# 2018 NAIA Division I men's basketball tournament

The 2018 NAIA Division I men's basketball tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 81st annual NAIA basketball tournament features 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format. The opening game round started on March 14, and the National Championship Game was played on March 20. As of 2018, 576 schools have participated in the NAIA Men's Tournament. 48 states, all but Alaska and Wyoming have been represented.
The Tournament Final saw the Graceland Yellowjackets beat the Generals of LSU–Alexandria 83 to 80 in overtime, with the winning 3-point basket made from the right sideline as the game clock expired. It was the first overtime final since 2016, and the ninth overtime final in tournament history. This was Graceland University’s first appearance in the national tournament, and first championship. LSU Alexandria also marked its first appearance in the tournament. The most recent previous first appearance champion was Dalton State (Ga.) in 2015. Graceland became the first team with double-digit losses to win the title since John Brown (Ark.) in 2005. Graceland was the first team from the Heart of America Athletic Conference to compete in the championship final.
Including the 2018 championship, the last 11 national champions have been different, with Texas Wesleyan taking the 2017 trophy. Six of those champions in the last nine years – Mid-America Christian, Dalton State (Ga.), Vanguard (Calif.), Pikeville (Ky.), Rocky Mountain (Mont.) and Graceland – were winners for the first time in school history.

## Awards and honors

* Player of the Year: Ryan Imhoff Carroll (Mont.)
* Most consecutive tournament appearances: 27th, Georgetown (KY)
* Most tournament appearances: 37th, Georgetown (KY)
* Dr. James Naismith: Emil S. Liston
* Team Sportsmanship Award: Montana State-Northern
* Chuck Walden Memorial Award: Scott Thompson and Julia Robinson, Tricension
* NABC-NAIA Coach of the Year: Kelvin Starr, The Master's (Calif.)

