| Teams | 32 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finals site | Kemper Arena Kansas City, Missouri | ||||
| Champions | Cameron (1 title, 1 title game, 1 Fab Four) | ||||
| Runner-up | Alabama State (1 title game, 1 Fab Four) | ||||
| Semifinalists |
| ||||
Charles Stevenson Hustle Award | Terry DuPris (Huron) | ||||
| Chuck Taylor MVP | LeRoy Jackson (Cameron) | ||||
| |||||
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. [1]
| First round | Second round | Elite Eight | NAIA national semifinals | NAIA national championship | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Alabama State | 103 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Dowling (N.Y.) | 57 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Alabama State | 103 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | South Carolina-Aiken | 78 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | South Carolina-Aiken | 74 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16 | Hampton Institute (Va.) | 73 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Alabama State | 67 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| TOP TIER | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Central Arkansas | 53 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | Rockhurst (Mo.) | 78 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Defiance (Ohio) | 69 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | Rockhurst | 53 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Central Arkansas | 54 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Central Arkansas | 67 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | Augsburg (Minn) | 61 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Alabama State | 72 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Huron | 58 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Kearney State (Neb.) | 85 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Franklin (Ind.) | 86 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Franklin | 71 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Huron | 73 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Huron (S.D.) | 82 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | Paul Quinn (Tex.) | 72 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Huron | 61 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| TOP TIER | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Clarion State | 52 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13 | Hawaii-Hilo | 70 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Loras (Iowa) | 72 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Loras | 71 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Clarion State | 79 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Clarion State (Pa.) | 83 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Grand Canyon (Ariz.) | 75 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Alabama State | 77 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Cameron | 84 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Cameron (Okla.) | 72 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Saginaw Valley (Mich.) | 69 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Cameron | 120 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14 | St. Augustine's | 86 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Southern Tech (Ga.) | 63 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14 | St. Augustine's (N.C.) | 66 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Cameron | 76 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| BOTTOM TIER | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | LeMoyne-Owen | 65 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | Fairmont State (W.Va.) | 82 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | LeMoyne-Owen (Tenn.) | 84* | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | LeMoyne-Owen | 56 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Abilene Christian | 55 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Illinois Wesleyan | 55 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Abilene Christian (Tex.) | 75 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Cameron | 71 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Wisconsin-Eau Claire | 64 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Central Washington | 89 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Moorhead State (Minn.) | 73 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Central Washington | 66 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 | Biola | 64 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Franklin Pierce (N.H.) | 64 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 | Biola (Calif.) | 76 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Central Washington | 61 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| BOTTOM TIER | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Wisconsin-Eau Claire | 68* | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 | Marymount (Kan.) | 99* | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Dillard (La.) | 88 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 | Marymount | 49 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Wisconsin-Eau Claire | 56 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Cumberland (Ky.) | 61 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Wisconsin-Eau Claire | 84 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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 | ||||
| - | Huron | 59 | ||
| 2 | Wisconsin-Eau Claire | 54 | ||
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