| Division: | II |
| Year: | 1978 |
| Teams: | 32 |
| Finalfourcity: | Springfield, Missouri |
| Champions: | Cheyney State Wolves |
| Titlecount: | 1st |
| Runnerup: | Green Bay Phoenix |
| Gamecount: | 1st |
| Semifinal1: | Eastern Illinois Panthers |
| Finalfourcount: | 2nd |
| Semifinal2: | Florida Tech Knights |
| Finalfourcount2: | 1st |
| Coach: | John Chaney |
| Coachcount: | 1st |
| Mop: | Andrew Fields |
| Mopteam: | Cheyney |
| Attendance: | 67,966 |
The 1978 NCAA Division II men's basketball tournament involved 32 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division II college basketball as a culmination of the 1977-78 NCAA Division II men's basketball season. It was won by Cheyney State of Pennsylvania and Cheyney's Andrew Fields was the Most Outstanding Player.
| School | Outcome | |
|---|---|---|
| Adelphi | Fourth Place | |
| Cheyney State | Regional Champion | |
| Hartwick | Third Place | |
| Philadelphia College | Runner-up | |
| School | Outcome | |
|---|---|---|
| Bridgeport | Third Place | |
| Bryant | Fourth Place | |
| Merrimack | Runner-up | |
| Sacred Heart | Regional Champion | |
| School | Outcome | |
|---|---|---|
| Augusta College | Fourth Place | |
| Florida A&M | Runner-up | |
| Florida Tech | Regional Champion | |
| Livingston | Third Place | |
| School | Outcome | |
|---|---|---|
| Cal State Northridge | Runner-up | |
| Puget Sound | Fourth Place | |
| San Diego | Regional Champion | |
| UC Davis | Fourth Place | |
| School | Outcome | |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Illinois | Regional Champion | |
| Indiana State–Evansville | Runner-up | |
| Northern Kentucky | Fourth Place | |
| St. Joseph's (IN) | Third Place | |
| School | Outcome | |
|---|---|---|
| Albany State | Third Place | |
| Elizabeth City State | Regional Champion | |
| NYIT | Fourth Place | |
| Towson | Runner-up | |
| School | Outcome | |
|---|---|---|
| Columbus College | Fourth Place | |
| Lincoln (MO) | Regional Champion | |
| Mississippi College | Third Place | |
| SW Missouri State | Runner-up | |
| School | Outcome | |
|---|---|---|
| Augustana (SD) | Runner-up | |
| Chapman | Fourth Place | |
| UW–Green Bay | Regional Champion | |
| South Dakota State | Third Place | |
*denotes tie
Location: Cope Hall Host: Cheyney State College
Location: Volpe Center Host: Merrimack College
Location: Florida Tech Fieldhouse Host: Florida Technological University
Location: Matador Gymnasium Host: California State University, Northridge
Location: Lantz Arena Host: Eastern Illinois University
Location: Towson Center Host: Towson State University
Location: Hammons Center Host: Southwest Missouri State University
Location: Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena Host: University of Wisconsin at Green Bay
*denotes each overtime played
Location: Hammons Center Host: Southwest Missouri State University
*denotes each overtime played
† Florida Tech is now known as University of Central Florida, as opposed to the current Florida Institute of Technology.