# 1972 NCAA College Division basketball tournament

The 1972 NCAA College Division basketball tournament involved 36 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA College Division college basketball as a culmination of the 1971-72 NCAA College Division men's basketball season. It was won by Roanoke, with Roanoke's Hal Johnston named the Most Outstanding Player.

## Regional participants

Outcome :
| Assumption | Regional Champion |
| Bentley | Runner-up |
| Bridgeport | Third Place |
| Sacred Heart | Fourth Place |
Outcome :
| Eastern Michigan | Regional Champion |
| Evansville | Runner-up |
| Kentucky Wesleyan | Third Place |
| Wittenberg | Fourth Place |
Outcome :
| Lincoln (MO) | Runner-up |
| Missouri–St. Louis | Regional Champion |
| South Dakota | Third Place |
| South Dakota State | Fifth Place |
| St. Olaf | Fourth Place |
Outcome :
| Florida Southern | Third Place |
| Mercer | Fourth Place |
| Roanoke | Regional Champion |
| St. Thomas (FL) | Runner-up |
Outcome :
| Alabama State | Fifth Place |
| Delta State | Runner-up |
| LSU–New Orleans | Third Place |
| Tennessee State | Regional Champion |
| Transylvania | Fourth Place |
Outcome :
| Buffalo State | Fourth Place |
| Hartford | Runner-up |
| Ithaca | Third Place |
| Southampton | Regional Champion |
Outcome :
| Akron | Regional Champion |
| Cheyney | Fourth Place |
| Gannon | Fifth Place* |
| Philadelphia U | Third Place |
| Widener | Fifth Place* |
| Youngstown State | Runner-up |
Outcome :
| Seattle Pacific | Runner-up |
| Southern Colorado | Regional Champion |
| UC Irvine | Fourth Place |
| UC Riverside | Third Place |
*denotes tie

## Regionals
### New England - Worcester, Massachusetts

Location: Andrew Laska Gymnasium Host: Assumption College
| Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 10 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 10 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 10 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 11 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 11 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 11 |
| Bentley | Bentley | 96 | | | |
| Sacred Heart | Sacred Heart | 79 | | | |
| Sacred Heart | Sacred Heart | 79 | Bentley | Bentley | 103 |
| | | | Assumption | Assumption | 109 |
| Assumption | Assumption | 112 | Assumption | Assumption | 109 |
| Bridgeport | Bridgeport | 82 | | | |
* Third Place - Bridgeport 107, Sacred Heart 89

### Great Lakes - Evansville, Indiana

Location: Roberts Municipal Stadium Host: University of Evansville
| Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 9 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 9 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 9 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 10 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 10 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 10 |
| Eastern Michigan | Eastern Michigan | 61 | | | |
| Kentucky Wesleyan | Kentucky Wesleyan | 59 | | | |
| Kentucky Wesleyan | Kentucky Wesleyan | 59 | Eastern Michigan | Eastern Michigan | 93 |
| | | | Evansville | Evansville | 88 |
| Evansville | Evansville | 81 | Evansville | Evansville | 88 |
| Wittenberg | Wittenberg | 73 | | | |
* Third Place - Kentucky Wesleyan 68, Wittenberg 64

### Midwest - St. Louis, Missouri

Location: Mark Twain Building Host: University of Missouri-Saint Louis
| First round - Northfield, MN Round of 36 March 6 | First round - Northfield, MN Round of 36 March 6 | First round - Northfield, MN Round of 36 March 6 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 10 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 10 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 10 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 11 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 11 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 11 |
| | | | Lincoln (MO) | Lincoln (MO) | 97 | | | |
| | | | St. Olaf | St. Olaf | 81 | | | |
| St. Olaf | St. Olaf | 87 | St. Olaf | St. Olaf | 81 | | | |
| South Dakota State | South Dakota State | 72 | | | | | | |
| South Dakota State | South Dakota State | 72 | | | | Lincoln | Lincoln | 75 |
| | | | | | | Missouri-St. Louis | Missouri-St. Louis | 84 |
| | | | Missouri-St. Louis | Missouri-St. Louis | 114 | | | |
| | | | South Dakota | South Dakota | 72 | | | |
* Third Place - South Dakota 113, St. Olaf 91

### South Atlantic - Salem, Virginia

Location: Salem Civic Center Host: Roanoke College
| Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 9 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 9 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 9 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 10 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 10 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 10 |
| St. Thomas (FL) | St. Thomas (FL) | 68 | | | |
| Florida Southern | Florida Southern | 62 | | | |
| Florida Southern | Florida Southern | 62 | St. Thomas | St. Thomas | 57 |
| | | | Roanoke | Roanoke | 67 |
| Roanoke | Roanoke | 78 | Roanoke | Roanoke | 67 |
| Mercer | Mercer | 72 | | | |
* Third Place - Florida Southern 85, Mercer 83

