# 1997 NCAA Division II women's basketball tournament

The 1997 NCAA Division II women's basketball tournament was the 16th annual tournament hosted by the NCAA to determine the national champion of Division II women's collegiate basketball in the United States.
North Dakota defeated Southern Indiana in the championship game, 94–78, to claim the Fighting Sioux's first NCAA Division II national title. This would go on to be the first of three consecutive titles for North Dakota.
The championship rounds were contested in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

## Regionals
### East - Shippensburg, Pennsylvania

Location: Heiges Field House Host: Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania
| First round Round of 48 March 6 | First round Round of 48 March 6 | First round Round of 48 March 6 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 7 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 7 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 7 | Regional finals Sweet 16 March 8 | Regional finals Sweet 16 March 8 | Regional finals Sweet 16 March 8 |
| | | | 2 | West Chester | 56 | | | |
| | | | 6 | Edinboro | 64 | | | |
| 6 | Edinboro | 87 | 6 | Edinboro | 64 | | | |
| 3 | West Liberty State | 75 | | | | | | |
| 3 | West Liberty State | 75 | | | | 6 | Edinboro | 70 |
| | | | | | | 5 | High Point | 68 |
| 5 | High Point | 80 | | | | | | | 5 | High Point | 68 |
| 4 | Longwood | 64 | | | | | | |
| 4 | Longwood | 64 | 5 | High Point | 71 | | | |
| | | | 1 | Shippensburg | 53 | | | |

### Great Lakes - Marquette, Michigan

Location: Hedgcock Fieldhouse Host: Northern Michigan University
| First round Round of 48 March 6 | First round Round of 48 March 6 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 7 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 7 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 7 | Regional finals Sweet 16 March 8 | Regional finals Sweet 16 March 8 | Regional finals Sweet 16 March 8 |
| | | 2 | Southern Indiana | 66 | | | |
| | | | Michigan Tech | 48 | | | |
| Bellarmine | 80 | | Michigan Tech | 48 | | | |
| Michigan Tech | 83* | | | | | | |
| Michigan Tech | 83* | | | | 2 | Southern Indiana | 78 |
| | | | | | 1 | Northern Michigan | 67 |
| Oakland | 83 | | | | | | | 1 | Northern Michigan | 67 |
| Saginaw Valley State | 72 | | | | | | |
| Saginaw Valley State | 72 | | Oakland | 56 | | | |
| | | 1 | Northern Michigan | 66 | | | |

### North Central - Fargo, North Dakota

Location: Bison Sports Arena Host: North Dakota State University
| First round Round of 48 March 7 | First round Round of 48 March 7 | First round Round of 48 March 7 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 8 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 8 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 8 | Regional finals Sweet 16 March 9 | Regional finals Sweet 16 March 9 | Regional finals Sweet 16 March 9 |
| | | | 2 | North Dakota | 88 | | | |
| | | | 6 | Northern State (SD) | 76 | | | |
| 3 | Augustana (SD) | 65 | 6 | Northern State (SD) | 76 | | | |
| 6 | Northern State (SD) | 68 | | | | | | |
| 6 | Northern State (SD) | 68 | | | | 2 | North Dakota | 73 |
| | | | | | | 1 | North Dakota State | 66 |
| 4 | Nebraska–Kearney | 82* | | | | | | | 1 | North Dakota State | 66 |
| 5 | Northern Colorado | 76 | | | | | | |
| 5 | Northern Colorado | 76 | 4 | Nebraska–Kearney | 65 | | | |
| | | | 1 | North Dakota State | 76 | | | |

### Northeast - Waltham, Massachusetts

Location: Dana Center Host: Bentley College
| First round Round of 48 March 5 | First round Round of 48 March 5 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional finals Sweet 16 March 7 | Regional finals Sweet 16 March 7 | Regional finals Sweet 16 March 7 |
| | | 1 | Bentley | 72 | | | |
| | | | UMass Lowell | 57 | | | |
| Saint Anselm | 64 | | UMass Lowell | 57 | | | |
| UMass Lowell | 65 | | | | | | |
| UMass Lowell | 65 | | | | 1 | Bentley | 52 |
| | | | | | | Stonehill | 41 |
| Philadelphia Textile | 50 | | | | | | | Stonehill | 41 |
| Stonehill | 65 | | | | | | |
| Stonehill | 65 | | Stonehill | 77 | | | |
| | | 2 | Saint Rose | 60 | | | |

### South - Melbourne, Florida

Location: Percy Hedgecock Gymnasium Host: Florida Institute of Technology
| First round Round of 48 March 6 | First round Round of 48 March 6 | First round Round of 48 March 6 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 7 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 7 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 7 | Regional finals Sweet 16 March 8 | Regional finals Sweet 16 March 8 | Regional finals Sweet 16 March 8 |
| | | | 1 | Florida Tech | 59 | | | |
| | | | 5 | Fort Valley State | 67 | | | |
| 5 | Fort Valley State | 70 | 5 | Fort Valley State | 67 | | | |
| 4 | Valdosta State | 58 | | | | | | |
| 4 | Valdosta State | 58 | | | | 5 | Fort Valley State | 58 |
| | | | | | | 2 | Delta State | 81 |
| | Alabama A&M | 63 | | | | | | | 2 | Delta State | 81 |
| | Kentucky State | 78 | | | | | | |
| | Kentucky State | 78 | | Kentucky State | 61 | | | |
| | | | 2 | Delta State | 83 | | | |

