| 1979 NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament | |
|---|---|
| Teams | 32 |
| Champions | Drury (1 title, 1 title game, 1 Fab Four) |
| Runner-Up | Henderson State (2 title game, 3 Fab Four) |
| Semifinalists | Southwest Texas State Midwestern State |
| Chuck Taylor MVP | Lawrence Washington (Drury) |
Charles Stevenson Hustle Award | Mike Carter (Drury) |
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. [1]
| First Round | Second Round | Elite Eight | NAIA National Semifinals | NAIA National Championship | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Cameron (Okla.) | 76 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Central State (Ohio) | 69 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Cameron | 74* | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16 | Tri-State | 73 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Southern Maine | 61 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16 | Tri-State (Ind.) | 84 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Cameron | 73 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| TOP TIER | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | Southwest Texas State | 77* | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | St. John's (Minn.) | 83* | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | West Virginia Wesleyan | 81 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | St. John's | 75 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | Southwest Texas State | 79 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Kentucky State | 74 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | Southwest Texas State | 78 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | Southwest Texas State | 57 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Henderson State | 58 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Henderson State (Ark.) | 70 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Point Park (Pa.) | 69 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Henderson State | 84* | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | Wisconsin-Eau Claire | 78 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Central Wesleyan (S.C.) | 48 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | Wisconsin-Eau Claire | 84 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Henderson State | 70 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| TOP TIER | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Quincy | 69 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13 | Southern Tech (Ga) | 75 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | California State-Dominguez Hills | 66 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13 | Southern Tech | 57 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Quincy | 61 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Quincy (Ill.) | 77 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Birmingham–Southern (Ala.) | 75 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Henderson State | 54 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Drury | 60 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Drury (Mo.) | 69 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Hanover (Ind.) | 60 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Drury | 72 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14 | Kearney State | 69 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | LeMoyne-Owen (Tenn.) | 79 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14 | Kearney State (Neb.) | 98 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Drury | 89 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| BOTTOM TIER | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Briar Cliff | 84 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | High Point (N.C.) | 91 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Oregon Tech | 62 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | High Point | 65 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Briar Cliff | 76 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Louisiana College | 69 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Briar Cliff (Iowa) | 83 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Drury | 77 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Midwestern State | 59 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Central Washington | 83 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) | 62 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Central Washington | 66 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Midwestern State | 73 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Midwestern State (Tex.) | 64 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 | Grand Valley State (Mich.) | 63 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Midwestern State | 77* | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| BOTTOM TIER | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Marymount | 76 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 | Norfolk State (Virginia) | 64 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | St. John Fisher(N.Y.) | 57 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 | Norfolk State | 77 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Marymount | 87 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Marymount (Kan.) | 79 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Grand Canyon (Ariz.) | 74 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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 | Southwest Texas State | 101 | ||
| - | Midwestern State | 88 | ||
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