1979 NCAA Division II basketball tournament

The 1979 NCAA Division II basketball tournament involved 32 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division II college basketball as a culmination of the 1978–79 NCAA Division II men's basketball season. It was won by the University of North Alabama and North Alabama's Perry Oden was the Most Outstanding Player.

1979 NCAA Division II
basketball tournament
Teams32
Finals siteSpringfield, Missouri
ChampionsNorth Alabama Lions (1st title)
Runner-upGreen Bay Phoenix (2nd title game)
Semifinalists
Winning coachBill Jones (1st title)
MOPPerry Oden (North Alabama)
Attendance47,907
NCAA Division II men's tournaments
«1978 1980»
1979 NCAA Division II basketball tournament is located in the United States
Catonsville
Catonsville
Oneonta
Oneonta
Fairborn
Fairborn
1979 NCAA Division II basketball tournament
Waltham
Waltham
Lakeland
Lakeland
Omaha
Omaha
Green Bay
Green Bay
Tacoma
Tacoma
Thibodaux
Thibodaux
New Haven
New Haven
Kirksville
Kirksville
Springfield
Springfield
1979 NCAA Division II Men's sites - regionals (cyan) Quarterfinals (orange) Final Four (red)

Regional participants edit

School Outcome
Eastern Illinois Third Place
Northern Michigan Fourth Place
St. Joseph's (IN) Regional Champion
Wright State Runner-up
School Outcome
Assumption Runner-up
Bentley Third Place
Bridgeport Regional Champion
Quinnipiac Fourth Place
School Outcome
Nicholls State Regional Champion
Rollins Runner-up
SE Missouri State Third Place
NE Missouri State Fourth Place
School Outcome
Florida Southern Fourth Place
North Alabama Regional Champion
Tuskegee Third Place
Valdosta State Runner-up
School Outcome
Cal State Northridge Fourth Place
Puget Sound Regional Champion
San Diego Third Place
UC Riverside Runner-up
School Outcome
Green Bay Regional Champion
Nebraska-Omaha Third Place
North Dakota Fourth Place
Northern Iowa Runner-up
School Outcome
Albany State Third Place
Cheyney Regional Champion
Hartwick Runner-up
Philadelphia U Fourth Place
School Outcome
Mount St. Mary's Third Place
Roanoke Fourth Place
UMBC Regional Champion
Virginia Union Runner-up

*denotes tie

Regionals edit

Great Lakes - Fairborn, Ohio edit

Location: Physical Education Building Host: Wright State University

Regional semifinals
Round of 32
March 2
Regional Final
Sweet 16
March 3
      
Wright State 75
Northern Michigan 66
Wright State 68
St. Joseph's 73
St. Joseph's (IN) 76
Eastern Illinois 66
  • Third Place - Eastern Illinois 65, Northern Michigan 58

New England - Waltham, Massachusetts edit

Location: Dana Center Host: Bentley College

Regional semifinals
Round of 32
March 2
Regional Final
Sweet 16
March 3
      
Bridgeport 92
Quinnipiac 75
Bridgeport 85
Assumption 75
Assumption 89
Bentley 78
  • Third Place - Bentley 104, Quinnipiac 93

South Central - Kirksville, Missouri edit

Location: Pershing Arena Host: Northeast Missouri State University

Regional semifinals
Round of 32
March 2
Regional Final
Sweet 16
March 3
      
Nicholls State 89
SE Missouri State 74
Nicholls State 100
Rollins 87
Rollins 97*
NE Missouri State 88
  • Third Place - SE Missouri State 86, NE Missouri State 82

South - Lakeland, Florida edit

Location: Jenkins Fieldhouse Host: Florida Southern College

Regional semifinals
Round of 32
March 1
Regional Final
Sweet 16
March 2
      
Valdosta State 102
Tuskegee 93
Valdosta State 101
North Alabama 110
North Alabama 75
Florida Southern 67
  • Third Place - Tuskegee 107, Florida Southern 102

West - Tacoma, Washington edit

Location: Memorial Fieldhouse Host: University of Puget Sound

Regional semifinals
Round of 32
March 3
Regional Final
Sweet 16
March 4
      
Puget Sound 81
Cal State Northridge 67
Puget Sound 77
UC Riverside 52
UC Riverside 62
San Diego 48
  • Third Place - San Diego 74, Cal State Northridge 69*

Central - Omaha, Nebraska edit

Location: UNO Fieldhouse Host: University of Nebraska at Omaha

Regional semifinals
Round of 32
March 2
Regional Final
Sweet 16
March 3
      
Northern Iowa 84
Nebraska-Omaha 72
Northern Iowa 50
Green Bay 56
Green Bay 63
North Dakota 48
  • Third Place - Nebraska-Omaha 86, North Dakota 75

East - Oneonta, New York edit

Location: Binder Physical Education Center Host: Hartwick College

Regional semifinals
Round of 32
March 1
Regional Final
Sweet 16
March 2
      
Cheyney 82
Albany State 61
Cheyney 72
Hartwick 63
Hartwick 49
Philadelphia U 48
  • Third Place - Albany State 72, Philadelphia U 61

South Atlantic - Catonsville, Maryland edit

Location: UMBC Fieldhouse Host: University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Regional semifinals
Round of 32
March 2
Regional Final
Sweet 16
March 3
      
UMBC 79
Mount St. Mary's 74
UMBC 58
Virginia Union 56
Virginia Union 68
Roanoke 67
  • Third Place - Mount St. Mary's 93, Roanoke 89

*denotes each overtime played

National Quarterfinals edit

Quarterfinal - New Haven, CT
Elite Eight
March 10
   
St. Joseph's (IN) 82
Bridgeport 92
Quarterfinal - Thibodaux, LA
Elite Eight
March 10
   
Nicholls State 97
North Alabama 103
Quarterfinal - Green Bay, WI
Elite Eight
March 10
   
Puget Sound 53
Green Bay 65
Quarterfinal - Catonsville, MD
Elite Eight
March 10
   
Cheyney 65
UMBC 62

National Finals - Springfield, Missouri edit

Location: Hammons Center Host: Southwest Missouri State University

National semifinals
Final Four
March 16
National Championship
March 17
      
Bridgeport 82
North Alabama 85
North Alabama 64
Green Bay 50
Green Bay 46
Cheyney 45
  • Third Place - Cheyney 81, Bridgeport 78

*denotes each overtime played

All-tournament team edit

  • Ron Darby (North Alabama)
  • Carlton Hurdle (Bridgeport)
  • Rory Lindgren (Wisconsin-Green Bay)
  • Perry Oden (North Alabama)
  • Ron Ripley (Wisconsin-Green Bay)

See also edit

References edit

Sources edit