1997 NCAA Division III men's basketball tournament
{{Short description|American collegiate men's basketball tournament (1997)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox NCAA basketball tournament
| Year = 1997
| Division = III
| Image = NCAA logo.svg
| ImageSize = 125px
| Caption =
| Teams = 64
| FinalFourCity = Salem, Virginia
| Champions = Illinois Wesleyan Titans
| TitleCount = 1st
| RunnerUp = Nebraska Wesleyan Plainsmen
| GameCount = 1st
| Semifinal1 = Williams Ephs
| FinalFourCount = 1st
| Semifinal2 = Alvernia Crusaders
| FinalFourCount2 = 1st
| Coach = Dennie Bridges (IWU)
| MOP = Bryan Crabtree (IWU)
| Attendance = 59784
}}
The 1997 NCAA Division III men's basketball tournament was the 23rd annual single-elimination tournament to determine the national champions of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) men's Division III collegiate basketball in the United States.
The field contained sixty-four teams, and each program was allocated to one of four sectionals. All sectional games were played on campus sites, while the national semifinals, third-place final, and championship finals were contested at the Salem Civic Center in Salem, Virginia.{{cite web|title=Division III Men's Basketball Championship |url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_basketball_champs_records/2018/D3.pdf|work=NCAA|publisher=NCAA.org|accessdate=13 April 2019|pages=24}}
Illinois Wesleyan defeated Nebraska Wesleyan, 89–86, in the final, clinching their first national title.
The Titans (29–2) were coached by Dennie Bridges. Bryan Crabtree, also from Illinois Wesleyan, was named Most Outstanding Player.
Bracket
=Top left sectional=
{{16TeamBracket
| RD1=First round
| RD2=Second round
| RD3=Sectional semifinals
| RD4=Sectional finals
| seeds=no
| team-width=165
| score-width=30
| boldwinner=high
| RD1-seed01=
| RD1-team01=Widener
| RD1-score01=70
| RD1-seed02=
| RD1-team02=Dickinson
| RD1-score02=62
| RD1-seed03=
| RD1-team03=Salisbury State
| RD1-score03=101
| RD1-seed04=
| RD1-team04=Wilkes
| RD1-score04=90
| RD1-seed05=
| RD1-team05=St. Lawrence
| RD1-score05=63
| RD1-seed06=
| RD1-team06=Brockport State
| RD1-score06=64
| RD1-seed07=
| RD1-team07=St. John Fisher
| RD1-score07=77
| RD1-seed08=
| RD1-team08=Cortland State
| RD1-score08=70
| RD1-seed09=
| RD1-team09=Alvernia
| RD1-score09=69
| RD1-seed10=
| RD1-team10=Lebanon Valley
| RD1-score10=55
| RD1-seed11=
| RD1-team11=Goucher
| RD1-score11=67
| RD1-seed12=
| RD1-team12=Cabrini
| RD1-score12=60
| RD1-seed13=
| RD1-team13=Buffalo State
| RD1-score13=70
| RD1-seed14=
| RD1-team14=Hamilton
| RD1-score14=66
| RD1-seed15=
| RD1-team15=RIT
| RD1-score15=65
| RD1-seed16=
| RD1-team16=Rochester
| RD1-score16=64
| RD2-seed01=
| RD2-team01=Widener
| RD2-score01=65
| RD2-seed02=
| RD2-team02=Salisbury State
| RD2-score02=77
| RD2-seed03=
| RD2-team03=Brockport State
| RD2-score03=73
| RD2-seed04=
| RD2-team04=St. John Fisher
| RD2-score04=68
| RD2-seed05=
| RD2-team05=Alvernia
| RD2-score05=60
| RD2-seed06=
| RD2-team06=Goucher
| RD2-score06=55
| RD2-seed07=
| RD2-team07=Buffalo State
| RD2-score07=106
| RD2-seed08=
| RD2-team08=RIT
| RD2-score08=111**
| RD3-seed01=
| RD3-team01=Salisbury State
| RD3-score01=79
| RD3-seed02=
| RD3-team02=Brockport
| RD3-score02=78
| RD3-seed03=