## 2018 NAIA bracket

| First round March 14–15 | First round March 14–15 | First round March 14–15 | | | Second round March 16 | Second round March 16 | Second round March 16 | Quarterfinals March 17 | Quarterfinals March 17 | Quarterfinals March 17 | | National Semifinals March 19 | National Semifinals March 19 | National Semifinals March 19 | | National Championship March 20 | National Championship March 20 | National Championship March 20 |
| 1 | The Master's (CA) | 104 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Peru State (NE) | 106* | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Peru State (NE) | 106* | | | 8 | Peru State (NE) | 77 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 4 | LSU Alexandria (LA) | 98 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | LSU Alexandria (LA) | 77 | | | 4 | LSU Alexandria (LA) | 98 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Lewis-Clark State (ID) | 71 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Lewis-Clark State (ID) | 71 | | | | | | 4 | LSU Alexandria (LA) | 87 | | | | | | | | |
| NAISMITH BRACKET March 14 | NAISMITH BRACKET March 14 | NAISMITH BRACKET March 14 | NAISMITH BRACKET March 14 | NAISMITH BRACKET March 14 | NAISMITH BRACKET March 14 | NAISMITH BRACKET March 14 | NAISMITH BRACKET March 14 | 4 | LSU Alexandria (LA) | 87 | | | | | | | | |
| NAISMITH BRACKET March 14 | NAISMITH BRACKET March 14 | NAISMITH BRACKET March 14 | NAISMITH BRACKET March 14 | NAISMITH BRACKET March 14 | NAISMITH BRACKET March 14 | NAISMITH BRACKET March 14 | NAISMITH BRACKET March 14 | 3 | Georgetown (KY) | 66 | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Georgetown (KY) | 79 | | | | | | | | | 3 | Georgetown (KY) | 66 | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Central Baptist (AR) | 74 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Central Baptist (AR) | 74 | | | 3 | Georgetown (KY) | 91 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 2 | Oklahoma City | 83 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Oklahoma City | 62 | | | 2 | Oklahoma City | 83 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Xavier (LA) | 50 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Xavier (LA) | 50 | | | | | | | | | | 4 | LSU Alexandria (LA) | 84 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | William Penn (IA) | 75 | | | | |
| 1 | William Penn (IA) | 68 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | William Penn (IA) | 75 | | | | |
| 8 | Science & Arts (OK) | 63 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Science & Arts (OK) | 63 | | | 1 | William Penn (IA) | 68* | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 4 | Dalton State (GA) | 64 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Dalton State (GA) | 62 | | | 4 | Dalton State (GA) | 64 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Cumberlands (KY) | 60 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Cumberlands (KY) | 60 | | | | | | 1 | William Penn (IA) | 89 | | | | | | | | |
| 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 | William Penn (IA) | 89 | | | | | | | | |
| 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 | 6 | Our Lady of the Lake (TX) | 76 | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Hope International (CA) | 60 | | | | | | | | | 6 | Our Lady of the Lake (TX) | 76 | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Our Lady of the Lake (TX) | 68 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Our Lady of the Lake (TX) | 68 | | | 6 | Our Lady of the Lake (TX) | 64* | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 2 | Carroll (MT) | 62 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Carroll (MT) | 61 | | | 2 | Carroll (MT) | 62 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Lindsey Wilson (KY) | 53 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Lindsey Wilson (KY) | 53 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | LSU Alexandria (LA) | 80 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 5 | Graceland (IA) | 83* |
| 1 | Pikeville (KY) | 61 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 5 | Graceland (IA) | 83* |
| 8 | Langston (OK) | 63 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Langston (OK) | 63 | | | 8 | Langston (OK) | 59 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 5 | Graceland (IA) | 67 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Texas Wesleyan | 61 | | | 5 | Graceland (IA) | 67 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Graceland (IA) | 70 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Graceland (IA) | 70 | | | | | | 5 | Graceland (IA) | 86 | | | | | | | | |
| DUER BRACKET March 15 | DUER BRACKET March 15 | DUER BRACKET March 15 | DUER BRACKET March 15 | DUER BRACKET March 15 | DUER BRACKET March 15 | DUER BRACKET March 15 | DUER BRACKET March 15 | 5 | Graceland (IA) | 86 | | | | | | | | |
| DUER BRACKET March 15 | DUER BRACKET March 15 | DUER BRACKET March 15 | DUER BRACKET March 15 | DUER BRACKET March 15 | DUER BRACKET March 15 | DUER BRACKET March 15 | DUER BRACKET March 15 | 3 | Montana Western | 76 | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Montana Western | 105 | | | | | | | | | 3 | Montana Western | 76 | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | SAGU (TX) | 96 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | SAGU (TX) | 96 | | | 3 | Montana Western | 75 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 7 | Campbellsville (KY) | 72 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Columbia (MO) | 66 | | | 7 | Campbellsville (KY) | 72 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Campbellsville (KY) | 75 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Campbellsville (KY) | 75 | | | | | | | | | | 5 | Graceland (IA) | 87 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | LSU Shreveport (LA) | 80 | | | | |
| 1 | LSU Shreveport (LA) | 72 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | LSU Shreveport (LA) | 80 | | | | |
| 8 | Harris-Stowe State (MO) | 63 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Harris-Stowe State (MO) | 63 | | | 1 | LSU Shreveport (LA) | 70 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 5 | Dillard (LA) | 67 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Westmont (CA) | 71 | | | 5 | Dillard (LA) | 67 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Dillard (LA) | 74 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Dillard (LA) | 74 | | | | | | 1 | LSU Shreveport (LA) | 71 | | | | | | | | |
| LISTON BRACKET March 14 | LISTON BRACKET March 14 | LISTON BRACKET March 14 | LISTON BRACKET March 14 | LISTON BRACKET March 14 | LISTON BRACKET March 14 | LISTON BRACKET March 14 | LISTON BRACKET March 14 | 1 | LSU Shreveport (LA) | 71 | | | | | | | | |
| LISTON BRACKET March 14 | LISTON BRACKET March 14 | LISTON BRACKET March 14 | LISTON BRACKET March 14 | LISTON BRACKET March 14 | LISTON BRACKET March 14 | LISTON BRACKET March 14 | LISTON BRACKET March 14 | 7 | Wayland Baptist (TX) | 66 | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | William Carey (MS) | 67 | | | | | | | | | 7 | Wayland Baptist (TX) | 66 | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Life (GA) | 68 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Life (GA) | 68 | | | 6 | Life (GA) | 43 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 7 | Wayland Baptist (TX) | 65 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Central Methodist | 44 | | | 7 | Wayland Baptist (TX) | 65 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Wayland Baptist (TX) | 68 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
* denotes overtime.