# 1997 NCAA Division II men's basketball tournament

The 1997 NCAA Division II men's basketball tournament was the 41st annual single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division II college basketball in the United States.
The tournament officially culminated the 1996–97 NCAA Division II men's basketball season, featuring forty-eight teams from around the country.
The national quarterfinals (Elite Eight), semifinals, and championship were played at the Commonwealth Convention Center in Louisville, Kentucky.
Cal State Bakersfield (29–4) defeated Northern Kentucky in the final, 57–56, to win their third overall Division II national championship and their third in five seasons.
It was also NKU's second consecutive loss in the national championship game, having lost to Fort Hays State in 1996.
Despite being the defending national champions with only one loss on the season, Fort Hays State had to travel from Kansas to South Dakota for the North Central Regional hosted by 4 loss South Dakota State.
The CSB Roadrunners were coached by Pat Douglass. Bakersfield's Kebu Stewart was the Most Outstanding Player.

## Regionals
### South - Huntsville, Alabama

Location: Elmore Coliseum Host: Alabama A&M 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 final Sweet 16 March 8 | Regional final Sweet 16 March 8 | Regional final Sweet 16 March 8 |
| | | | 1 | Alabama A&M | 81 | | | |
| | | | 4 | Delta State | 80 | | | |
| 4 | Delta State | 88 | 4 | Delta State | 80 | | | |
| 5 | Albany State | 64 | | | | | | |
| 5 | Albany State | 64 | | | | 1 | Alabama A&M | 82 |
| | | | | | | 2 | Lynn | 87 |
| 3 | Tampa | 83 | | | | | | | 2 | Lynn | 87 |
| 6 | West Georgia | 61 | | | | | | |
| 6 | West Georgia | 61 | 2 | Lynn | 81 | | | |
| | | | 3 | Tampa | 76 | | | |

### North Central - Brookings, South Dakota

Location: Frost Arena Host: South Dakota State
| 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 final Sweet 16 March 9 | Regional final Sweet 16 March 9 | Regional final Sweet 16 March 9 |
| | | | 1 | Fort Hays State | 82 | | | |
| | | | 5 | North Dakota State | 78 | | | |
| 4 | Northern State | 89 | 5 | North Dakota State | 78 | | | |
| 5 | North Dakota State (OT) | 90 | | | | | | |
| 5 | North Dakota State (OT) | 90 | | | | 1 | Fort Hays State | 74 |
| | | | | | | 2 | South Dakota State | 86 |
| 3 | Minnesota-Duluth | 76 | | | | | | | 2 | South Dakota State | 86 |
| 6 | Nebraska–Kearney | 90 | | | | | | |
| 6 | Nebraska–Kearney | 90 | 2 | South Dakota State | 102 | | | |
| | | | 6 | Nebraska–Kearney | 83 | | | |

### Great Lakes - Indianapolis, Indiana

Location: Nicoson Hall Host: University of Indianapolis
| 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 final Sweet 16 March 8 | Regional final Sweet 16 March 8 | Regional final Sweet 16 March 8 |
| | | | 1 | Indianapolis | 72 | | | |
| | | | 5 | Oakland | 75 | | | |
| 4 | Grand Valley State | 74 | 5 | Oakland | 75 | | | |
| 5 | Oakland | 79 | | | | | | |
| 5 | Oakland | 79 | | | | 5 | Oakland | 87 |
| | | | | | | 2 | Northern Kentucky | 101 |
| 3 | Southern Indiana | 118 | | | | | | | 2 | Northern Kentucky | 101 |
| 6 | Quincy (3OT) | 125 | | | | | | |
| 6 | Quincy (3OT) | 125 | 2 | Northern Kentucky | 82 | | | |
| | | | 6 | Quincy | 54 | | | |

### South Central - Edmond, Oklahoma

Location: Hamilton Field House Host: University of Central Oklahoma
| 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 final Sweet 16 March 8 | Regional final Sweet 16 March 8 | Regional final Sweet 16 March 8 |
| | | | 1 | Central Oklahoma | 84 | | | |
| | | | 5 | Pittsburg State | 90 | | | |
| 4 | Missouri Western | 70 | 5 | Pittsburg State | 90 | | | |
| 5 | Pittsburg State | 72 | | | | | | |
| 5 | Pittsburg State | 72 | | | | 5 | Pittsburg State | 83 |
| | | | | | | 3 | Texas A&M–Commerce | 89 |
| 3 | Texas A&M–Commerce | 80 | | | | | | | 3 | Texas A&M–Commerce | 89 |
| 6 | Central Missouri State | 74 | | | | | | |
| 6 | Central Missouri State | 74 | 2 | Washburn | 75 | | | |
| | | | 3 | Texas A&M–Commerce | 80 | | | |

### South Atlantic - Durham, North Carolina

Location: McDougald–McLendon Arena Host: North Carolina Central 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 final Sweet 16 March 8 | Regional final Sweet 16 March 8 | Regional final Sweet 16 March 8 |
| | | | 1 | North Carolina Central | 66 | | | |
| | | | 5 | St. Augustine's | 78 | | | |
| 4 | Georgia College & State | 87 | 5 | St. Augustine's | 78 | | | |
| 5 | St. Augustine's | 93 | | | | | | |
| 5 | St. Augustine's | 93 | | | | 5 | St. Augustine's | 73 |
| | | | | | | 3 | Elizabeth City State | 90 |
| 3 | Elizabeth City State | 77 | | | | | | | 3 | Elizabeth City State | 90 |
| 6 | Elon | 70 | | | | | | |
| 6 | Elon | 70 | 2 | Presbyterian | 64 | | | |
| | | | 3 | Elizabeth City State | 76 | | | |

