# 1986 NAIA men's basketball tournament

The 1986 NAIA men's basketball tournament was held in March at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri. The 49th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format. David Lipscomb defeated Arkansas–Monticello 67–61 in the final to be crowned champions.

## Awards and honors

* Leading scorers:
* Leading rebounder:
* Player of the Year: est. 1994.

## Bracket

| First round | First round | First round | | | Second round | Second round | Second round | Elite Eight | Elite Eight | Elite Eight | | NAIA national semifinals | NAIA national semifinals | NAIA national semifinals | | NAIA national championship | NAIA national championship | NAIA national championship |
| 1 | Cumberland (KY) | 74 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Southern Colorado | 40 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Southern Colorado | 40 | | | 1 | Cumberland (KY) | 46 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 16 | Charleston (SC) | 59 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | College of Charleston | 57 | | | 16 | Charleston (SC) | 59 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Taylor | 47 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Taylor | 47 | | | | | | 16 | Charleston (SC) | 60 | | | | | | | | |
| TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | 16 | Charleston (SC) | 60 | | | | | | | | |
| TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | | Arkansas–Monticello | 63 | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Wayland Baptist | 72 | | | | | | | | | | Arkansas–Monticello | 63 | | | | | | | | |
| | College of Idaho | 66 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | College of Idaho | 66 | | | 9 | Wayland Baptist | 51 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Arkansas–Monticello | 56 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Arkansas-Monticello | 90** | | | | Arkansas–Monticello | 56 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Briar Cliff | 86 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Briar Cliff | 86 | | | | | | | | | | | Arkansas–Monticello | 67 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | Southeastern Oklahoma State | 61 | | | | |
| | Southwestern (TX) | 80 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | Southeastern Oklahoma State | 61 | | | | |
| 5 | Webber | 79 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Webber | 79 | | | | Southwestern (TX) | 53 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 12 | Wisconsin Eau Claire | 47 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Wisconsin-Eau Claire | 63 | | | 12 | Wisconsin Eau Claire | 47 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Cabrini | 45 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Cabrini | 45 | | | | | | | Southwestern (TX) | 55 | | | | | | | | |
| TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | | Southwestern (TX) | 55 | | | | | | | | |
| TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | TOP TIER | 4 | Southeastern Oklahoma State | 58 | | | | | | | | |
| 13 | Huron | 90 | | | | | | | | | 4 | Southeastern Oklahoma State | 58 | | | | | | | | |
| | Quincy | 77 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Quincy | 77 | | | 13 | Huron | 66 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 4 | Southeastern Oklahoma State | 79 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Southeastern Oklahoma State | 79' | | | 4 | Southeastern Oklahoma State | 79 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Franklin Pierce | 62 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Franklin Pierce | 62 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Arkansas–Monticello | 54 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 11 | David Lipscomb | 67 |
| 3 | Birmingham Southern | 76 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 11 | David Lipscomb | 67 |
| | Kearney State | 64 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Kearney State | 64 | | | 3 | Birmingham Southern | 56 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 14 | Central Washington | 59 | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Central Washington | 86 | | | 14 | Central Washington | 59 | | | | | | | |
| | Findlay | 82 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Findlay | 82 | | | | | | 11 | David Lipscomb | 80 | | | | |
| BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | 11 | David Lipscomb | 80 | | | | |
| BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | 14 | Central Washington | 64 | | | | |
| 11 | David Lipscomb | 62 | | | | | | | | | 14 | Central Washington | 64 | | | | | |
| | Minnesota–Duluth | 56 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Minnesota–Duluth | 56 | | | 11 | David Lipscomb | 79 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 6 | Emporia State | 76 | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Emporia State | 80 | | | 6 | Emporia State | 76 | | | | | | | |
| | Brigham Young-Hawaii | 72 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Brigham Young-Hawaii | 72 | | | | | | | | | | 11 | David Lipscomb | 102 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | St. Thomas Aquinas | 91 |
| 7 | St. Thomas Aquinas | 51 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 7 | St. Thomas Aquinas | 91 | |
| | Saginaw Valley State | 49 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Saginaw Valley State | 49 | | | 7 | St. Thomas Aquinas | 77 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Atlantic Christian | 71 | | | | | | | |
| | Atlantic Christian | 92 | | | | Atlantic Christian | 71 | | | | | | | | | NAIA third-place game | NAIA third-place game | NAIA third-place game |
| 10 | Waynesburg | 89 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | Waynesburg | 89 | | | | | | 7 | St. Thomas Aquinas | 78 | | | | | | 4 | Southeastern Oklahoma State | 75 |
| BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | 7 | St. Thomas Aquinas | 78 | | | | | | 4 | Southeastern Oklahoma State | 75 |
| BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | BOTTOM TIER | 2 | Charleston (WV) | 77 | | | | | | 7 | St. Thomas Aquinas | 74 |
| 15 | Drury | 53 | | | | | | | | | 2 | Charleston (WV) | 77 | | | | | | 7 | St. Thomas Aquinas | 74 |
| - | Westmont | 52 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| - | Westmont | 52 | | | 15 | Drury | 51 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 2 | Charleston (WV) | 55 | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Charleston (WV) | 78 | | | 2 | Charleston (WV) | 55 | | | | | | | |
| | William Carey | 73 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
* * denotes overtime.