| Type: | NAIA men's basketball tournament |
| Year: | 1973 |
| Teams: | 32 |
| Finalfourarena: | Municipal Auditorium |
| Finalfourcity: | Kansas City, Missouri |
| Champions: | Guilford |
| Titlecount: | 2 |
| Champgamecount: | 1 |
| Runnerup: | Maryland Eastern Shore |
| Gamecount: | 2 |
| Semifinal1: | Augustana (IL) |
| Finalfourcount1: | 1 |
| Semifinal2: | Slippery Rock |
| Finalfourcount2: | 1 |
| Mvp: | Lloyd Free |
| Mvpteam: | Guilford |
| Hustle: | David Hudson |
| Hustleschool: | Slippery Rock |
| Attendance: | unknown |
The 1973 NAIA men's basketball tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 36th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format.[1] Valdosta State ended (3) Kentucky State's run to get 4 championship in a row by upsetting (3) Kentucky State in the first round by 9.
The third-place game featured the losing national semifinalist teams to determine 3rd and 4th places in the tournament. This game was played until 1988.