The 1967 NAIA men's basketball tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 30th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format.[1] There were only 3 upsets in this tournament. The championship game featured St. Benedict's College (Kan.) and Oklahoma Baptist University. The Ravens would defeat the Biso 71–65. The 3rd place game featured Central Washington University defeating Morris Harvey College (W. Va.) by a score of 106 to 92. 1967 was the final year of 21 straight tournaments to have a player make it on the all-time leading scorers list. The streak that began with Harold Haskins in 1947 ended with Al Tucker in 1967. This streak had peaked in 1957 when 7 all-timers played in one tournament. It is argued that this marked the end of the "golden age" of NAIA basketball. It was the third tournament won by the number one seed.

1967 NAIA men's basketball tournament
Season1966–67
Teams32
Finals siteMunicipal Auditorium
Kansas City, Missouri
ChampionsSt. Benedict's (Kan.) (2nd title, 2nd title game,
2nd Final Four)
Runner-upOklahoma Baptist (3rd title game,
3rd Final Four)
Semifinalists
Coach of the yearBob Bass (Oklahoma Baptist)
Charles Stevenson
Hustle Award
David Benedict (Central Washington)
MVPAl Tucker (2nd title) (Oklahoma Baptist)
Top scorerAl Tucker (Oklahoma Baptist)
(164 points)
NAIA men's basketball tournament
«1966 1968»

Awards and honors

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  • Leading scorer: Al Tucker, Oklahoma Baptist; 5 games, 164 total points including 65 field goals 34 free throws, averaging 32.8 points per game.
  • Leading rebounder: Darryl Jones, St. Benedict's (Kan.); in 5 games Jones would earn 62 rebounds averaging 12.4 per game.
  • Player of the Year: est. 1994
  • All-time single game performances: 6th; Al Tucker, Oklahoma Baptist; Oklahoma Baptist vs. St. Benedict's (Kan.); Tucker scored 47 points, including 21 field goals and 5 free throws.
  • All-time leading scorer; final appearance: Al Tucker, 2nd, Oklahoma Baptist (1965,66,67); 15 games, 177 field goals, 117 free throws, 471 total points (31.4 points per game).[2]

1967 NAIA bracket

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First round Second round Elite Eight NAIA national semifinals NAIA national championship
               
1 St. Benedict's (Kan.) 80
- Linfield (Ore.) 75
1 St. Benedict's 67
16 Southern State 56
- Eastern Montana 62
16 Southern State (Ark.) 75
1 St. Benedict's 88
TOP TIER
8 St. Mary's 73
9 Westminster (Pa.) 84
- Oshkosh State (Wis.) 62
9 Westminster (Pa.) 53
8 St. Mary's 55
- Wartburg (Iowa) 56
8 St. Mary's (Texas) 59
1 St. Benedict's 73
4 Morris Harvey 70
5 Tennessee Wesleyan 94
- Indiana Central 89*
5 Tennessee Wesleyan 65
12 Midwestern 59
- Dickinson State (N.D.) 77
12 Midwestern (Texas) 96
5 Tennessee Wesleyan 68
TOP TIER
4 Morris Harvey 75
13 Millersville State (Pa.) 66
- Chadron State (Neb.) 83
- Chadron State 76
4 Morris Harvey 91
- Howard Payne (Texas) 85
4 Morris Harvey (W.Va.) 103
1 St. Benedict's 71
3 Oklahoma Baptist 65
3 Oklahoma Baptist 55
- Alcorn A&M (Miss.) 52
3 Oklahoma Baptist 70
14 Valdosta State 62
- Quincy (Ill.) 64
14 Valdosta State (Ga.) 78
3 Oklahoma Baptist 66
BOTTOM TIER
7 Southwestern Louisiana 65
7 Southwestern Louisiana 110
- Findlay (Ohio) 73
7 Southwestern Louisiana 70
10 Central Michigan 62
- Albany State (Ga.) 70
10 Central Michigan 71
3 Oklahoma Baptist 78
6 Central Washington State 68
11 Guilford (N.C.) 70
- Boston State (Mass.) 61
11 Guilford 67
6 Central Washington State 78
- Trenton State (N.J.) 60
6 Central Washington State 72
6 Central Washington State 60
BOTTOM TIER
2 Eastern New Mexico 58
15 St. Thomas (Minn.) 72
- Claremont-Mudd (Calif.) 63
15 St. Thomas 67
2 Eastern New Mexico 69
- Rockhurst (Mo.) 59
2 Eastern New Mexico 64
  •  * denotes overtime.

Third-place game

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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 Morris Harvey 92
6 Central Washington State 106

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "NAIA.org". Archived from the original on May 1, 2009. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  2. ^ NAIA Championship History Archived 2008-05-15 at the Wayback Machine