# 1971 NCAA College Division basketball tournament

The 1971 NCAA College Division basketball tournament involved 32 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 1970-71 NCAA College Division men's basketball season. It was won by the University of Evansville, with Evansville's Don Buse named the Most Outstanding Player.
Southwestern Louisiana's tournament and semifinal appearances were later vacated due to NCAA rules violations.

## Regional participants

Outcome :
| Kentucky Wesleyan | Regional Champion |
| North Dakota State | Third Place |
| Northeast Missouri State | Runner-up |
| St. Olaf | Fourth Place |
Outcome :
| Akron | Third Place |
| Cheyney | Regional Champion |
| Philadelphia Textile | Runner-up |
| Wooster | Fourth Place |
Outcome :
| Norfolk State | Runner-up |
| Old Dominion | Regional Champion |
| Roanoke | Fourth Place |
| Stetson | Third Place |
Outcome :
| Cal Poly | Third Place |
| Puget Sound | Regional Champion |
| San Francisco State | Fourth Place |
| Seattle Pacific | Runner-up |
Outcome :
| Assumption | Regional Champion |
| Central Connecticut State | Runner-up |
| Sacred Heart | Third Place |
| Stonehill | Fourth Place |
Outcome :
| Louisiana Tech | Third Place |
| LSU–New Orleans | Fourth Place |
| Southwestern Louisiana* | Vacated |
| Tennessee State | Runner-up |
Outcome :
| Ashland | Third Place |
| Augustana (IL) | Fourth Place |
| Central Michigan | Runner-up |
| Evansville | Regional Champion |
Outcome :
| Buffalo State | Runner-up |
| C. W. Post | Fourth Place |
| Hartwick | Regional Champion |
| Montclair State | Third Place |
*tournament appearance vacated

## Regionals
### Midwest - Kirksville, Missouri

Location: Pershing Arena Host: Northeast Missouri 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 |
| Kentucky Wesleyan | Kentucky Wesleyan | 94 | | | |
| St. Olaf | St. Olaf | 79 | | | |
| St. Olaf | St. Olaf | 79 | Kentucky Wesleyan | Kentucky Wesleyan | 60 |
| | | | Northeast Missouri State | Northeast Missouri State | 48 |
| Northeast Missouri State | Northeast Missouri State | 75 | Northeast Missouri State | Northeast Missouri State | 48 |
| North Dakota State | North Dakota State | 66 | | | |
* Third Place - North Dakota State 96, St. Olaf 94

### Mideast - Reading, Pennsylvania

Location: Bollman Center Host: Cheyney State College
| 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 |
| Philadelphia Textile | Philadelphia Textile | 83* | | | |
| Wooster | Wooster | 81 | | | |
| Wooster | Wooster | 81 | Philadelphia Textile | Philadelphia Textile | 58 |
| | | | Cheyney | Cheyney | 60 |
| Cheyney | Cheyney | 100 | Cheyney | Cheyney | 60 |
| Akron | Akron | 89 | | | |
* Third Place - Akron 77, Wooster 68

### South Atlantic - Norfolk, Virginia

Location: Norfolk Scope Host: Old Dominion University
| 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 |
| Norfolk State | Norfolk State | 97 | | | |
| Roanoke | Roanoke | 77 | | | |
| Roanoke | Roanoke | 77 | Norfolk State | Norfolk State | 97 |
| | | | Old Dominion | Old Dominion | 102 |
| Old Dominion | Old Dominion | 89 | Old Dominion | Old Dominion | 102 |
| Stetson | Stetson | 65 | | | |
* Third Place - Stetson 91, Roanoke 72

### West - Tacoma, Washington

Location: Memorial Fieldhouse Host: University of Puget Sound
| 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 |
| Seattle Pacific | Seattle Pacific | 75 | | | |
| San Francisco State | San Francisco State | 68 | | | |
| San Francisco State | San Francisco State | 68 | Seattle Pacific | Seattle Pacific | 78 |
| | | | Puget Sound | Puget Sound | 85 |
| Puget Sound | Puget Sound | 81 | Puget Sound | Puget Sound | 85 |
| Cal Poly | Cal Poly | 69 | | | |
* Third Place - Cal Poly 70, San Francisco State 68

