1979 NCAA Division III basketball tournament

The 1979 NCAA Division III men's basketball tournament was the fifth annual single-elimination tournament, held during March 1979, to determine the national champions of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) men's Division III collegiate basketball in the United States.

1979 NCAA Division III
basketball tournament

Teams	32
Finals site	Rock Island, Illinois
Champions	North Park Vikings (2nd title)
Runner-up	Potsdam Bears (1st title game)
Semifinalists	Franklin & Marshall Diplomats (1st Final Four) Centre Colonels (1st Final Four)
MOP	Mike Harper (North Park)
NCAA Division III men's tournaments «1978 1980»

The tournament field included 32 teams, an increase of two from 1978, with the national championship rounds being contested in Rock Island, Illinois.

Defending champions North Park defeated Potsdam, 66–62, in the championship game to repeat as national champions and claim their second overall title.

Bracket

Regionals

	First round					Regional Championship
	Framingham State		89
	Rhode Island College		80
						Framingham State		73
						Clark (MA)		85
	Clark (MA)		68**
	Coast Guard		59			Regional Third-place
						Rhode Island College		71
						Coast Guard		76

	First round					Regional Championship
	St. Lawrence		64
	Manhattanville		59
						St. Lawrence		61
						Potsdam		70
	Potsdam		70
	Stony Brook		65			Regional Third-place
						Manhattanville		61
						Stony Brook		66

	First round					Regional Championship
	Baldwin Wallace		70
	Albion		66
						Baldwin Wallace		68
						Wittenberg		66
	Wittenberg		69
	Allegheny		68			Regional Third-place
						Albion		91
						Allegheny		78

	First round					Regional Championship
	Savannah State		82*
	Albany (NY)		81
						Savannah State		54
						Centre (KY)		82
	Centre (KY)		79
	Lane		68			Regional Third-place
						Albany (NY)		85*
						Lane		83

	First round					Regional Championship
	Elizabethtown		58
	Grove City		53
						Elizabethtown		59
						Franklin & Marshall		60
	Franklin & Marshall		74*
	Albright		63			Regional Third-place
						Grove City		79
						Albright		73

	First round					Regional Championship
	Jersey City State		85
	Virginia Wesleyan		64
						Jersey City State		91
						Upsala		81
	Upsala		115
	Lynchburg		85			Regional Third-place
						Virginia Wesleyan		108
						Lynchburg		84

	First round					Regional Championship
	Central (IA)		85
	Minnesota–Morris		57
						Central (IA)		66
						North Park		81
	North Park		63
	Beloit		62			Regional Third-place
						Minnesota–Morris		64
						Beloit		72

	First round					Regional Championship
	Chaminade		78
	William Penn		69
						Chaminade		78
						Whittier		77
	Whittier		74**
	Humboldt State		73			Regional Third-place
						William Penn		91
						Humboldt State		95

National finals

• Site: Rock Island, Illinois

	National quarterfinals					National semifinals					National championship
	Clark (MA)		72
	Potsdam		89
						Potsdam		67
						Centre (KY)		63
	Centre (KY)		68***
	Baldwin Wallace		65
											Potsdam		62
											North Park		66
	Franklin & Marshall		83
	Jersey City State		72
						Franklin & Marshall		73			National third-place game
						North Park		83
	North Park		95								Centre (KY)		65
	Chaminade		74								Franklin & Marshall		66

See also

• 1979 NCAA Division I basketball tournament
• 1979 NCAA Division II basketball tournament
• 1979 NAIA basketball tournament