NAIA men's basketball championship
Current season, competition or edition: TWC Sports Channel (Kansas City area) Victory Sports Network (national) | |
| Related competitions | NAIA women's basketball championship |
|---|---|
| Official website | naia.org/sports/mbkb |
The NAIA men's basketball national championship has been held annually by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics since 1937 to determine the national champion of men's college basketball among its members in the United States and Canada.
The tournament was established by James Naismith to crown a national champion for smaller colleges and universities and has been held every year since, with the exceptions of 1944 (due to World War II) and 2020 (due to the COVID-19 pandemic).
Since 2022, the tournament has featured 64 teams, with teams beginning play at one of sixteen regional sites with the winners of those regionals playing at the final venue.[1][2]
From 1992 to 2020, the NAIA sponsored two championships, one for its Division I members and another for those in its Division II. The Division I tournament was played in Kansas City, Missouri while the Division II tournament moved locations several times (it finished, in 2020, at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota). During this time, the NAIA tournaments featured 32 teams with the entire events contested at one location in one week (rather than multiple locations over a series of weekends).
After the 2020 tournaments were cancelled, however, they were merged back into a single tournament, which initially featured 48 teams in 2021 before expanding to 64 teams in 2022.
All tournament games can be watched online through the official NAIA provider StretchInternet.[3]
History
The Men's Basketball Championship is mostly played at the
Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri.[4] It has been held in Kansas City every year since the tournament began except from 1994 to 2001, when it was played in Tulsa, Oklahoma
, and in 2020, when no tournament was held. Kansas City will continue to host until at least 2024.
In 2018, the NAIA announced a new format for the 2021 tournament after the merger of D-I and D-II. Under the new format, the men's and women's tournaments each involve 64 teams (the first post-COVID tournaments in 2021 had 48 teams). The first two rounds are played at 16 separate sites, with only the 16 winners at these sites advancing to Kansas City.[5]
The tournament MVP has been presented with the
NAIA women's basketball
.
Results
- From 1937 to 1991, it was a single division
- From 1992, it became the "Division I", returning to a single division in 2021.
| NAIA men's basketball championships | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ed. | Year | Champion | Score | Runner-up | Venue | City |
1 |
1937 | Central Missouri State |
35–24 [n 1] | Morningside |
Municipal Auditorium |
Kansas City, Missouri |
2 |
1938 | Central Missouri State |
45–30 | Roanoke
| ||
3 |
1939 | Southwestern (KS) |
32–31 | San Diego State | ||
4 |
1940 | Tarkio |
52–31 | San Diego State | ||
5 |
1941 | San Diego State | 36–32 | Murray State | ||
6 |
1942 | Hamline |
33–31 | Southeastern Oklahoma State
| ||
7 |
1943 | Southeast Missouri State |
34–32 | Northwest Missouri State | ||
– |
1944 |
(No Tournament held)
| ||||
8 |
1945 | Loyola (LA) |
49–36 | Pepperdine | Municipal Auditorium |
Kansas City, Missouri |
9 |
1946 | Southern Illinois | 49–40 | Indiana State | ||
10 |
1947 | Marshall | 73–59 | Mankato State
| ||
11 |
1948 | Louisville | 82–70 | Indiana State | ||
12 |
1949 | Hamline |
57–46 | Regis
| ||
13 |
1950 | Indiana State | 61–47 | East Central
| ||
14 |
1951 | Hamline |
69–61 | Millikin
| ||
15 |
1952 | Southwest Missouri State |
73–64 | Murray State | ||
16 |
1953 | Southwest Missouri State |
79–71 | Hamline
| ||
17 |
1954 | St. Benedict's (KS) |
62–56 | Western Illinois | ||
18 |
1955 | East Texas State |
71–54 | Southeastern Oklahoma State
| ||
19 |
1956 | McNeese State |
60–55 | Texas Southern | ||
20 |
1957 | Tennessee A&I | 92–73 | Southeastern Oklahoma State
| ||
21 |