| RD3-team03=Alvernia
| RD3-score03=77
| RD3-seed04=
| RD3-team04=RIT
| RD3-score04=71
| RD4-seed01=
| RD4-team01=Salisbury State
| RD4-score01=84
| RD4-seed02=
| RD4-team02=Alvernia
| RD4-score02=89
}}
=Bottom left sectional=
{{16TeamBracket
| RD1=First round
| RD2=Second round
| RD3=Sectional semifinals
| RD4=Sectional finals
| seeds=no
| team-width=165
| score-width=30
| boldwinner=high
| RD1-seed01=
| RD1-team01=Hampden–Sydney
| RD1-score01=74
| RD1-seed02=
| RD1-team02=Christopher Newport
| RD1-score02=79
| RD1-seed03=
| RD1-team03=Methodist
| RD1-score03=67
| RD1-seed04=
| RD1-team04=Roanoke
| RD1-score04=63
| RD1-seed05=
| RD1-team05=Chicago
| RD1-score05=59
| RD1-seed06=
| RD1-team06=Benedictine (IL)
| RD1-score06=52
| RD1-seed07=
| RD1-team07=Wabash
| RD1-score07=69
| RD1-seed08=
| RD1-team08=Lawrence
| RD1-score08=63
| RD1-seed09=
| RD1-team09=Sewanee
| RD1-score09=68
| RD1-seed10=
| RD1-team10=Rust
| RD1-score10=61
| RD1-seed11=
| RD1-team11=Maryville (TN)
| RD1-score11=62
| RD1-seed12=
| RD1-team12=Bridgewater (VA)
| RD1-score12=64
| RD1-seed13=
| RD1-team13=Rose–Hulman
| RD1-score13=86
| RD1-seed14=
| RD1-team14=Washington–St. Louis
| RD1-score14=69
| RD1-seed15=
| RD1-team15=Illinois Wesleyan
| RD1-score15=105
| RD1-seed16=
| RD1-team16=Maryville (MO)
| RD1-score16=66
| RD2-seed01=
| RD2-team01=Christopher Newport
| RD2-score01=67
| RD2-seed02=
| RD2-team02=Methodist
| RD2-score02=72
| RD2-seed03=
| RD2-team03=Chicago
| RD2-score03=78
| RD2-seed04=
| RD2-team04=Wabash
| RD2-score04=70
| RD2-seed05=
| RD2-team05=Sewanee
| RD2-score05=62
| RD2-seed06=
| RD2-team06=Bridgewater (VA)
| RD2-score06=65
| RD2-seed07=
| RD2-team07=Rose–Hulman
| RD2-score07=53
| RD2-seed08=
| RD2-team08=Illinois Wesleyan
| RD2-score08=54
| RD3-seed01=
| RD3-team01=Methodist
| RD3-score01=74
| RD3-seed02=
| RD3-team02=Chicago
| RD3-score02=70
| RD3-seed03=
| RD3-team03=Bridgewater (VA)
| RD3-score03=60
| RD3-seed04=
| RD3-team04=Illinois Wesleyan
| RD3-score04=87
| RD4-seed01=
| RD4-team01=Methodist
| RD4-score01=63
| RD4-seed02=
| RD4-team02=Illinois Wesleyan
| RD4-score02=95
}}
=Top right sectional=
{{16TeamBracket
| RD1=First round
| RD2=Second round
| RD3=Sectional semifinals
| RD4=Sectional finals
| seeds=no
| team-width=165
| score-width=30
| boldwinner=high
| RD1-seed01=
| RD1-team01=Rowan
| RD1-score01=72
| RD1-seed02=
| RD1-team02=Mount Saint Vincent
| RD1-score02=53
| RD1-seed03=
| RD1-team03=NYU
| RD1-score03=94
| RD1-seed04=
| RD1-team04=Jersey City State
| RD1-score04=84
| RD1-seed05=
| RD1-team05=UMass Dartmouth
| RD1-score05=63
| RD1-seed06=
| RD1-team06=Tufts
| RD1-score06=65
| RD1-seed07=
| RD1-team07=Salem State
| RD1-score07=69
| RD1-seed08=
| RD1-team08=Springfield
| RD1-score08=61
| RD1-seed09=
| RD1-team09=William Paterson
| RD1-score09=51
| RD1-seed10=
| RD1-team10=Kings Point
| RD1-score10=43
| RD1-seed11=
| RD1-team11=Richard Stockton
| RD1-score11=78
| RD1-seed12=
| RD1-team12=York (NY)
| RD1-score12=71
| RD1-seed13=
| RD1-team13=Amherst
| RD1-score13=83
| RD1-seed14=
| RD1-team14=Colby
| RD1-score14=60
| RD1-seed15=
| RD1-team15=Williams
| RD1-score15=76
| RD1-seed16=
| RD1-team16=Wentworth
| RD1-score16=51
| RD2-seed01=
| RD2-team01=Rowan
| RD2-score01=56
| RD2-seed02=
| RD2-team02=NYU
| RD2-score02=53
| RD2-seed03=
| RD2-team03=Tufts
| RD2-score03=63
