# 1996 NAIA Division II men's basketball tournament

The 1996 NAIA Division II men's basketball tournament was the tournament held by the NAIA to determine the national champion of men's college basketball among its Division II members in the United States and Canada for the 1995–96 basketball season.
Albertson defeated Whitworth in the championship game, 81–72 after overtime, to claim the Coyotes' first NAIA national title.
The tournament was played at the Montgomery Fieldhouse at Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, Idaho.

## Qualification

The tournament field remained fixed at thirty-two teams, and the top sixteen teams were seeded.
The tournament continued to utilize a single-elimination format.

## Bracket

| First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | | National championship | National championship | National championship |
| 1 | Bethel (IN) | 98 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Mayville State | 58 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Mayville State | 58 | 1 | Bethel (IN) | 72 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 16 | Tabor | 90 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Berea | 91 | 16 | Tabor | 90 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | Tabor | 92 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | Tabor | 92 | | | | 16 | Tabor | 71 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 9 | William Jewell | 85 | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | William Jewell | 85 | | | | | | | 9 | William Jewell | 85 | | | | | | | | |
| | Holy Family | 74 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Holy Family | 74 | 9 | William Jewell | 89 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 8 | Embry–Riddle (FL) | 82 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Bluefield | 84 | 8 | Embry–Riddle (FL) | 82 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Embry–Riddle (FL) | 88 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Embry–Riddle (FL) | 88 | | | | | | | | 9 | William Jewell | 83 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 4 | Whitworth | 87 | | | | |
| 5 | Concordia Nebraska | 66 | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | Whitworth | 87 | | | | |
| | Northwest Nazarene | 74 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Northwest Nazarene | 74 | | Northwest Nazarene | 97 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 12 | Trinity International | 81 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Caldwell | 91 | 12 | Trinity International | 81 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Trinity International | 100 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Trinity International | 100 | | | | | Northwest Nazarene | 70 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 4 | Whitworth | 88 | | | | | | | | |
| 13 | MidAmerica Nazarene | 73 | | | | | | | 4 | Whitworth | 88 | | | | | | | | |
| | Siena Heights | 70 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Siena Heights | 70 | 13 | MidAmerica Nazarene | 71 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 4 | Whitworth | 81 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Howard Payne | 73 | 4 | Whitworth | 81 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Whitworth | 103 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Whitworth | 103 | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | Whitworth | 72 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Albertson | 81* |
| 3 | Albertson | 83 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Albertson | 81* |
| | Northland | 68 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Northland | 68 | 3 | Albertson | 66 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Lewis & Clark | 64 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Lewis & Clark | 70 | | Lewis & Clark | 64 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Taylor | 64 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Taylor | 64 | | | | 3 | Albertson | 87 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | Wisconsin Lutheran | 79 | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | Mount Mercy | 94 | | | | | | | | Wisconsin Lutheran | 79 | | | | | | | | |
| | Philadelphia Pharmacy | 78 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Philadelphia Pharmacy | 78 | 11 | Mount Mercy | 68 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Wisconsin Lutheran | 70 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Wisconsin Lutheran | 90 | | Wisconsin Lutheran | 70 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Saint Joseph's (ME) | 74 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Saint Joseph's (ME) | 74 | | | | | | | | 3 | Albertson | 92 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Walsh | 79 | | | | |
| 7 | Western Oregon | 66 | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Walsh | 79 | | | | |
| | Huron | 71 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Huron | 71 | | Huron | 79 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Doane | 84 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Doane | 87 | | Doane | 84 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | College of the Ozarks | 74 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | College of the Ozarks | 74 | | | | | Doane | 76 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 2 | Walsh | 82 | | | | | | | | |
| 15 | Alice Lloyd | 71 | | | | | | | 2 | Walsh | 82 | | | | | | | | |
| | Baker (KS) | 62 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Baker (KS) | 62 | 15 | Alice Lloyd | 81 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 2 | Walsh | 85 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Green Mountain | 83 | 2 | Walsh | 85 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Walsh | 92 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |