# 2017 NAIA Division I men's basketball tournament

The 2017 Buffalo Funds - NAIA Division I men's basketball tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 80th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format. The opening game round started on March 15, and the National Championship Game was played on March 21.

## Awards and honors

* Leading scorer: Dion Rogers, 28 points.
* Leading rebounder:
* Frank Cramer Award: Randy Covitz, Kansas City Star
* Dr. James Naismith-Emil S. Liston Sportsmanship Award: Biola (Calif.)
* 2017 All-Tournament Team: Michael Harris, Langston (Okla.), Jonathan Beausejour, Life (Ga.), Dalarian Williams, Life (Ga.), Brandon Moss, LSU Alexandria (La.), Brian Sylvester, LSU Alexandria (La.), Ryan Harris, Texas Wesleyan, Dion Rogers, Texas Wesleyan, Najeal Young, Texas Wesleyan, Charles Knowles, William Penn (Iowa), Torren Jones, William Penn (Iowa)
* Player of the Year: Dalarian Williams (Life Ga.)
* Most consecutive tournament appearances: 26th, Georgetown (KY)
* Most tournament appearances: 36th, Georgetown (KY)

## 2017 NAIA results

Texas Wesleyan won their 2nd national title, defeating Life University (Ga.) 86 to 76. It was Texas Wesleyan's 13th appearance in the NAIA Tournament. It was their 4th elite eight and final four, and second title game. 2017 was the 9th straight year without a back-to-back winner. Texas Wesleyan became the 16th program to win two or more national titles with its win. Life finished the season earning its second all-time runner-up title.

## 2017 NAIA bracket

| First round March 15–16 | First round March 15–16 | First round March 15–16 | | | Second round March 17–18 | Second round March 17–18 | Second round March 17–18 | Quarterfinals March 19 | Quarterfinals March 19 | Quarterfinals March 19 | | National Semifinals March 20 | National Semifinals March 20 | National Semifinals March 20 | | National Championship March 21 | National Championship March 21 | National Championship March 21 |
| 1 | LSU Alexandria | 104 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Science & Arts (Okla.) | 80 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Science & Arts (Okla.) | 80 | | | 1 | LSU Alexandria (La.) | 81 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 5 | Westmont (Calif.) | 61 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | William Carey (Miss.) | 60 | | | 5 | Westmont (Calif.) | 61 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Westmont (Calif.) | 74 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Westmont (Calif.) | 74 | | | | | | 1 | LSU Alexandria (La.) | 84 | | | | | | | | |
| NAISMITH BRACKET March 16 | NAISMITH BRACKET March 16 | NAISMITH BRACKET March 16 | NAISMITH BRACKET March 16 | NAISMITH BRACKET March 16 | NAISMITH BRACKET March 16 | NAISMITH BRACKET March 16 | NAISMITH BRACKET March 16 | 1 | LSU Alexandria (La.) | 84 | | | | | | | | |
| NAISMITH BRACKET March 16 | NAISMITH BRACKET March 16 | NAISMITH BRACKET March 16 | NAISMITH BRACKET March 16 | NAISMITH BRACKET March 16 | NAISMITH BRACKET March 16 | NAISMITH BRACKET March 16 | NAISMITH BRACKET March 16 | 3 | Pikeville (Ky.) | 80 | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Pikeville (Ky.) | 79 | | | | | | | | | 3 | Pikeville (Ky.) | 80 | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Grand View (Iowa) | 62 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Grand View (Iowa) | 62 | | | 3 | Pikeville (Ky.) | 56 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 2 | Columbia (Mo.) | 51 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Columbia (Mo.) | 71 | | | 2 | Columbia (Mo.) | 51 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) | 59 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) | 59 | | | | | | | | | | 1 | LSU Alexandria (La.) | 63 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Life (Ga.) | 65 | | | | |
| 1 | Carroll (Mont.) | 82 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Life (Ga.) | 65 | | | | |
| 8 | Mount Mercy (Iowa) | 69 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Mount Mercy (Iowa) | 69 | | | 1 | Carroll (Mont.) | 87* | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 4 | SAGU (Texas) | 80 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | SAGU (Texas) | 80 | | | 4 | SAGU (Texas) | 80 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Talladega (Ala.) | 75 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Talladega (Ala.) | 75 | | | | | | 1 | Carroll (Mont.) | 71 | | | | | | | | |
| CRAMER BRACKET March 15 | CRAMER BRACKET March 15 | CRAMER BRACKET March 15 | CRAMER BRACKET March 15 | CRAMER BRACKET March 15 | CRAMER BRACKET March 15 | CRAMER BRACKET March 15 | CRAMER BRACKET March 15 | 1 | Carroll (Mont.) | 71 | | | | | | | | |
| CRAMER BRACKET March 15 | CRAMER BRACKET March 15 | CRAMER BRACKET March 15 | CRAMER BRACKET March 15 | CRAMER BRACKET March 15 | CRAMER BRACKET March 15 | CRAMER BRACKET March 15 | CRAMER BRACKET March 15 | 3 | Life (Ga.) | 73 | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Life (Ga.) | 80 | | | | | | | | | 3 | Life (Ga.) | 73 | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Martin Methodist (Tenn.) | 62 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Martin Methodist (Tenn.) | 62 | | | 3 | Life (Ga.) | 80 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 2 | Hope Int'l (Calif.) | 78 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Hope Inter'l (Calif.) | 61 | | | 2 | Hope Int'l (Calif.) | 78 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Wiley (Texas) | 59 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Wiley (Texas) | 59 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Life (Ga.) | 76 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Texas Wesleyan | 86 |
| 1 | William Penn (Iowa) | 100 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Texas Wesleyan | 86 |
| 8 | Loyola (La.) | 78 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Loyola (La.) | 78 | | | 1 | William Penn (Iowa) | 87 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 4 | Georgetown (Ky.) | 79 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Georgetown (Ky.) | 81 | | | 4 | Georgetown (Ky.) | 79 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Park (Mo.) | 72 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Park (Mo.) | 72 | | | | | | 1 | William Penn (Iowa) | 84 | | | | | | | | |
| DUER BRACKET March 16 | DUER BRACKET March 16 | DUER BRACKET March 16 | DUER BRACKET March 16 | DUER BRACKET March 16 | DUER BRACKET March 16 | DUER BRACKET March 16 | DUER BRACKET March 16 | 1 | William Penn (Iowa) | 84 | | | | | | | | |
| DUER BRACKET March 16 | DUER BRACKET March 16 | DUER BRACKET March 16 | DUER BRACKET March 16 | DUER BRACKET March 16 | DUER BRACKET March 16 | DUER BRACKET March 16 | DUER BRACKET March 16 | 6 | Langston (Okla.) | 80 | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Biola (Calif.) | 76 | | | | | | | | | 6 | Langston (Okla.) | 80 | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Langston (Okla.) | 78 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Langston (Okla.) | 78 | | | 6 | Langston (Okla.) | 84 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 2 | Dillard (La.) | 74 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Dillard | 86 | | | 2 | Dillard (La.) | 74 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Oklahoma City | 65 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Oklahoma City | 65 | | | | | | | | | | 1 | William Penn | 82 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Texas Wesleyan | 83* | | | | |
| 1 | Dalton State (Ga.) | 84 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Texas Wesleyan | 83* | | | | |
| 8 | Harris-Stowe State (St. Louis, MO) | 82 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Harris-Stowe State (St. Louis, MO) | 82 | | | 1 | Dalton State (Ga.) | 79 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 4 | Montana Western | 60 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Montana Western | 99 | | | 4 | Montana Western | 60 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | LSU Shreveport (La.) | 94 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | LSU Shreveport (La.) | 94 | | | | | | 1 | Dalton State (Ga.) | 73 | | | | | | | | |
| LISTON BRACKET March 15 | LISTON BRACKET March 15 | LISTON BRACKET March 15 | LISTON BRACKET March 15 | LISTON BRACKET March 15 | LISTON BRACKET March 15 | LISTON BRACKET March 15 | LISTON BRACKET March 15 | 1 | Dalton State (Ga.) | 73 | | | | | | | | |
| LISTON BRACKET March 15 | LISTON BRACKET March 15 | LISTON BRACKET March 15 | LISTON BRACKET March 15 | LISTON BRACKET March 15 | LISTON BRACKET March 15 | LISTON BRACKET March 15 | LISTON BRACKET March 15 | 3 | Texas Wesleyan | 82 | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Texas Wesleyan | 74 | | | | | | | | | 3 | Texas Wesleyan | 82 | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Cumberlands (Ky.) | 68 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Cumberlands (Ky.) | 68 | | | 3 | Texas Wesleyan | 77 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 2 | The Master's (Calif.) | 75 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | The Master's (Calif.) | 85 | | | 2 | The Master's (Calif.) | 75 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Benedictine (Kan.) | 56 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
* * denotes overtime.