern | 71 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Campbell | 44 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Kentucky State | 63 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Alabama-Huntsville | 72 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Alabama-Huntsville | 75 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14 | Alcorn State | 76 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Mount Marty (S.D.) | 54 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14 | Alcorn State (Miss.) | 90 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Campbell | 77 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| BOTTOM TIER | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14 | Alcorn State | 63 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | Southwestern Oklahoma State | 99 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Southern Utah State | 89 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | Southwestern Oklahoma State | 56 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Campbell | 71 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Campbell (N.C.) | 76 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Lincoln Memorial (Tenn.) | 75 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Campbell | 76 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Henderson State | 52 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Henderson State (Ark.) | 64 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Tri-State (Ind.) | 54 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Henderson State | 63 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Dowling | 59 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Dowling (N.Y.) | 75 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 | Whittier (Calif.) | 66 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Henderson State | 87 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| BOTTOM TIER | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Illinois Wesleyan | 73 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 | Hawaii-Hilo | 81 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Spring Garden (Pa.) | 66 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 | Hawaii-Hilo | 74* | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Illinois Wesleyan | 85 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | St. Augustine's (N.C.) | 67 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Illinois Wesleyan | 87 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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 | ||||
| 8 | Grand Valley State | 73 | ||
| 7 | Henderson State | 96 | ||
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