1958 | Tennessee A&I | 85–73 | Western Illinois | ||
22 |
1959 | Tennessee A&I | 97–87 | Pacific Lutheran
| ||
23 |
1960 | Southwest Texas State |
66–44 | Westminster (PA)
| ||
24 |
1961 | Grambling |
95–75 | Georgetown (KY)
| ||
25 |
1962 | Prairie View A&M |
62–53 | Westminster (PA)
| ||
26 |
1963 | Pan American |
73–62 | Western Carolina | ||
27 |
1964 | Rockhurst |
66–56 | Pan American
| ||
28 |
1965 | Central State (OH) |
85–51 | Oklahoma Baptist
| ||
29 |
1966 | Oklahoma Baptist |
88–59 | Georgia Southern | ||
30 |
1967 | St. Benedict's (KS) |
71–65 | Oklahoma Baptist
| ||
31 |
1968 | Central State (OH) |
51–48 | Fairmont State (WV)
| ||
32 |
1969 | Eastern New Mexico |
99–76 | Maryland–Eastern Shore | ||
33 |
1970 | Kentucky State |
79–71 | Central Washington
| ||
34 |
1971 | Kentucky State |
102–82 | Eastern Michigan
| ||
35 |
1972 | Kentucky State |
71–62 | Wisconsin–Eau Claire
| ||
36 |
1973 | Guilford | 99–96 | Maryland–Eastern Shore | ||
37 |
1974 | West Georgia |
97–79 | Alcorn State | ||
38 |
1975 | Grand Canyon | 65–54 | Midwestern State |
Kemper Arena
| |
39 |
1976 | Coppin State | 96–91 | Henderson State
| ||
40 |
1977 | Texas Southern | 71–44 | Campbell
| ||
41 |
1978 | Grand Canyon | 79–75 | Kearney State
| ||
42 |
1979 | Drury |
60–54 | Henderson State
| ||
43 |
1980 | Cameron |
84–77 | Alabama State
| ||
44 |
1981 | Bethany Nazarene |
86–85 OT | Alabama-Huntsville
| ||
45 |
1982 | South Carolina–Spartanburg |
51–38 | Biola
| ||
46 |
1983 | College of Charleston |
57–53 | West Virginia Wesleyan | ||
47 |
1984 | Fort Hays State |
48–46 OT | Wisconsin–Stevens Point
| ||
48 |
1985 | Fort Hays State |
82–80 OT | Wayland Baptist
| ||
49 |
1986 | David Lipscomb |
67–54 | Arkansas-Monticello
| ||
50 |
1987 | Washburn | 79–77 | West Virginia State
| ||
51 |
1988 | Grand Canyon | 88–86 OT | Auburn Montgomery
| ||
52 |
1989 | St. Mary's (TX) |
61–58 | East Central
| ||
53 |
1990 | Birmingham–Southern |
88–80 | Wisconsin–Eau Claire
| ||
54 |
1991 | Oklahoma City |
77–74 | Central Arkansas | ||
55 |
1992 | Oklahoma City |
82–73 OT | Central Arkansas | ||
56 |
1993 | Hawaii Pacific |
88–83 | Oklahoma Baptist
| ||
57 |
1994 | Oklahoma City |
99–81 | Life |
Mabee Center | Tulsa, Oklahoma |
58 |
1995 | Birmingham–Southern |
92–76 | Pfeiffer
| ||
59 |
1996 | Oklahoma City |
86–80 | Georgetown (KY)
| ||
60 |
1997 | Life |
73–64 | Oklahoma Baptist
| ||
61 |
1998 | Georgetown (KY) |
83–69 | Southern Nazarene
| ||
62 |
1999 | Life |
63–60 | Mobile |
Donald W. Reynolds Center | |
63 |
2000 | Life |
61–59 | Georgetown (KY) |
Tulsa Convention Center
| |
64 |
2001 | Faulkner |
63–59 | USAO
| ||
65 |
2002 | USAO |
96–79 | Oklahoma Baptist |
Municipal Auditorium |
Kansas City, Missouri |
66 |
2003 | Concordia–Irvine |
88–84 OT | Mountain State
| ||
67 |
2004 | Mountain State |
74–70 | Concordia–Irvine
| ||
68 |
2005 | John Brown |
65–55 | Azusa Pacific
| ||
69 |
2006 | Texas Wesleyan |
67–65 | Oklahoma City
| ||
70 |
2007 | Oklahoma City |
79–71 | Concordia–Irvine
| ||
71 |
2008 | Oklahoma City |
75–72 | Mountain State
| ||
72 |
2009 | Rocky Mountain |
77–61 | Columbia (MO)
| ||
73 |
2010 | Oklahoma Baptist |
84–83 | Azusa Pacific
| ||
74 |
2011 | Pikeville |
83–76 OT | Mountain State
| ||
75 |
2012 | Concordia–Irvine |
72–69 | Oklahoma Baptist
| ||
76 |
2013 | Georgetown (KY) |
88–62 | Southwestern Assemblies of God
| ||
77 |
2014[7] | Vanguard |
70–65 | Emmanuel (GA)
| ||
78 |
2015[8] | Dalton State |
71–53 | Westmont
| ||
79 |
2016 | Mid-America Christian |
100–99 OT[n 2] | Georgetown (KY)
| ||
80 |
2017 | Texas Wesleyan |
86–76 | Life
| ||
81 |
2018 | Graceland |
83–80 OT | LSU–Alexandria
| ||
82 |
2019 | Georgetown (KY) |
68–48 | Carroll (MT)
| ||
– |
2020 | (No tournament due to the COVID-19 pandemic)
| ||||
83 |
2021 [n 3] | Shawnee State |
74–68 | Lewis–Clark State |
Municipal Auditorium |
Kansas City, Missouri |
84 |
2022 | Loyola (LA) |
71–56 | Talladega
| ||
85 |
2023 | College of Idaho |
73–71 | Indiana Tech
| ||
86 |
2024[9] | Freed–Hardeman |
71–67 | Langston
| ||
- Notes
Champions
- Division II titlesare not included in this list. Schools in italics are no longer in the NAIA.
