# 1976 NCAA Division II basketball tournament

The 1976 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 1975–76 NCAA Division II men's basketball season. It was won by the University of Puget Sound and Puget Sound's Curt Peterson was the Most Outstanding Player.

## Regional participants

Outcome :
| Eastern Illinois | Regional Champion |
| Evansville | Runner-up |
| St. Joseph's (IN) | Fourth Place |
| Wright State | Third Place |
Outcome :
| Chattanooga | Regional Champion |
| FTU | Fourth Place |
| Rollins | Third Place |
| Valdosta State | Runner-up |
Outcome :
| Cal Poly Pomona | Third Place |
| Cal State Bakersfield | Runner-up |
| Puget Sound | Regional Champion |
| UC Davis | Fourth Place |
Outcome :
| Baltimore | Runner-up |
| Madison | Fourth Place |
| Morgan State | Third Place |
| Old Dominion | Regional Champion |
Outcome :
| Assumption | Runner-up |
| Bentley | Third Place |
| Bridgeport | Regional Champion |
| Quinnipiac | Fourth Place |
Outcome :
| Grambling State | Runner-up |
| Lincoln (MO) | Third Place |
| Missouri–Rolla | Fourth Place |
| Nicholls State | Regional Champion |
Outcome :
| Green Bay | Runner-up |
| Minnesota State | Third Place |
| Nebraska–Omaha | Fourth Place |
| North Dakota | Regional Champion |
Outcome :
| Buffalo State | Third Place |
| Cheyney | Regional Champion |
| Hartwick | Fourth Place |
| Philadelphia U | Runner-up |
*denotes tie

## Regionals
### Great Lakes - Evansville, Indiana

Location: Roberts Municipal Stadium Host: University of Evansville
| 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 |
| Evansville | Evansville | 85 | | | |
| Wright State | Wright State | 75 | | | |
| Wright State | Wright State | 75 | Evansville | Evansville | 73 |
| | | | Eastern Illinois | Eastern Illinois | 75 |
| Eastern Illinois | Eastern Illinois | 65 | Eastern Illinois | Eastern Illinois | 75 |
| St. Joseph's (IN) | St. Joseph's (IN) | 56 | | | |
* Third Place - Wright State 72, St. Joseph's 68

### New England - Fairfield, Connecticut

Location: Alumni Hall Host: University of Bridgeport
| Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 12 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 12 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 12 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 13 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 13 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 13 |
| Bridgeport | Bridgeport | 93 | | | |
| Bentley | Bentley | 86 | | | |
| Bentley | Bentley | 86 | Bridgeport | Bridgeport | 86 |
| | | | Assumption | Assumption | 84 |
| Assumption | Assumption | 64 | Assumption | Assumption | 84 |
| Quinnipiac | Quinnipiac | 60 | | | |
* Third Place - Bentley 83, Quinnipiac 77

### South - Chattanooga, Tennessee

Location: Maclellan Gymnasium Host: University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
| Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 11 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 11 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 11 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 12 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 12 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 12 |
| Valdosta State | Valdosta State | 95 | | | |
| FTU | FTU | 82 | | | |
| FTU | FTU | 82 | Valdosta State | Valdosta State | 66 |
| | | | Chattanooga | Chattanooga | 86 |
| Chattanooga | Chattanooga | 86 | Chattanooga | Chattanooga | 86 |
| Rollins | Rollins | 62 | | | |
* Third Place - Rollins 101, Florida Tech 91

### South Central - Thibodeaux, Louisiana

Location: Stopher Gym Host: Nicholls State University
| Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 11 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 11 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 11 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 12 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 12 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 12 |
| Nicholls State | Nicholls State | 97 | | | |
| Lincoln (MO) | Lincoln (MO) | 79 | | | |
| Lincoln (MO) | Lincoln (MO) | 79 | Nicholls State | Nicholls State | 90 |
| | | | Grambling | Grambling | 89 |
| Grambling | Grambling | 67 | Grambling | Grambling | 89 |
| Missouri-Rolla | Missouri-Rolla | 61 | | | |
* Third Place - Lincoln 86, Missouri-Rolla 84*

