2018 NAIA Division I men's basketball tournament
{{Short description|College basketball tournament}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}{{Use American English|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox college basketball tournament
| Type=NAIA
| Year=2018
| Image=
| ImageSize=150px
| Caption=2018 NAIA Division I men's national basketball tournament
| Teams=32
| FabFourArena=Municipal Auditorium
| FabFourCity=Kansas City, Missouri
| Champions=Graceland Yellowjackets
| TitleCount=1
| ChampGameCount=1
| ChampFFCount=1
| RunnerUp=Alexandria State Generals
| GameCount=
| RunnerFFCount=
| Semifinal1=William Penn Statesmen
| FinalFourCount=
| Semifinal2=Shreveport State Pilots
| FinalFourCount2=
| COTY=Craig Doty
| COTYSchool=Graceland (Iowa)
| MVP=LT Davis
| MVPTeam=Graceland
| POTY=
| POTYSchool=
| Hustle=Dom Robinson
| HustleSchool=Montana Western
| Attendance=Championship game: 6,377[http://www.naia.org/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=27900&ATCLID=211707086 Graceland Wins First-Ever National Title], NAIA.org, Retrieved March 30, 2018
| TopScorer=Jordin Williams
| TopScorerTeam=LSU Alexandria
| TopScorer2=
| TopScorer2Team=
| Points=31
}}
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.{{cite web|title=2018 Tournament Schedule|url=http://www.naia.org/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=640716&SPID=96230&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=27900&ATCLID=211653819|accessdate=14 March 2018}} 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[http://www.dakstats.com/WebSync/Pages/Team/TeamPage.aspx?association=10&sg=MBB&sea=NAIMBB_2017&team=526 Yellowjackets NAIA Division I season rankings], Dakstats.com, Retrieved 30 March 2018 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.[http://www.dakstats.com/Websync/Pages/WebcastPlayByPlay/WebcastPBP.aspx?association=10&sg=MBB&compID=220846 Tournament Final Game Statistics] including shot charts, Dakstats.com, Retrieved 30 March 2018 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.81st NAIA Basketball Tournament Notes http://www.naia.org/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=27900&ATCLID=211706959
Awards and honors
- Player of the Year: Ryan Imhoff Carroll (Mont.) NAIA Player of the year press release http://www.naia.org/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=27900&ATCLID=211707201
- 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
{{32TeamBracket
| RD1=First round
March 14–15
| RD2=Second round
March 16
| RD3=Quarterfinals
March 17
| RD4=National Semifinals
March 19
| RD5=National Championship
March 20
| RD2-group1=NAISMITH BRACKET
March 14
| RD2-group2=CRAMER BRACKET
March 15
| RD2-group3=DUER BRACKET
March 15
| RD2-group4=LISTON BRACKET
March 14
| RD1-seed01=1
| RD1-team01=The Master's (CA)
| RD1-score01=104
| RD1-seed02=8
| RD1-team02=Peru State (NE)
| RD1-score02=106*
| RD1-seed03=4
| RD1-team03=LSU Alexandria (LA)
| RD1-score03=77
| RD1-seed04=5
| RD1-team04=Lewis-Clark State (ID)
| RD1-score04=71
| RD1-seed05=3
| RD1-team05=Georgetown (KY)
| RD1-score05=79
| RD1-seed06=6
| RD1-team06=Central Baptist (AR)
| RD1-score06=74
| RD1-seed07=2
| RD1-team07=Oklahoma City
| RD1-score07=62
| RD1-seed08=7
| RD1-team08=Xavier (LA)
| RD1-score08=50
| RD1-seed09=1
| RD1-team09=William Penn (IA)
| RD1-score09=68
| RD1-seed10=8
| RD1-team10=Science & Arts (OK)
| RD1-score10=63
