# 1972 AIAW National Basketball Championship

The 1972 AIAW women's basketball tournament was held on March 16–19, 1972. The host site was Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois.
Sixteen teams participated. Immaculata College (now known as Immaculata University), coached by Hall-of-Famer Cathy Rush, was crowned national champion at the conclusion of the tournament.

## Tournament bracket
### Main bracket

| First round* March 16, 1972 | First round* March 16, 1972 | Quarterfinals March 17, 1972 | Quarterfinals March 17, 1972 | Semifinals March 18, 1972 | Semifinals March 18, 1972 | Final March 19, 1972 | Final March 19, 1972 |
| Immaculata | 60 | | | | |
| South Dakota State | 47 | | | | |
| South Dakota State | 47 | Immaculata | 49 | | |
| | | Indiana | 46 | | |
| Indiana | 49 | Indiana | 46 | | |
| Southern Conn. State | 30 | | | | |
| Southern Conn. State | 30 | | | Immaculata | 46 |
| | | | | Mississippi St. College for Women | 43 |
| Mississippi St. College for Women | 64 | | | Mississippi St. College for Women | 43 |
| Illinois State | 47 | | | | |
| Illinois State | 47 | Mississippi St. College for Women | 43 | | |
| | | Tennessee-Martin | 25 | | |
| Tennessee-Martin | 53 | Tennessee-Martin | 25 | | |
| Long Beach State | 43 | | | | | | |
| Long Beach State | 43 | | | | | Immaculata | 52 |
| | | | | | | West Chester State | 48 |
| West Chester State | 79 | | | | | West Chester State | 48 |
| Utah State | 45 | | | | | | |
| Utah State | 45 | West Chester State | 66 | | | | |
| | | Northern Illinois | 54 | | | | |
| Northern Illinois | 50 | Northern Illinois | 54 | | | | |
| Washington State | 43 | | | | | | |
| Washington State | 43 | | | West Chester State | 62 | | |
| | | | | Cal State Fullerton | 57 | Third place | Third place |
| Cal State Fullerton | 65 | | | Cal State Fullerton | 57 | Third place | Third place |
| Tennessee Tech | 56 | | | | | | |
| Tennessee Tech | 56 | Cal State Fullerton | 53 | | | Mississippi St. College | 42 |
| | | Phillips | 38 | | | Cal State Fullerton | 52 |
| Phillips | 54 | Phillips | 38 | | | Cal State Fullerton | 52 |
| Queens College | 43 | | | | | | |
* *Losers in the first round continued in the consolation bracket (below)

### Consolation bracket

| First round March 18, 1972 | First round March 18, 1972 | First round March 18, 1972 | Second round March 18, 1972 | Second round March 18, 1972 | Second round March 18, 1972 | Fifth place game March 19, 1972 | Fifth place game March 19, 1972 | Fifth place game March 19, 1972 |
| South Dakota St. | South Dakota St. | 34 | | | | | | |
| S. Connecticut St. | S. Connecticut St. | 72 | | | | | | |
| S. Connecticut St. | S. Connecticut St. | 72 | S. Connecticut St. | S. Connecticut St. | 42 | | | |
| | | | Long Beach State | Long Beach State | 48 | | | |
| Illinois State | Illinois State | 41 | Long Beach State | Long Beach State | 48 | | | |
| Long Beach State | Long Beach State | 59 | | | | | | |
| Long Beach State | Long Beach State | 59 | | | | Long Beach State | Long Beach State | 51 |
| | | | | | | Queens College | Queens College | 55 |
| Utah State | Utah State | 40 | | | | | | | Queens College | Queens College | 55 |
| Washington State | Washington State | 37 | | | | | | |
| Washington State | Washington State | 37 | Utah State | Utah State | 57 | | | |
| | | | Queens College | Queens College | 65 | | | |
| Tennessee Tech | Tennessee Tech | 63 | Queens College | Queens College | 65 | | | |
| Queens College | Queens College | 64 | | | | | | |