| Season | 1978–79 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teams | 32 | ||||
| Finals site | Kemper Arena Kansas City, Missouri | ||||
| Champions | Drury (1 title, 1 title game, 1 Final Four) | ||||
| Runner-up | Henderson State (2 title game, 3 Final Four) | ||||
| Semifinalists |
| ||||
Charles Stevenson Hustle Award | Mike Carter (Drury) | ||||
| MVP | Lawrence Washington (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 national semifinalist teams 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 | ||
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 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 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 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 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 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.
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 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 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 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. 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 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.
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 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. South Carolina-Spartanburg became the champion.