NCAA Division II men's basketball tournament explained

NCAA Division II men's basketball tournament
Current Season:2024 NCAA Division II men's basketball tournament
Pixels:140px
Sport:Basketball
Founded:1957
Teams:64
(reduced to 48 for 2021 only)
Country:NCAA Division II (USA)
Champion:Minnesota State
(1st title)
Champ Season:2024
Most Champs:Kentucky Wesleyan (8 titles)
Tv:CBS (Finals)
CBS Sports Network (Semifinals)
Website:NCAA.com

The NCAA Division II men's basketball tournament (officially styled by the NCAA as a "Championship" instead of a "Tournament") is an annual championship tournament for colleges and universities that are members of NCAA Division II, a grouping of schools in the United States (plus one school in Canada) that are generally smaller than the higher-profile institutions grouped in Division I. The tournament, originally known as the NCAA College Division Basketball Championship, was established in 1957, immediately after the NCAA subdivided its member schools into the University Division (today's Division I) and College Division. It became the Division II championship in 1974, when the NCAA split the College Division into the limited-scholarship Division II and the non-scholarship Division III, and added the "Men's" designation in 1982 when the NCAA began sponsoring a Division II women's championship.

Like all other NCAA basketball divisions for men and women, the champion is decided in a single-elimination tournament. The Division II tournament normally involves 64 teams. The Division II tournaments for men and women differ in a major respect from those in Divisions I and III. The finals of both Division II tournaments consist of eight teams, instead of the four in the other two divisions. The eight survivors of regional play meet in the Elite Eight at a predetermined site.

Qualification

A total of 64 bids are normally available for each tournament: 23 automatic bids (awarded to the champion of each Division II all-sports conference) and 41 at-large bids. Due to COVID-19 issues, the 2020 tournament was canceled, and the 2021 tournament was reduced to 48 teams when nine all-sports conferences chose not to compete in men's basketball in 2020–21.

The bids are allocated evenly among the eight NCAA-designated regions (Atlantic, Central, East, Midwest, South, South Central, Southeast, and West), all but one of which contain three of the 23 Division II conferences that sponsor men's basketball. The South Central region contains only two conferences. Each regional tournament involves an appropriate number of automatic qualifiers (teams that won their respective conference tournaments), with the remaining participants entering via at-large bids (which are awarded regardless of conference affiliation).

Conference tournaments

Schools in italics are, as of the upcoming 2024–25 Division II basketball season, no longer members of that specific conference.

style= Regionstyle= Conferencestyle= Tournamentstyle= Debutstyle= Most Championshipsstyle= Current Champion (2024)
Atlantic CIAATournament1946Virginia Union (17)Lincoln (PA) (1st)
Mountain East2014West Liberty (4)Charleston (2nd)
PSAC1981Cheyney (15)Gannon (3rd)
CentralGreat American2012Arkansas Tech (3)Arkansas Tech (3rd)
MIAATournament1981NW Missouri State (12)NW Missouri State (12th)
NSICTournament2010Northern State (SD) (6)Minnesota State (3rd)
EastCACCTournament2002Bloomfield (6)
Jefferson (6)		Jefferson (6th)
East Coast1990St. Thomas Aquinas (8)St. Thomas Aquinas (8th)
Northeast-101981Saint Anselm (10)Southern New Hampshire (3rd)
MidwestGLIACTournament1991Findlay (8) Ferris State (6th)
1981Bellarmine (5)
Kentucky Wesleyan (5)		William Jewell (1st)
G-MACTournament2013Walsh (4)Walsh (4th)
SouthGulf SouthTournament1981Delta State (6)
North Alabama (6)		West Georgia (4th)
SIACTournament1934Florida A&M (12)Clark Atlanta (6th)
Sunshine State1978Florida Southern (25)Nova Southeastern (3rd)
South CentralLone StarTournament1975West Texas A&M (12)Eastern New Mexico (2nd)
RMACTournament1993Metro State (11)Fort Lewis (6th)
SoutheastCarolinasTournament1936High Point (12)UNC Pembroke (6th)
Peach BeltTournament1992Augusta (7)North Georgia (1st)
SACTournament1992Catawba (9)Catawba (9th)
WestCCAATournament1986Cal State Bakersfield (5)
UC San Diego (5)		Cal State Los Angeles (1st)
GNACTournament2011Seattle Pacific (4)Central Washington (2nd)
Pacific WestTournament2013Point Loma (3)Azusa Pacific (1st)

