1972 NAIA basketball tournament

The 1972 NAIA men's basketball tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 35th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format.

1972 NAIA men's basketball tournament

Teams	32
Finals site	Municipal Auditorium Kansas City, Missouri
Champions	Kentucky State (3 title, 3 title game)
Runner-up	Wisconsin Eau Claire (1 title game, 1 Final Four)
Semifinalists	Stephen F. Austin (1 Final Four) Gardner Webb (1 Final Four)
Coach of the year	Ken Anderson (Wisconsin-Eau Claire)
Charles Stevenson Hustle Award	Frank Schade (Wisconsin Eau Claire)
MVP	Travis Grant (Kentucky State)
NAIA men's basketball tournament «1971 1973»

This year was the first and only tournament since seeding began in 1957 that all four top seeded teams made it to the national semi-finals. Seeding was changed in 2016, so each bracket is now seeded 1 through 8. Kentucky State became the second team to win three titles in a row, joining Tennessee State (1957, 1958, 1959).

Awards and honors

• Leading scorer: Travis Grant, Kentucky State
• Leading rebounder: Mike Ratliff, Wisconsin-Eau Claire 81 rebounds in 5 games.
• Player of the year: est. 1994
• Most points single game: 60, Travis Grant, Kentucky State vs. Minot State (N.D.)
• Most points single tournament: 213, Travis Grant, Kentucky State
• Most points, career: 518, Travis Grant, Kentucky State, 1970-71-72
• Most field goals made, game: 27, Travis Grant, Kentucky State vs. Minot State (N.D.)
• Most field goals made, tournament: 89, Travis Grant, Kentucky State
• Most field goals made, career: 223, Travis Grant, Kentucky State, 1970-71-72

1972 NAIA bracket

	First round					Second round					Elite Eight					NAIA national semifinals					NAIA national championship
	1	Wisconsin-Eau Claire	96
	-	Bishop (Tex.)	65
						1	Wisconsin-Eau Claire	59
						16	Belhaven	52
	-	Quinnipiac (Conn.)	64
	16	Belhaven (Miss.)	75
											1	Wisconsin-Eau Claire	77
	TOP TIER
											9	Augustana	70
	9	Augustana (Ill.)	103
	-	Kearney State (Neb.)	96
						9	Augustana	76
						8	Glenville State	75
	-	Missouri Southern State	66
	8	Glenville State (W.Virginia)	68
																1	Wisconsin-Eau Claire	83
																4	Gardner–Webb	68
	5	Western Washington State	66
	-	Findlay (Ohio)	63
						5	Western Washington State	74
						12	Northeastern State	68
	-	Glassboro State (N.J.)	69
	12	Northeastern State (Okla.)	87
											5	Western Washington State	75
	TOP TIER
											4	Gardner–Webb	81
	13	Pittsburg State (Kan.)	98
	-	Western Carolina (N.C.)	75
						13	Pittsburg State	87
						4	Gardner–Webb	91
	-	Eastern Montana	94
	4	Gardner–Webb (N.C.)	109
																					1	Wisconsin-Eau Claire	62
																					3	Kentucky State	71
	3	Kentucky State	118
	-	Minot State (N.D.)	68
						3	Kentucky State	112
						14	West Georgia	83
	-	Northwestern (Iowa)	69
	14	West Georgia	73
											3	Kentucky State	66
	BOTTOM TIER
											11	St. Thomas	57
	11	St. Thomas (Minn.)	78
	-	Tri-State (Ind.)	61
						11	St. Thomas	93
						6	Ouachita Baptist	87
	-	Elizabeth City State (N.C.)	89
	6	Ouachita Baptist (Ark.)	90*
																3	Kentucky State	87
																2	Stephen F. Austin State	82
	7	Xavier (La.)	102
	-	Maryland-Eastern Shore	80
						7	Xavier	59
						10	Westmont	71
	-	Edinboro State (Pa.)	72
	10	Westmont (California)	91
											10	Westmont	62
	BOTTOM TIER
											2	Stephen F. Austin State	72
	15	Willamette (Ore.)	65
	-	Adams State (Colo.)	78
						-	Adams State	77
						2	Stephen F. Austin State	87
	-	Hillsdale (Mich.)	61
	2	Stephen F. Austin (Tex.)	71

•  * denotes overtime.

Third-place game

The third-place game featured the losing teams from the national semifinalist to determine third and fourth places in the tournament. This game was played until 1988.

	NAIA third-place game
	4	Gardner–Webb	91
	2	Stephen F. Austin State	94

See also

• 1972 NCAA University Division basketball tournament
• 1972 NCAA College Division basketball tournament