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.[1]

1972 (1972) NAIA men's basketball tournament
Teams32
Finals siteMunicipal Auditorium
Kansas City, Missouri
ChampionsKentucky State (3 title, 3 title game)
Runner-upWisconsin Eau Claire (1 title game,
1 Fab Four)
Semifinalists
  • Stephen F. Austin (1 Final Four)
  • Gardner Webb (1 Final Four)
Coach of the yearKen Anderson (Wisconsin-Eau Claire)
Charles Stevenson
Hustle Award
Frank Schade (Wisconsin Eau Claire)
Chuck Taylor MVPTravis Grant (Kentucky State)
NAIA men's tournaments
«1971 1973»

This year was the first and only tournament since seeding began in 1957 that all 4 top seeded teams made it to the national semi-finals. Seeding was changed in 2016, so each bracket is now seeded 1 thru 8. Kentucky State becomes the second team to win three 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 [2]

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 3rd and 4th 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

References
  1. "NAIA.org". Archived from the original on May 1, 2009. Retrieved April 19, 2009.
  2. NAIA. "NAIA Championship History" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 23, 2011. Retrieved April 19, 2009.
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