2017 NAIA Division I men's basketball tournament

The 2017 Buffalo Funds - NAIA Division I men's basketball tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 80th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format. The opening game round started on March 15, and the National Championship Game was played on March 21.[1]

2017 (2017) NAIA Division I men's basketball tournament
Teams32
Finals siteMunicipal Auditorium
Kansas City, Missouri
ChampionsTexas Wesleyan Rams (2 title, 2 title game,
4 Fab Four)
Runner-upLife Running Eagles (3 title game,
5 Fab Four)
Semifinalists
Coach of the yearBrennen Shingleton (Texas Wesleyan)
Player of the yearDalarian Williams (Life (Ga.))
Charles Stevenson
Hustle Award
Jonathan Beausejour (Life (Ga.))
Chuck Taylor MVPDion Rogers (Texas Wesleyan)
Attendance39,093
Top scorerDion Rogers (Texas Wesleyan)
(28 points)
NAIA Division I
men's tournaments
«2016 2018»

Awards and honors

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  • Leading scorer: Dion Rogers, 28 points.
  • Leading rebounder:
  • Frank Cramer Award: Randy Covitz, Kansas City Star
  • Dr. James Naismith-Emil S. Liston Sportsmanship Award: Biola (Calif.)
  • 2017 All-Tournament Team: Michael Harris, Langston (Okla.), Jonathan Beausejour, Life (Ga.), Dalarian Williams, Life (Ga.), Brandon Moss, LSU Alexandria (La.), Brian Sylvester, LSU Alexandria (La.), Ryan Harris, Texas Wesleyan, Dion Rogers, Texas Wesleyan, Najeal Young, Texas Wesleyan, Charles Knowles, William Penn (Iowa), Torren Jones, William Penn (Iowa)
  • Player of the Year: Dalarian Williams (Life Ga.) [2]
  • Most consecutive tournament appearances: 26th, Georgetown (KY)
  • Most tournament appearances: 36th, Georgetown (KY)

2017 NAIA results

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Texas Wesleyan won their 2nd national title, defeating Life University (Ga.) 86 to 76. It was Texas Wesleyan's 13th appearance in the NAIA Tournament. It was their 4th elite eight and final four, and second title game. 2017 was the 9th straight year without a back-to-back winner. Texas Wesleyan became the 16th program to win two or more national titles with its win. Life finished the season earning its second all-time runner-up title.

2017 NAIA bracket

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First round
March 15–16
Second round
March 17–18
Quarterfinals
March 19
National Semifinals
March 20
National Championship
March 21
               
1 LSU Alexandria 104
8 Science & Arts (Okla.) 80
1 LSU Alexandria (La.) 81
5 Westmont (Calif.) 61
4 William Carey (Miss.) 60
5 Westmont (Calif.) 74
1 LSU Alexandria (La.) 84
NAISMITH BRACKET
March 16
3 Pikeville (Ky.) 80
3 Pikeville (Ky.) 79
6 Grand View (Iowa) 62
3 Pikeville (Ky.) 56
2 Columbia (Mo.) 51
2 Columbia (Mo.) 71
7 Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) 59
1 LSU Alexandria (La.) 63
3 Life (Ga.) 65
1 Carroll (Mont.) 82
8 Mount Mercy (Iowa) 69
1 Carroll (Mont.) 87*
4 SAGU (Texas) 80
4 SAGU (Texas) 80
5 Talladega (Ala.) 75
1 Carroll (Mont.) 71
CRAMER BRACKET
March 15
3 Life (Ga.) 73
3 Life (Ga.) 80
6 Martin Methodist (Tenn.) 62
3 Life (Ga.) 80
2 Hope Int'l (Calif.) 78
2 Hope Inter'l (Calif.) 61
7 Wiley (Texas) 59
3 Life (Ga.) 76
3 Texas Wesleyan 86
1 William Penn (Iowa) 100
8 Loyola (La.) 78
1 William Penn (Iowa) 87
4 Georgetown (Ky.) 79
4 Georgetown (Ky.) 81
5 Park (Mo.) 72
1 William Penn (Iowa) 84
DUER BRACKET
March 16
6 Langston (Okla.) 80
3 Biola (Calif.) 76
6 Langston (Okla.) 78
6 Langston (Okla.) 84
2 Dillard (La.) 74
2 Dillard 86
7 Oklahoma City 65
1 William Penn 82
3 Texas Wesleyan 83*
1 Dalton State (Ga.) 84
8 Harris-Stowe State (St. Louis, MO) 82
1 Dalton State (Ga.) 79
4 Montana Western 60
4 Montana Western 99
5 LSU Shreveport (La.) 94
1 Dalton State (Ga.) 73
LISTON BRACKET
March 15
3 Texas Wesleyan 82
3 Texas Wesleyan 74
6 Cumberlands (Ky.) 68
3 Texas Wesleyan 77
2 The Master's (Calif.) 75
2 The Master's (Calif.) 85
7 Benedictine (Kan.) 56
  •  * denotes overtime.

See also

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References

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