2018 NAIA Division I men's basketball tournament

2018 (2018) NAIA Division I men's basketball tournament
Teams	32
Finals site	Municipal Auditorium; Kansas City, Missouri
Champions	Graceland Yellowjackets (1 title, 1 title game,; 1 Fab Four)
Runner-up	Alexandria State Generals
Semifinalists	William Penn Statesmen; Shreveport State Pilots;
Coach of the year	Craig Doty (Graceland (Iowa))
Charles Stevenson; Hustle Award	Dom Robinson (Montana Western)
Chuck Taylor MVP	LT Davis (Graceland)
Attendance	Championship game: 6,377
Top scorer	Jordin Williams (LSU Alexandria); (31 points)
NAIA Division I ; men's tournaments
«2017	2019»

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.^[2] 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^[3] 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.^[4] 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.^[5]

Awards and honors

Player of the Year: Ryan Imhoff Carroll (Mont.) ^[6]
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			Second round March 16			Quarterfinals March 17			National Semifinals March 19			National Championship March 20

1	The Master's (CA)	104

8	Peru State (NE)	106*
			8	Peru State (NE)	77

			4	LSU Alexandria (LA)	98
4	LSU Alexandria (LA)	77

5	Lewis-Clark State (ID)	71
						4	LSU Alexandria (LA)	87
NAISMITH BRACKET March 14
						3	Georgetown (KY)	66
3	Georgetown (KY)	79

6	Central Baptist (AR)	74
			3	Georgetown (KY)	91

			2	Oklahoma City	83
2	Oklahoma City	62

7	Xavier (LA)	50
									4	LSU Alexandria (LA)	84

									1	William Penn (IA)	75
1	William Penn (IA)	68

8	Science & Arts (OK)	63
			1	William Penn (IA)	68*

			4	Dalton State (GA)	64
4	Dalton State (GA)	62

5	Cumberlands (KY)	60
						1	William Penn (IA)	89
CRAMER BRACKET March 15
						6	Our Lady of the Lake (TX)	76
3	Hope International (CA)	60

6	Our Lady of the Lake (TX)	68
			6	Our Lady of the Lake (TX)	64*

			2	Carroll (MT)	62
2	Carroll (MT)	61

7	Lindsey Wilson (KY)	53
												4	LSU Alexandria (LA)	80

												5	Graceland (IA)	83*
1	Pikeville (KY)	61

8	Langston (OK)	63
			8	Langston (OK)	59

			5	Graceland (IA)	67
4	Texas Wesleyan	61

5	Graceland (IA)	70
						5	Graceland (IA)	86
DUER BRACKET March 15
						3	Montana Western	76
3	Montana Western	105

6	SAGU (TX)	96
			3	Montana Western	75

			7	Campbellsville (KY)	72
2	Columbia (MO)	66

7	Campbellsville (KY)	75
									5	Graceland (IA)	87

									1	LSU Shreveport (LA)	80
1	LSU Shreveport (LA)	72

8	Harris-Stowe State (MO)	63
			1	LSU Shreveport (LA)	70

			5	Dillard (LA)	67
4	Westmont (CA)	71

5	Dillard (LA)	74
						1	LSU Shreveport (LA)	71
LISTON BRACKET March 14
						7	Wayland Baptist (TX)	66
3	William Carey (MS)	67

6	Life (GA)	68
			6	Life (GA)	43

			7	Wayland Baptist (TX)	65
2	Central Methodist	44

7	Wayland Baptist (TX)	68

denotes overtime.

References

^ Graceland Wins First-Ever National Title, NAIA.org, Retrieved March 30, 2018
^ "2018 Tournament Schedule". Retrieved March 14, 2018.
^ Yellowjackets NAIA Division I season rankings, Dakstats.com, Retrieved 30 March 2018
^ Tournament Final Game Statistics including shot charts, Dakstats.com, Retrieved 30 March 2018
^ 81st NAIA Basketball Tournament Notes http://www.naia.org/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=27900&ATCLID=211706959
^ NAIA Player of the year press release http://www.naia.org/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=27900&ATCLID=211707201

[1] Graceland Wins First-Ever National Title, NAIA.org, Retrieved March 30, 2018

[2] "2018 Tournament Schedule". Retrieved March 14, 2018.

[3] Yellowjackets NAIA Division I season rankings, Dakstats.com, Retrieved 30 March 2018

[4] Tournament Final Game Statistics including shot charts, Dakstats.com, Retrieved 30 March 2018

[5] 81st NAIA Basketball Tournament Notes http://www.naia.org/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=27900&ATCLID=211706959

[6] NAIA Player of the year press release http://www.naia.org/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=27900&ATCLID=211707201

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Awards and honors

2018 NAIA bracket

See also

References