### East - Salem, West Virginia

Location: T. Edward Davis Gymnasium Host: Salem-Teikyo 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 final Sweet 16 March 8 | Regional final Sweet 16 March 8 | Regional final Sweet 16 March 8 |
| | | | 1 | Salem-Teikyo | 91 | | | |
| | | | 5 | High Point | 82 | | | |
| 4 | Pittsburgh-Johnstown | 92 | 5 | High Point | 82 | | | |
| 5 | High Point (OT) | 94 | | | | | | |
| 5 | High Point (OT) | 94 | | | | 1 | Salem-Teikyo | 85 |
| | | | | | | 6 | Concord | 76 |
| 3 | Barton | 74 | | | | | | | 6 | Concord | 76 |
| 6 | Concord | 79 | | | | | | |
| 6 | Concord | 79 | 2 | Mansfield | 96 | | | |
| | | | 6 | Concord | 111 | | | |

### Northeast - Manchester, New Hampshire

Location: NHC Fieldhouse Host: New Hampshire College
| 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 final Sweet 16 March 9 | Regional final Sweet 16 March 9 | Regional final Sweet 16 March 9 |
| | | | 1 | New Hampshire College | 101 | | | |
| | | | 4 | St. Michael's | 90 | | | |
| 4 | St. Michael's (OT) | 86 | 4 | St. Michael's | 90 | | | |
| 5 | Adelphi | 85 | | | | | | |
| 5 | Adelphi | 85 | | | | 1 | New Hampshire College | 61 |
| | | | | | | 2 | Southern Connecticut State | 80 |
| 3 | St. Rose | 92 | | | | | | | 2 | Southern Connecticut State | 80 |
| 6 | Le Moyne | 76 | | | | | | |
| 6 | Le Moyne | 76 | 2 | Southern Connecticut State | 83 | | | |
| | | | 3 | St. Rose | 80 | | | |

### West - Bakersfield, California

Location: CSUB Student Activities Center Host: California State University, Bakersfield
| 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 final Sweet 16 March 8 | Regional final Sweet 16 March 8 | Regional final Sweet 16 March 8 |
| | | | 1 | Cal State Bakersfield | 80 | | | |
| | | | 4 | Grand Canyon | 70 | | | |
| 4 | Grand Canyon | 78 | 4 | Grand Canyon | 70 | | | |
| 5 | Cal Davis | 66 | | | | | | |
| 5 | Cal Davis | 66 | | | | 1 | Cal State Bakersfield | 90 |
| | | | | | | 3 | Montana State-Billings | 78 |
| 3 | Montana State-Billings | 97 | | | | | | | 3 | Montana State-Billings | 78 |
| 6 | Cal Riverside | 86 | | | | | | |
| 6 | Cal Riverside | 86 | 2 | Alaska-Anchorage | 67 | | | |
| | | | 3 | Montana State-Billings | 97 | | | |

## Elite Eight-Louisville, Kentucky

Location: Commonwealth Convention Center Host: Bellarmine College
| 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 March 22 | National championship March 22 | National championship March 22 |
| W | Cal State Bakersfield | 65 | | | | | | | | |
| NE | Southern Connecticut State | 62 | | | | | | | | |
| NE | Southern Connecticut State | 62 | | | W | Cal State Bakersfield | 81 | | | |
| | | | | | E | Salem-Teikyo | 68 | | | |
| E | Salem-Teikyo | 91 | | | E | Salem-Teikyo | 68 | | | |
| SA | Elizabeth City State | 74 | | | | | | | | |
| SA | Elizabeth City State | 74 | | | | | | W | Cal State Bakersfield | 57 |
| Louisville, Kentucky | Louisville, Kentucky | Louisville, Kentucky | Louisville, Kentucky | Louisville, Kentucky | Louisville, Kentucky | Louisville, Kentucky | Louisville, Kentucky | W | Cal State Bakersfield | 57 |
| Louisville, Kentucky | Louisville, Kentucky | Louisville, Kentucky | Louisville, Kentucky | Louisville, Kentucky | Louisville, Kentucky | Louisville, Kentucky | Louisville, Kentucky | GL | Northern Kentucky | 56 |
| S | Lynn | 78 | | | | | | | | | GL | Northern Kentucky | 56 |
| NC | South Dakota State | 72 | | | | | | | | |
| NC | South Dakota State | 72 | | | S | Lynn | 58 | | | |
| | | | | | GL | Northern Kentucky | 79 | | | |
| GL | Northern Kentucky | 79 | | | GL | Northern Kentucky | 79 | | | |
| S | Texas A&M–Commerce | 58 | | | | | | | | |

## All-tournament team

* Kebu Stewart, Cal State Bakersfield (MOP)
* Cliff Clinton, Northern Kentucky
* Paul Cluxton, Northern Kentucky
* Shannon Minor, Northern Kentucky
* Terrance Springer, Salem-Teikyo