| 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 teams from the national semifinalist 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 | ||
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 the championship game that 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 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 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.
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The 1966 NAIA men's basketball tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 29th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format. This tournament featured the game with the most points scored. Al Tucker received the MVP award for the second time this year.
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.
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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.
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.
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The 1975 NAIA men's basketball tournament was held in March at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri. The 38th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format. This would be the first tournament played in Kemper Arena.
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 is 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 1979 NAIA men's basketball tournament was held in March at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri. The 42nd 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.
The 1982 NAIA men's basketball tournament was held in March at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri. The 45th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format.