### South Atlantic - Marietta, Georgia

Location: Owl's Nest Host: Kennesaw State University
| First round Round of 48 March 6 | First round Round of 48 March 6 | First round Round of 48 March 6 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 7 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 7 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 7 | Regional finals Sweet 16 March 8 | Regional finals Sweet 16 March 8 | Regional finals Sweet 16 March 8 |
| | | | 2 | Kennesaw State | 99 | | | |
| | | | 3 | Fayetteville State | 65 | | | |
| 3 | Fayetteville State | 85 | 3 | Fayetteville State | 65 | | | |
| 6 | Francis Marion | 83 | | | | | | |
| 6 | Francis Marion | 83 | | | | 2 | Kennesaw State | 74 |
| | | | | | | 1 | Bowie State | 68 |
| 4 | Georgia College | 96 | | | | | | | 1 | Bowie State | 68 |
| 5 | Wingate | 88 | | | | | | |
| 5 | Wingate | 88 | 4 | Georgia College | 63 | | | |
| | | | 1 | Bowie State | 75 | | | |

### South Central - St. Joseph, Missouri

Location: MWSC Fieldhouse Host: Missouri Western State College
| First round Round of 48 March 6 | First round Round of 48 March 6 | First round Round of 48 March 6 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 7 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 7 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 7 | Regional finals Sweet 16 March 8 | Regional finals Sweet 16 March 8 | Regional finals Sweet 16 March 8 |
| | | | 2 | West Texas A&M | 77* | | | |
| | | | | Emporia State | 76 | | | |
| | Central Missouri | 51 | | Emporia State | 76 | | | |
| | Emporia State | 54 | | | | | | |
| | Emporia State | 54 | | | | 2 | West Texas A&M | 92 |
| | | | | | | 1 | Missouri Western | 72 |
| 4 | Abilene Christian | 92 | | | | | | | 1 | Missouri Western | 72 |
| 5 | Pittsburg State | 78 | | | | | | |
| 5 | Pittsburg State | 78 | 4 | Abilene Christian | 71 | | | |
| | | | 1 | Missouri Western | 75 | | | |

### West - Davis, California

Location: Recreation Hall Host: University of California, Davis
| First round Round of 48 March 7 | First round Round of 48 March 7 | First round Round of 48 March 7 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 8 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 8 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 8 | Regional finals Sweet 16 March 9 | Regional finals Sweet 16 March 9 | Regional finals Sweet 16 March 9 |
| | | | 1 | UC Davis | 79 | | | |
| | | | 5 | Cal Poly Pomona | 52 | | | |
| 5 | Cal Poly Pomona | 69 | 5 | Cal Poly Pomona | 52 | | | |
| 4 | Montana State Billings | 67 | | | | | | |
| 4 | Montana State Billings | 67 | | | | 1 | UC Davis | 74 |
| | | | | | | 2 | Seattle Pacific | 69 |
| | Grand Canyon | 68 | | | | | | | 2 | Seattle Pacific | 69 |
| | Western New Mexico | 80 | | | | | | |
| | Western New Mexico | 80 | | Western New Mexico | 85 | | | |
| | | | 2 | Seattle Pacific | 106 | | | |

## Elite Eight - Grand Forks, North Dakota

Location: Hyslop Sports Center Host: University of North Dakota
| National quarterfinals Elite Eight March 19 | National quarterfinals Elite Eight March 19 | National quarterfinals Elite Eight March 19 | National semifinals Final Four March 20 | National semifinals Final Four March 20 | National semifinals Final Four March 20 | National championship Third Place Game March 22 | National championship Third Place Game March 22 | National championship Third Place Game March 22 |
| GL | Southern Indiana | 70 | | | | | | |
| S | Delta State | 55 | | | | | | |
| S | Delta State | 55 | GL | Southern Indiana | 70 | | | |
| | | | W | UC Davis | 62 | | | |
| W | UC Davis | 73 | W | UC Davis | 62 | | | |
| SC | West Texas A&M | 70 | | | | | | |
| SC | West Texas A&M | 70 | | | | GL | Southern Indiana | 78 |
| | | | | | | NC | North Dakota | 94 |
| NE | Bentley | 55 | | | | | | | NC | North Dakota | 94 |
| SA | Kennesaw State | 48 | | | |
| SA | Kennesaw State | 48 | NE | Bentley | 48 | Third Place Game | Third Place Game | Third Place Game |
| | | | NC | North Dakota | 70 |
| NC | North Dakota | 81 | NC | North Dakota | 70 | W | UC Davis | 76 |
| E | Edinboro | 46 | | | | NE | Bentley | 61 |

## All-tournament team

* Jaime Pudenz, North Dakota
* Jenny Crouse, North Dakota
* Kelli Britz, North Dakota
* LeeAnn Freeland, Southern Indiana
* Eileen Weber, Southern Indiana
* Jennifer Gross, UC Davis