1997 NCAA Division III men's basketball tournament

The 1997 NCAA Division III men's basketball tournament was the 23rd annual single-elimination tournament to determine the national champions of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) men's Division III collegiate basketball in the United States.

1997 NCAA Division III
men's basketball tournament

Teams	64
Finals site	Salem, Virginia
Champions	Illinois Wesleyan Titans (1st title)
Runner-up	Nebraska Wesleyan Plainsmen (1st title game)
Semifinalists	Williams Ephs (1st Final Four) Alvernia Crusaders (1st Final Four)
Winning coach	Dennie Bridges (IWU)
MOP	Bryan Crabtree (IWU)
Attendance	59,784
NCAA Division III men's tournaments «1996 1998»

The field contained sixty-four teams, and each program was allocated to one of four sectionals. All sectional games were played on campus sites, while the national semifinals, third-place final, and championship finals were contested at the Salem Civic Center in Salem, Virginia.

Illinois Wesleyan defeated Nebraska Wesleyan, 89–86, in the final, clinching their first national title.

The Titans (29–2) were coached by Dennie Bridges. Bryan Crabtree, also from Illinois Wesleyan, was named Most Outstanding Player.

Bracket

Top left sectional

	First round				Second round				Sectional semifinals				Sectional finals
	Widener	70
	Dickinson	62
					Widener	65
					Salisbury State	77
	Salisbury State	101
	Wilkes	90
									Salisbury State	79
									Brockport	78
	St. Lawrence	63
	Brockport State	64
					Brockport State	73
					St. John Fisher	68
	St. John Fisher	77
	Cortland State	70
													Salisbury State	84
													Alvernia	89
	Alvernia	69
	Lebanon Valley	55
					Alvernia	60
					Goucher	55
	Goucher	67
	Cabrini	60
									Alvernia	77
									RIT	71
	Buffalo State	70
	Hamilton	66
					Buffalo State	106
					RIT	111**
	RIT	65
	Rochester	64

Bottom left sectional

	First round				Second round				Sectional semifinals				Sectional finals
	Hampden–Sydney	74
	Christopher Newport	79
					Christopher Newport	67
					Methodist	72
	Methodist	67
	Roanoke	63
									Methodist	74
									Chicago	70
	Chicago	59
	Benedictine (IL)	52
					Chicago	78
					Wabash	70
	Wabash	69
	Lawrence	63
													Methodist	63
													Illinois Wesleyan	95
	Sewanee	68
	Rust	61
					Sewanee	62
					Bridgewater (VA)	65
	Maryville (TN)	62
	Bridgewater (VA)	64
									Bridgewater (VA)	60
									Illinois Wesleyan	87
	Rose–Hulman	86
	Washington–St. Louis	69
					Rose–Hulman	53
					Illinois Wesleyan	54
	Illinois Wesleyan	105
	Maryville (MO)	66

Top right sectional

	First round				Second round				Sectional semifinals				Sectional finals
	Rowan	72
	Mount Saint Vincent	53
					Rowan	56
					NYU	53
	NYU	94
	Jersey City State	84
									Rowan	82
									Salem State	72
	UMass Dartmouth	63
	Tufts	65
					Tufts	63
					Salem State	83
	Salem State	69
	Springfield	61
													Rowan	62
													Williams	71
	William Paterson	51
	Kings Point	43
					William Paterson	60
					Richard Stockton	64
	Richard Stockton	78
	York (NY)	71
									Richard Stockton	61
									Williams	85
	Amherst	83
	Colby	60
					Amherst	63
					Williams	86
	Williams	76
	Wentworth	51

Bottom right sectional

	First round				Second round				Sectional semifinals				Sectional finals
	Hope	69
	Denison	66
					Hope	67
					Wooster	56
	Ohio Northern	58
	Wooster	84
									Hope	75
									Nebraska Wesleyan	92
	UW–Whitewater	67
	Gustavus Adolphus	82
					Gustavus Adolphus	59
					Nebraska Wesleyan	61
	Nebraska Wesleyan	93
	Buena Vista	54
													Nebraska Wesleyan	69
													UW–Stevens Point	66
	Wittenberg	82
	John Carroll	68
					Wittenberg	65
					Mount Union	73
	Mount Union	77
	Alfred	69
									Mount Union	67
									UW–Stevens Point	68*
	Pomona–Pitzer	58
	UW–Stevens Point	68
					UW–Stevens Point	46
					UW–Platteville	43
	UW–Platteville	51
	UW–Oshkosh	43

National finals

• Site: Salem Civic Center, Salem, Virginia

	National Semifinals					National Championship
	Alvernia		82
	Illinois Wesleyan		85
						Illinois Wesleyan		89
						Nebraska Wesleyan		86
	Williams		90
	Nebraska Wesleyan		101			National Third-place
						Alvernia		77
						Williams		78

See also

• 1997 NCAA Division III women's basketball tournament
• 1997 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament
• 1997 NCAA Division II men's basketball tournament
• 1997 NAIA Division I men's basketball tournament
• 1997 NAIA Division II men's basketball tournament