### West - Tacoma, Washington

Location: Memorial Fieldhouse Host: University of Puget Sound
| 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 |
| Puget Sound | Puget Sound | 80 | | | |
| Cal Poly Pomona | Cal Poly Pomona | 65 | | | |
| Cal Poly Pomona | Cal Poly Pomona | 65 | Puget Sound | Puget Sound | 75 |
| | | | Cal State Bakersfield | Cal State Bakersfield | 65 |
| Cal State Bakersfield | Cal State Bakersfield | 87 | Cal State Bakersfield | Cal State Bakersfield | 65 |
| UC Davis | UC Davis | 65 | | | |
* Third Place - Cal Poly Pomona 84, UC Davis 82*

### North Central - Grand Forks, North Dakota

Location: Hyslop Sports Center Host: University of North Dakota
| 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 |
| North Dakota | North Dakota | 86* | | | |
| Nebraska-Omaha | Nebraska-Omaha | 74 | | | |
| Nebraska-Omaha | Nebraska-Omaha | 74 | North Dakota | North Dakota | 65 |
| | | | Green Bay | Green Bay | 61 |
| Green Bay | Green Bay | 72** | Green Bay | Green Bay | 61 |
| Minnesota State | Minnesota State | 67 | | | |
* Third Place - Minnesota State 95, Nebraska-Omaha 73

### South Atlantic - Norfolk, Virginia

Location: Norfolk Scope Host: Old Dominion University
| Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 11 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 11 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 11 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 12 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 12 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 12 |
| Baltimore | Baltimore | 85 | | | |
| Morgan State | Morgan State | 65 | | | |
| Morgan State | Morgan State | 65 | Baltimore | Baltimore | 58 |
| | | | Old Dominion | Old Dominion | 73 |
| Old Dominion | Old Dominion | 86 | Old Dominion | Old Dominion | 73 |
| Madison | Madison | 77 | | | |
* Third Place - Morgan State 86, Madison 81

### East - Villanova, Pennsylvania

Location: Villanova Field House Host: Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science
| 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 |
| Philadelphia U | Philadelphia U | 89 | | | |
| Buffalo State | Buffalo State | 69 | | | |
| Buffalo State | Buffalo State | 69 | Philadelphia U | Philadelphia U | 59 |
| | | | Cheyney | Cheyney | 60 |
| Cheyney | Cheyney | 73* | Cheyney | Cheyney | 60 |
| Hartwick | Hartwick | 72 | | | |
* Third Place - Buffalo State 69, Hartwick 67
*denotes each overtime played

## National Quarterfinals

| Quarterfinal Elite Eight March 15 | Quarterfinal Elite Eight March 15 | Quarterfinal Elite Eight March 15 |
| Eastern Illinois | Eastern Illinois | 81 |
| Bridgeport | Bridgeport | 66 |
| Quarterfinal - Chattanooga, TN Elite Eight March 15 | Quarterfinal - Chattanooga, TN Elite Eight March 15 | Quarterfinal - Chattanooga, TN Elite Eight March 15 |
| Chattanooga | Chattanooga | 107 |
| Nicholls State | Nicholls State | 78 |
| Quarterfinal - Tacoma, WA Elite Eight March 15 | Quarterfinal - Tacoma, WA Elite Eight March 15 | Quarterfinal - Tacoma, WA Elite Eight March 15 |
| Puget Sound | Puget Sound | 80 |
| North Dakota | North Dakota | 77 |
| Quarterfinal - Norfolk, VA Elite Eight March 15 | Quarterfinal - Norfolk, VA Elite Eight March 15 | Quarterfinal - Norfolk, VA Elite Eight March 15 |
| Old Dominion | Old Dominion | 90 |
| Cheyney | Cheyney | 85 |

## National Finals - Evansville, Indiana

Location: Roberts Municipal Stadium Host: University of Evansville
| National semifinals Final Four March 18 | National semifinals Final Four March 18 | National semifinals Final Four March 18 | National Championship March 19 | National Championship March 19 | National Championship March 19 |
| Eastern Illinois | Eastern Illinois | 84 | | | |
| Chattanooga | Chattanooga | 93 | | | |
| Chattanooga | Chattanooga | 93 | Chattanooga | Chattanooga | 74 |
| | | | Puget Sound | Puget Sound | 83 |
| Puget Sound | Puget Sound | 83 | Puget Sound | Puget Sound | 83 |
| Old Dominion | Old Dominion | 78 | | | |
* Third Place - Eastern Illinois 78, Old Dominion 74
*denotes each overtime played

## All-tournament team

* Jeff Fuhrmann (Old Dominion)
* Jeff Furry (Eastern Illinois)
* Brant Gibler (Puget Sound)
* Wayne Golden (Tennessee-Chattanooga)
* Curt Peterson (Puget Sound)