### New England - Worcester, Massachusetts

Location: Andrew Laska Gymnasium Host: Assumption College
| 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 |
| Assumption | Assumption | 106 | | | |
| Sacred Heart | Sacred Heart | 83 | | | |
| Sacred Heart | Sacred Heart | 83 | Assumption | Assumption | 105 |
| | | | Central Connecticut State | Central Connecticut State | 77 |
| Central Connecticut State | Central Connecticut State | 111 | Central Connecticut State | Central Connecticut State | 77 |
| Stonehill | Stonehill | 99 | | | |
* Third Place - Sacred Heart 86, Stonehill 81

### South - Lafayette, Louisiana

Location: Blackham Coliseum Host: University of Southwestern Louisiana
| 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 |
| Tennessee State | Tennessee State | 92* | | | |
| Louisiana Tech | Louisiana Tech | 91 | | | |
| Louisiana Tech | Louisiana Tech | 91 | Tennessee State | Tennessee State | 82 |
| | | | Southwestern Louisiana | Southwestern Louisiana | 86 |
| Southwestern Louisiana | Southwestern Louisiana | 113 | Southwestern Louisiana | Southwestern Louisiana | 86 |
| LSU–New Orleans | LSU–New Orleans | 107 | | | |
* Third Place - Louisiana Tech 107, LSU–New Orleans 88

### Great Lakes - Evansville, Indiana

Location: Roberts Municipal Stadium Host: University of Evansville
| 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 |
| Central Michigan | Central Michigan | 63 | | | |
| Augustana (IL) | Augustana (IL) | 59 | | | |
| Augustana (IL) | Augustana (IL) | 59 | Central Michigan | Central Michigan | 60 |
| | | | Evansville | Evansville | 78 |
| Evansville | Evansville | 72 | Evansville | Evansville | 78 |
| Ashland | Ashland | 64 | | | |
* Third Place - Ashland 88, Augustana 65

### East - Buffalo, New York

Location: unknown Host: Buffalo State College
| 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 |
| Hartwick | Hartwick | 77 | | | |
| C. W. Post | C. W. Post | 50 | | | |
| C. W. Post | C. W. Post | 50 | Hartwick | Hartwick | 71 |
| | | | Buffalo State | Buffalo State | 70 |
| Buffalo State | Buffalo State | 103 | Buffalo State | Buffalo State | 70 |
| Montclair State | Montclair State | 93 | | | |
* Third Place - Montclair State 80, C. W. Post 68
*denotes each overtime played

## National Finals - Evansville, Indiana

Location: Roberts Municipal Stadium Host: University of Evansville
| National Quarterfinals Elite Eight March 17 | National Quarterfinals Elite Eight March 17 | National Quarterfinals Elite Eight March 17 | 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 |
| Kentucky Wesleyan | Kentucky Wesleyan | 89 | | | | | | |
| Cheyney | Cheyney | 83 | | | | | | |
| Cheyney | Cheyney | 83 | Kentucky Wesleyan | Kentucky Wesleyan | 83 | | | |
| | | | Old Dominion | Old Dominion | 97 | | | |
| Old Dominion | Old Dominion | 81* | Old Dominion | Old Dominion | 97 | | | |
| Puget Sound | Puget Sound | 80 | | | | | | |
| Puget Sound | Puget Sound | 80 | | | | Old Dominion | Old Dominion | 82 |
| | | | | | | Evansville | Evansville | 97 |
| Assumption | Assumption | 99 | | | | | | | Evansville | Evansville | 97 |
| Southwestern Louisiana | Southwestern Louisiana | 110 | | | | | | |
| Southwestern Louisiana | Southwestern Louisiana | 110 | Southwestern Louisiana | Southwestern Louisiana | 74 | | | |
| | | | Evansville | Evansville | 93 | | | |
| Evansville | Evansville | 105 | Evansville | Evansville | 93 | | | |
| Hartwick | Hartwick | 69 | | | | | | |
* Third Place - Southwestern Louisiana 105, Kentucky Wesleyan 83
*denots each overtime played

## All-tournament team

* Don Buse (Evansville)
* Rick Coffey (Evansville)
* John Duncan (Kentucky Wesleyan)
* Dwight Lamar (Southwestern Louisiana)
* Skip Noble (Old Dominion)