| RD2-seed04=
| RD2-team04=Salem State
| RD2-score04=83
| RD2-seed05=
| RD2-team05=William Paterson
| RD2-score05=60
| RD2-seed06=
| RD2-team06=Richard Stockton
| RD2-score06=64
| RD2-seed07=
| RD2-team07=Amherst
| RD2-score07=63
| RD2-seed08=
| RD2-team08=Williams
| RD2-score08=86
| RD3-seed01=
| RD3-team01=Rowan
| RD3-score01=82
| RD3-seed02=
| RD3-team02=Salem State
| RD3-score02=72
| RD3-seed03=
| RD3-team03=Richard Stockton
| RD3-score03=61
| RD3-seed04=
| RD3-team04=Williams
| RD3-score04=85
| RD4-seed01=
| RD4-team01=Rowan
| RD4-score01=62
| RD4-seed02=
| RD4-team02=Williams
| RD4-score02=71
}}
=Bottom right sectional=
{{16TeamBracket
| RD1=First round
| RD2=Second round
| RD3=Sectional semifinals
| RD4=Sectional finals
| seeds=no
| team-width=165
| score-width=30
| boldwinner=high
| RD1-seed01=
| RD1-team01=Hope
| RD1-score01=69
| RD1-seed02=
| RD1-team02=Denison
| RD1-score02=66
| RD1-seed03=
| RD1-team03=Ohio Northern
| RD1-score03=58
| RD1-seed04=
| RD1-team04=Wooster
| RD1-score04=84
| RD1-seed05=
| RD1-team05=UW–Whitewater
| RD1-score05=67
| RD1-seed06=
| RD1-team06=Gustavus Adolphus
| RD1-score06=82
| RD1-seed07=
| RD1-team07=Nebraska Wesleyan
| RD1-score07=93
| RD1-seed08=
| RD1-team08=Buena Vista
| RD1-score08=54
| RD1-seed09=
| RD1-team09=Wittenberg
| RD1-score09=82
| RD1-seed10=
| RD1-team10=John Carroll
| RD1-score10=68
| RD1-seed11=
| RD1-team11=Mount Union
| RD1-score11=77
| RD1-seed12=
| RD1-team12=Alfred
| RD1-score12=69
| RD1-seed13=
| RD1-team13=Pomona–Pitzer
| RD1-score13=58
| RD1-seed14=
| RD1-team14=UW–Stevens Point
| RD1-score14=68
| RD1-seed15=
| RD1-team15=UW–Platteville
| RD1-score15=51
| RD1-seed16=
| RD1-team16=UW–Oshkosh
| RD1-score16=43
| RD2-seed01=
| RD2-team01=Hope
| RD2-score01=67
| RD2-seed02=
| RD2-team02=Wooster
| RD2-score02=56
| RD2-seed03=
| RD2-team03=Gustavus Adolphus
| RD2-score03=59
| RD2-seed04=
| RD2-team04=Nebraska Wesleyan
| RD2-score04=61
| RD2-seed05=
| RD2-team05=Wittenberg
| RD2-score05=65
| RD2-seed06=
| RD2-team06=Mount Union
| RD2-score06=73
| RD2-seed07=
| RD2-team07=UW–Stevens Point
| RD2-score07=46
| RD2-seed08=
| RD2-team08=UW–Platteville
| RD2-score08=43
| RD3-seed01=
| RD3-team01=Hope
| RD3-score01=75
| RD3-seed02=
| RD3-team02=Nebraska Wesleyan
| RD3-score02=92
| RD3-seed03=
| RD3-team03=Mount Union
| RD3-score03=67
| RD3-seed04=
| RD3-team04=UW–Stevens Point
| RD3-score04=68*
| RD4-seed01=
| RD4-team01=Nebraska Wesleyan
| RD4-score01=69
| RD4-seed02=
| RD4-team02=UW–Stevens Point
| RD4-score02=66
}}
=National finals=
{{4TeamBracket-with 3rd
| Team-Width = 145
| RD1 = National Semifinals
| RD2 = National Championship
| RD2b = National Third-place
| RD1-seed1 =
| RD1-team1 = Alvernia
| RD1-score1 = 82
| RD1-seed2 =
| RD1-team2 = Illinois Wesleyan
| RD1-score2 = 85
| RD1-seed3 =
| RD1-team3 = Williams
| RD1-score3 = 90
| RD1-seed4 =
| RD1-team4 = Nebraska Wesleyan
| RD1-score4 = 101
| RD2-seed1 =
| RD2-team1 = Illinois Wesleyan
| RD2-score1 = 89
| RD2-seed2 =
| RD2-team2 = Nebraska Wesleyan
| RD2-score2 = 86
| RD2b-seed1 =
| RD2b-team1 = Alvernia
| RD2b-score1 = 77
| RD2b-seed2 =
| RD2b-team2 = Williams
| RD2b-score2 = 78
}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{NCAA Division III men's basketball tournament navbox}}
Category:NCAA Division III men's basketball tournament