### South - Cleveland, Mississippi

Location: Walter Sillers Coliseum Host: Delta State University
| First round - site unknown Round of 36 March 6 | First round - site unknown Round of 36 March 6 | First round - site unknown Round of 36 March 6 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 9 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 9 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 9 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 10 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 10 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 10 |
| | | | Tennessee State | Tennessee State | 80 | | | |
| | | | LSU–New Orleans | LSU–New Orleans | 79 | | | |
| LSU–New Orleans | LSU–New Orleans | 80 | LSU–New Orleans | LSU–New Orleans | 79 | | | |
| Alabama State | Alabama State | 72 | | | | | | |
| Alabama State | Alabama State | 72 | | | | Tennessee State | Tennessee State | 79 |
| | | | | | | Delta State | Delta State | 73 |
| | | | Delta State | Delta State | 71 | | | |
| | | | Transylvania | Transylvania | 59 | | | |
* Third Place - LSU–New Orleans 110, Transylvania 74

### East - Southampton, New York

Location: Southampton Gym Host: Southampton College
| Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 10 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 10 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 10 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 11 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 11 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 11 |
| Hartford | Hartford | 81 | | | |
| Ithaca | Ithaca | 66 | | | |
| Ithaca | Ithaca | 66 | Hartford | Hartford | 74 |
| | | | Southampton | Southampton | 86 |
| Southampton | Southampton | 83 | Southampton | Southampton | 86 |
| Buffalo State | Buffalo State | 72 | | | |
* Third Place - Ithaca 70, Buffalo State 58

### Mideast - Akron, Ohio

Location: Memorial Hall Host: University of Akron
| First round - Reading, PA Round of 36 March 7 | First round - Reading, PA Round of 36 March 7 | First round - Reading, PA Round of 36 March 7 |
| Philadelphia U | Philadelphia U | 67 |
| Widener | Widener | 62 |
| First round - Akron, OH Round of 36 March 7 | First round - Akron, OH Round of 36 March 7 | First round - Akron, OH Round of 36 March 7 |
| Youngstown State | Youngstown State | 81 |
| Gannon | Gannon | 71 |
| Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 10 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 10 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 10 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 11 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 11 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 11 |
| Akron | Akron | 54 | | | |
| Philadelphia U | Philadelphia U | 52 | | | |
| Philadelphia U | Philadelphia U | 52 | Akron | Akron | 87 |
| | | | Youngstown State | Youngstown State | 71 |
| Youngstown State | Youngstown State | 90 | Youngstown State | Youngstown State | 71 |
| Cheyney | Cheyney | 80 | | | |
* Third Place - Philadelphia U 86, Cheyney 82

### West - Pueblo, Colorado

Location: Massari Arena Host: Southern Colorado State College
| Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 10 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 10 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 10 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 11 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 11 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 11 |
| Seattle Pacific | Seattle Pacific | 68 | | | |
| UC Riverside | UC Riverside | 63 | | | |
| UC Riverside | UC Riverside | 63 | Seattle Pacific | Seattle Pacific | 83 |
| | | | Southern Colorado | Southern Colorado | 86 |
| Southern Colorado | Southern Colorado | 77 | Southern Colorado | Southern Colorado | 86 |
| UC Irvine | UC Irvine | 58 | | | |
* Third Place - UC Riverside 94, UC Irvine 75
*denotes each overtime played

## National Finals - Evansville, Indiana

Location: Roberts Municipal Stadium Host: University of Evansville
| National Quarterfinals Elite Eight March 15 | National Quarterfinals Elite Eight March 15 | National Quarterfinals Elite Eight March 15 | National semifinals Final Four March 16 | National semifinals Final Four March 16 | National semifinals Final Four March 16 | National Championship March 17 | National Championship March 17 | National Championship March 17 |
| Assumption | Assumption | 88 | | | | | | |
| Eastern Michigan | Eastern Michigan | 93 | | | | | | |
| Eastern Michigan | Eastern Michigan | 93 | Eastern Michigan | Eastern Michigan | 73 | | | |
| | | | Roanoke | Roanoke | 99 | | | |
| Missouri-St. Louis | Missouri-St. Louis | 69 | Roanoke | Roanoke | 99 | | | |
| Roanoke | Roanoke | 94 | | | | | | |
| Roanoke | Roanoke | 94 | | | | Roanoke | Roanoke | 84 |
| | | | | | | Akron | Akron | 72 |
| Tennessee State | Tennessee State | 95 | | | | | | | Akron | Akron | 72 |
| Southampton | Southampton | 55 | | | | | | |
| Southampton | Southampton | 55 | Tennessee State | Tennessee State | 69 | | | |
| | | | Akron | Akron | 71* | | | |
| Akron | Akron | 92 | Akron | Akron | 71* | | | |
| Southern Colorado | Southern Colorado | 77 | | | | | | |
* Third Place - Tennessee State 107, Eastern Michigan 82
*denotes each overtime played

## All-tournament team

* Hal Johnston (Roanoke)
* Lloyd Neal (Tennessee State)
* Len Paul (Akron)
* Jay Piccola (Roanoke)
* Leonard Robinson (Tennessee State)
Most Outstanding Player: Hal Johnston (Roanoke)