# 1987 NAIA men's basketball tournament

The 1987 NAIA men's basketball tournament was held in March at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri. The 50th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format. Washburn won a close final (79-77) against West Virginia State.

## Awards and honors

* Leading scorers:
* Leading rebounder:
* Player of the Year: est. 1994.

## Bracket

| First round | First round | First round | | | Second round | Second round | Second round | Elite Eight | Elite Eight | Elite Eight | | NAIA national semifinals | NAIA national semifinals | NAIA national semifinals | | NAIA national championship | NAIA national championship | NAIA national championship |
| 1 | Oklahoma City | 101 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| – | Northwood | 66 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| – | Northwood | 66 | | | 1 | Oklahoma City | 64 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 16 | Georgetown (KY) | 67 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | Georgetown (KY) | 57 | | | 16 | Georgetown (KY) | 67 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| – | Minnesota–Duluth | 46 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| – | Minnesota–Duluth | 46 | | | | | | 16 | Georgetown (KY) | 81 | | | | | | | | |
| TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | 16 | Georgetown (KY) | 81 | | | | | | | | |
| TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | 9 | Trevecca Nazarene | 66 | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Trevecca Nazarene | 82 | | | | | | | | | 9 | Trevecca Nazarene | 66 | | | | | | | | |
| – | Wayland Baptist | 68 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| – | Wayland Baptist | 68 | | | 9 | Trevecca Nazarene | 73' | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 8 | St. Mary’s (TX) | 68 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | St. Mary's (TX) | 74 | | | 8 | St. Mary’s (TX) | 68 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| – | Rio Grande | 54 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| – | Rio Grande | 54 | | | | | | | | | | 16 | Georgetown (KY) | 67 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | West Virginia State | 74 | | | | |
| – | Valley City State | 63 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | West Virginia State | 74 | | | | |
| 5 | Wisconsin–Eau Claire | 61 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Wisconsin–Eau Claire | 61 | | | – | Valley City State | 84 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | – | Waynesburg | 86 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| – | Waynesburg | 108 | | | – | Waynesburg | 86 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Kearney State | 104 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Kearney State | 104 | | | | | | – | Waynesburg | 67 | | | | | | | | |
| TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | – | Waynesburg | 67 | | | | | | | | |
| TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | 4 | West Virginia State | 73 | | | | | | | | |
| 13 | Oregon Tech | 67 | | | | | | | | | 4 | West Virginia State | 73 | | | | | | | | |
| – | Northwestern (IA) | 63 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| – | Northwestern (IA) | 63 | | | 13 | Oregon Tech | 90 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 4 | West Virginia State | 92* | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | West Virginia State | 98 | | | 4 | West Virginia State | 92* | | | | | | | | | | | |
| – | Harding | 86 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| – | Harding | 86 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | West Virginia State | 77 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | Washburn | 79 |
| 3 | Biola | 66 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | Washburn | 79 |
| – | Saint Joseph's (ME) | 78 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| – | Saint Joseph's (ME) | 78 | | | – | St. Joseph’s (ME) | 66 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 14 | Auburn Montgomery | 76 | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Auburn Montgomery | 85 | | | 14 | Auburn Montgomery | 76 | | | | | | | |
| – | Eureka | 54 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| – | Eureka | 54 | | | | | | 6 | Washburn | 69 | | | | |
| BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | 6 | Washburn | 69 | | | | |
| BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | 14 | Auburn Montgomery | 61 | | | | |
| 11 | Southern Tech | 56 | | | | | | | | | 14 | Auburn Montgomery | 61 | | | | | |
| – | Taylor | 65 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| – | Taylor | 65 | | | – | Taylor | 44 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 6 | Washburn | 74 | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Washburn | 87 | | | 6 | Washburn | 74 | | | | | | | |
| – | Cabrini | 64 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| – | Cabrini | 64 | | | | | | | | | | 6 | Washburn | 65 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | 10 | Central Washington | 63 |
| 7 | St. Thomas Aquinas | 83 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 10 | Central Washington | 63 | |
| – | William Carey | 68 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| – | William Carey | 68 | | | 7 | St. Thomas Aquinas | 83 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 10 | Central Washington | 84 | | | | | | | |
| 10 | Central Washington | 86 | | | 10 | Central Washington | 84 | | | | | | | | | NAIA third-place game | NAIA third-place game | NAIA third-place game |
| – | Atlantic Christian | 83 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| – | Atlantic Christian | 83 | | | | | | 10 | Central Washington | 92 | | | | | | 10 | Central Washington | 79 |
| BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | 10 | Central Washington | 92 | | | | | | 10 | Central Washington | 79 |
| BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | 15 | Hawaii-Hilo | 75 | | | | | | 16 | Georgetown (KY) | 69 |
| 15 | Hawaii–Hilo | 82 | | | | | | | | | 15 | Hawaii-Hilo | 75 | | | | | | 16 | Georgetown (KY) | 69 |
| – | Missouri Southern | 79 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| – | Missouri Southern | 79 | | | 15 | Hawaii-Hilo | 65 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 2 | College of Charleston | 57 | | | | | | | |
| 2 | College of Charleston | 67 | | | 2 | College of Charleston | 57 | | | | | | | |
| – | Western State (CO) | 51 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
* * denotes overtime.