| RD1-seed11=4
| RD1-team11=Dalton State (GA)
| RD1-score11=62
| RD1-seed12=5
| RD1-team12=Cumberlands (KY)
| RD1-score12=60
| RD1-seed13=3
| RD1-team13=Hope International (CA)
| RD1-score13=60
| RD1-seed14=6
| RD1-team14=Our Lady of the Lake (TX)
| RD1-score14=68
| RD1-seed15=2
| RD1-team15=Carroll (MT)
| RD1-score15=61
| RD1-seed16=7
| RD1-team16=Lindsey Wilson (KY)
| RD1-score16=53
| RD1-seed17=1
| RD1-team17=Pikeville (KY)
| RD1-score17=61
| RD1-seed18=8
| RD1-team18=Langston (OK)
| RD1-score18=63
| RD1-seed19=4
| RD1-team19=Texas Wesleyan
| RD1-score19=61
| RD1-seed20=5
| RD1-team20=Graceland (IA)
| RD1-score20=70
| RD1-seed21=3
| RD1-team21=Montana Western
| RD1-score21=105
| RD1-seed22=6
| RD1-team22=SAGU (TX)
| RD1-score22=96
| RD1-seed23=2
| RD1-team23=Columbia (MO)
| RD1-score23=66
| RD1-seed24=7
| RD1-team24=Campbellsville (KY)
| RD1-score24=75
| RD1-seed25=1
| RD1-team25=LSU Shreveport (LA)
| RD1-score25=72
| RD1-seed26=8
| RD1-team26=Harris-Stowe State (MO)
| RD1-score26=63
| RD1-seed27=4
| RD1-team27=Westmont (CA)
| RD1-score27=71
| RD1-seed28=5
| RD1-team28=Dillard (LA)
| RD1-score28=74
| RD1-seed29=3
| RD1-team29=William Carey (MS)
| RD1-score29=67
| RD1-seed30=6
| RD1-team30=Life (GA)
| RD1-score30=68
| RD1-seed31=2
| RD1-team31=Central Methodist
| RD1-score31=44
| RD1-seed32=7
| RD1-team32=Wayland Baptist (TX)
| RD1-score32=68
| RD2-seed01=8
| RD2-team01=Peru State (NE)
| RD2-score01=77
| RD2-seed02=4
| RD2-team02=LSU Alexandria (LA)
| RD2-score02=98
| RD2-seed03=3
| RD2-team03=Georgetown (KY)
| RD2-score03=91
| RD2-seed04=2
| RD2-team04=Oklahoma City
| RD2-score04=83
| RD2-seed05=1
| RD2-team05=William Penn (IA)
| RD2-score05=68*
| RD2-seed06=4
| RD2-team06=Dalton State (GA)
| RD2-score06=64
| RD2-seed07=6
| RD2-team07=Our Lady of the Lake (TX)
| RD2-score07=64*
| RD2-seed08=2
| RD2-team08=Carroll (MT)
| RD2-score08=62
| RD2-seed09=8
| RD2-team09=Langston (OK)
| RD2-score09=59
| RD2-seed10=5
| RD2-team10=Graceland (IA)
| RD2-score10=67
| RD2-seed11=3
| RD2-team11=Montana Western
| RD2-score11=75
| RD2-seed12=7
| RD2-team12=Campbellsville (KY)
| RD2-score12=72
| RD2-seed13=1
| RD2-team13=LSU Shreveport (LA)
| RD2-score13=70
| RD2-seed14=5
| RD2-team14=Dillard (LA)
| RD2-score14=67
| RD2-seed15=6
| RD2-team15=Life (GA)
| RD2-score15=43
| RD2-seed16=7
| RD2-team16=Wayland Baptist (TX)
| RD2-score16=65
| RD3-seed01=4
| RD3-team01=LSU Alexandria (LA)
| RD3-score01=87
| RD3-seed02=3
| RD3-team02=Georgetown (KY)
| RD3-score02=66
| RD3-seed03=1
| RD3-team03=William Penn (IA)
| RD3-score03=89
| RD3-seed04=6
| RD3-team04=Our Lady of the Lake (TX)
| RD3-score04=76
| RD3-seed05=5
| RD3-team05=Graceland (IA)
| RD3-score05=86
| RD3-seed06=3
| RD3-team06=Montana Western
| RD3-score06=76
| RD3-seed07=1
| RD3-team07=LSU Shreveport (LA)
| RD3-score07=71
| RD3-seed08=7
| RD3-team08=Wayland Baptist (TX)
| RD3-score08=66
| RD4-seed01=4
| RD4-team01=LSU Alexandria (LA)
| RD4-score01=84
| RD4-seed02=1
| RD4-team02=William Penn (IA)
| RD4-score02=75
| RD4-seed03=5
| RD4-team03=Graceland (IA)
| RD4-score03=87
| RD4-seed04=1
| RD4-team04=LSU Shreveport (LA)
| RD4-score04=80
| RD5-seed01=4
| RD5-team01=LSU Alexandria (LA)
| RD5-score01=80
| RD5-seed02=5
| RD5-team02=Graceland (IA)
| RD5-score02=83*
}}
- denotes overtime.
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{NAIA men's basketball tournament}}
Category:NAIA men's basketball championship