1972 AIAW National Basketball Championship
{{Short description|none}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox tournament
| name = 1972 AIAW National Basketball Championship
| image = AIAW logo.jpg
| caption =
| location =
| start_date = March 16, 1972
| end_date = March 19, 1972
| administrator = Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women
| host = Illinois State University
| venues = Normal, Illinois
| participants = 16
| champions = Immaculata (1st title)
| runners-up1 = West Chester State
| matches = 23
| previous = 1971 (CIAW)
| next = 1973
}}
The 1972 AIAW women's basketball tournament was held on March 16–19, 1972. The host site was Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois.
Sixteen teams participated. Immaculata College (now known as Immaculata University), coached by Hall-of-Famer Cathy Rush, was crowned national champion at the conclusion of the tournament.{{cite web|title=Women's College Basketball Championship History Page |url=http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/1244/ |access-date=2009-06-03 |author=Gregory Cooper |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091026191906/http://geocities.com/Colosseum/1244/ |archive-date=2009-10-26 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web | title = Current Affairs Guide | url = https://www.indianblogpress.com/ | format = pdf | access-date = 2019-12-30 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191230152826/https://www.indianblogpress.com/ | archive-date = 2019-12-30 | url-status = dead }}{{cite web | title =Indiana Media Guide | url =http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ind/sports/w-baskbl/auto_pdf/wbb-74-90.pdf | access-date =2009-06-04 | archive-date =2008-12-10 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20081210080652/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ind/sports/w-baskbl/auto_pdf/wbb-74-90.pdf | url-status =dead }}{{cite news | title =CNNSI Recap of 1972 Tournament | url =http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/college/women/features/finalfour_history/1972/ | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20020212091539/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/college/women/features/finalfour_history/1972/ | url-status =dead | archive-date =February 12, 2002 | access-date =2009-07-28}}
Tournament bracket
= Main bracket =
{{Round16
||Immaculata|60|South Dakota State|47
||Indiana|49|Southern Conn. State|30
||Mississippi St. College for Women|64|Illinois State|47
||Tennessee-Martin|53|Long Beach State|43
||West Chester State|79|Utah State|45
||Northern Illinois|50|Washington State|43
||Cal State Fullerton|65|Tennessee Tech|56
||Phillips|54|Queens College|43
||Immaculata|49|Indiana|46
||Mississippi St. College for Women|43|Tennessee-Martin|25
||West Chester State|66|Northern Illinois|54
||Cal State Fullerton|53|Phillips|38
||Immaculata|46|Mississippi St. College for Women|43
||West Chester State|62|Cal State Fullerton|57
||Immaculata|52|West Chester State|48
||Mississippi St. College|42|Cal State Fullerton|52
|RD1=First round*
March 16, 1972| RD2=Quarterfinals
March 17, 1972| RD3=Semifinals
March 18, 1972| RD4=Final
March 19, 1972
}}
| cellspacing="0" style="width: 800px; background: ;"
| style="font-size: 8pt; padding: 4pt; line-height: 1.25em; color: black;" | *Losers in the first round continued in the consolation bracket (below) |
=Consolation bracket=
{{8TeamBracket-NoSeeds
| RD1 = First round
March 18, 1972
| RD2 = Second round
March 18, 1972
| RD3 = Fifth place game
March 19, 1972
| RD1-team1= South Dakota St.
| RD1-score1= 34
| RD1-team2 = S. Connecticut St.
| RD1-score2 = 72
| RD1-team3 = Illinois State
| RD1-score3 = 41
| RD1-team4 = Long Beach State
| RD1-score4 = 59
| RD1-team5 = Utah State
| RD1-score5 = 40
| RD1-team6 = Washington State
| RD1-score6 = 37
| RD1-team7 = Tennessee Tech
| RD1-score7 = 63
| RD1-team8 = Queens College
| RD1-score8 = 64
| RD2-team1 = S. Connecticut St.
| RD2-score1 = 42
| RD2-team2 = Long Beach State
| RD2-score2 = 48
| RD2-team3 = Utah State
| RD2-score3 = 57
| RD2-team4 = Queens College
| RD2-score4 = 65
| RD3-team1 = Long Beach State
| RD3-score1 = 51
| RD3-team2 = Queens College
| RD3-score2 = 55
}}
References
{{Reflist|2}}
{{NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament}}
Category:AIAW women's basketball tournament
AIAW National Division I Basketball Championship
Category:1972 in sports in Illinois
Category:Women's sports in Illinois