| Team | Championships | Finals record | Winning years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma City | 6 | 6–1 | 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996, 2007, 2008 |
Hamline |
3 | 3–1 | 1942, 1949, 1951 |
| Tennessee A&I | 3 | 3–0 | 1957, 1958, 1959 |
| Kentucky State | 3 | 3–0 | 1970, 1971, 1972 |
| Grand Canyon | 3 | 3–0 | 1975, 1978, 1988 |
Life |
3 | 3–2 | 1997, 1999, 2000 |
| Georgetown (KY) | 3 | 3–4 | 1998, 2013, 2019 |
| Central Missouri State | 2 | 2–0 | 1937, 1938 |
| Loyola (LA) | 2 | 2–0 | 1945, 2022 |
| Southwest Missouri State | 2 | 2–0 | 1952, 1953 |
| St. Benedict's (KS) (Benedictine) |
2 | 2–0 | 1954, 1967 |
| Central State (OH) | 2 | 2–0 | 1965, 1968 |
| Oklahoma Baptist | 2 | 2–6 | 1966, 2010 |
| Fort Hays State | 2 | 2–0 | 1984, 1985 |
Birmingham–Southern |
2 | 2–0 | 1990, 1995 |
| Concordia–Irvine | 2 | 2–2 | 2003, 2012 |
Texas Wesleyan |
2 | 2–0 | 2006, 2017 |
| Southwestern (KS) | 1 | 1–0 | 1939 |
Tarkio |
1 | 1–0 | 1940 |
| San Diego State | 1 | 1–2 | 1941 |
| Southeast Missouri State | 1 | 1–0 | 1943 |
| Southern Illinois | 1 | 1–0 | 1946 |
| Marshall | 1 | 1–0 | 1947 |
| Louisville | 1 | 1–0 | 1948 |
| Indiana State | 1 | 1–2 | 1950 |
| East Texas State | 1 | 1–0 | 1955 |
| McNeese State | 1 | 1–0 | 1956 |
| Southwest Texas State | 1 | 1–0 | 1960 |
| Grambling | 1 | 1–0 | 1961 |
| Prairie View A&M | 1 | 1–0 | 1962 |
| Pan American[a] | 1 | 1–1 | 1963 |
Rockhurst |
1 | 1–0 | 1964 |
| Eastern New Mexico | 1 | 1–0 | 1969 |
| Guilford | 1 | 1–0 | 1973 |
| West Georgia | 1 | 1–0 | 1974 |
| Coppin State | 1 | 1–0 | 1976 |
| Texas Southern | 1 | 1–1 | 1977 |
| Drury | 1 | 1–0 | 1979 |
| Cameron | 1 | 1–0 | 1980 |
| Bethany Nazarene | 1 | 1–1 | 1981 |
| USC Spartanburg | 1 | 1–0 | 1982 |
| College of Charleston | 1 | 1–0 | 1983 |
| David Lipscomb | 1 | 1–0 | 1986 |
| Washburn | 1 | 1–0 | 1987 |
| St. Mary's (TX) | 1 | 1–0 | 1989 |
| Hawaii Pacific | 1 | 1–0 | 1993 |
Faulkner |
1 | 1–0 | 2001 |
USAO |
1 | 1–1 | 2002 |
Mountain State |
1 | 1–3 | 2004 |
John Brown |
1 | 1–0 | 2005 |
Rocky Mountain |
1 | 1–0 | 2009 |
| Pikeville | 1 | 1–0 | 2011 |
Vanguard |
1 | 1–0 | 2014 |
Dalton State |
1 | 1–0 | 2015 |
Mid-America Christian |
1 | 1–0 | 2016 |
| Graceland | 1 | 1–0 | 2018 |
| Shawnee State | 1 | 1–0 | 2021 |
College of Idaho |
1 | 1–0 | 2023 |
Freed–Hardeman |
1 | 1–0 | 2024 |
- Schools highlighted in pink are closed or no longer sponsor athletics.
- Schools highlight in yellow have reclassified athletics from the NAIA.
- ^ Pan American, later known as UT Pan American, ceased to exist in 2015, when the merger of UTPA with UT Brownsville took full effect. All history and records of the UTPA athletic program were transferred to the successor institution, UT Rio Grande Valley.
See also
References
- ^ "2021 Men's Basketball National Championship Opening Round Field Announced". NAIA.org. March 4, 2021. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
- ^ "2022 Men's Basketball National Championship Opening Round Field Announced". NAIA.org. March 3, 2022. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
- ^ "NAIA Men's Basketball Tournament Viewing Sources". SBit. February 26, 2023.
- ^ NAIA Men's Division I Championship History
- ^ "New Basketball Postseason Format Approved" (Press release). NAIA. July 2, 2018. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
- ISBN 978-1-25006085-3.
- ^ "Vanguard Wins First National Championship, 70–65". NAIA. March 26, 2014. Retrieved March 26, 2014.
- ^ "Dalton State Wins First-Ever National Championship". NAIA. March 24, 2015. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
- ^ "NAIA Men's Basketball National Championship to Remain in Kansas City". NAIA. March 22, 2019. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
External links
| NAIA |  | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sports and championships |
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