Results

NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championship
Year Finals SiteHost Arena
  1. Teams
Championship GameTournament MVP/MOPRef
Winner ScoreRunner-up
1957Evansville, INRoberts Municipal Stadium32Wheaton (IL)89–65 Kentucky WesleyanMel Peterson
(Wheaton)
195832South Dakota75–53St. Michael'sEd Smallwood
(Evansville)
195932Evansville83–67Southwest Missouri StateHugh Ahlering
(Evansville)
196032Evansville
(2)		90–69ChapmanEd Smallwood
(Evansville)
196132Wittenberg42–38Southeast Missouri StateDon Jacobson
(South Dakota State)
196232Mount St. Mary's58–57
(OT)		Sacramento StateRon Rohrer
(Sacramento State)
196332South Dakota State44–42 WittenbergWayne Rasmussen
(South Dakota State)
196432Evansville
(3)		72–59AkronJerry Sloan
(Evansville)
196532Evansville
(4)		85–82
(OT)		Southern IllinoisJerry Sloan
(Evansville)
196636Kentucky Wesleyan54–51Southern IllinoisSam Smith
(Kentucky Wesleyan)
196736Winston-Salem State77–74Southwest Missouri StateEarl Monroe
(Winston-Salem State)
196836Kentucky Wesleyan
(2)		63–52Indiana StateJerry Newsom
(Indiana State)
196932Kentucky Wesleyan
(3)		75–71Southwest Missouri StateGeorge Tinsley
(Kentucky Wesleyan)
197032Philadelphia Textile76–65Tennessee StateTed McClain
(Tennessee State)
197132Evansville
(5)		97–82Old DominionDon Buse
(Evansville)
197236Roanoke84–72AkronHal Johnston
(Roanoke)
197342Kentucky Wesleyan
(4)		78–76Tennessee StateMike Williams
(Kentucky Wesleyan)
197444Morgan State67–52Southwest Missouri StateMarvin Webster
(Morgan State)
197532Old Dominion76–74New OrleansWilson Washington
(Old Dominion)
197632Puget Sound83–74ChattanoogaCurt Peterson
(Puget Sound)
1977Springfield, MASpringfield Civic Center32Chattanooga71–62Randolph-MaconWayne Golden
(Chattanooga)
1978Springfield, MOHammons Student Center32Cheyney State47–40Wisconsin–Green BayAndrew Fields
(Cheyney)
197932North Alabama64–50Wisconsin-Green BayPerry Oden
(North Alabama)
1980Springfield, MASpringfield Civic Center32Virginia Union80–74New York TechKeith Valentine
(Virginia Union)
198132Florida Southern73–68Mount St. Mary'sJohn Ebeling
(Florida Southern)
198232District of Columbia73–63Florida SouthernMichael Britt
(District of Columbia)
198332Wright State92–73District of ColumbiaGary Monroe
(Wright State)
198432Central Missouri State81–77St. Augustine'sRon Nunnelly
(Central Missouri)
198532Jacksonville State74–73South Dakota StateMark Tetzlaff
(South Dakota State)
198632Sacred Heart93–87Southeast Missouri StateRoger Younger
(Sacred Heart)
198732Kentucky Wesleyan
(5)		92–74GannonSam Smith
(Kentucky Wesleyan)
198832Lowell75–72Alaska–AnchorageLeo Parent
(Lowell)
198932North Carolina Central73–46Southeast Missouri StateMiles Clarke
(North Carolina Central)
199032Kentucky Wesleyan
(6)		93–79CSU BakersfieldWade Green
(CSU Bakersfield)
199132North Alabama
(2)		79–72BridgeportLambert Shell
(Bridgeport)
199232Virginia Union
(2)		nowrap100–75BridgeportDerrick Johnson
(Virginia Union)
199332CSU Bakersfield85–72Troy StateTyrone Davis
(CSU Bakersfield)
199448CSU Bakersfield
(2)		92–86Southern IndianaStan Gouard
(Southern Indiana)
1995Louisville, KYCommonwealth Convention Center48Southern Indiana71–63 UC RiversideWilliam Wilson
(UC Riverside)
199648Fort Hays State70–63Northern KentuckySherick Simpson
(Fort Hays State)
199748CSU Bakersfield
(3)		57–56Northern KentuckyKebu Stewart
(CSU Bakersfield)
199848UC Davis83–77Kentucky WesleyanAntonio Garcia
(Kentucky Wesleyan)
199948Kentucky Wesleyan
(7)		75–60Metro StateAntonio Garcia
(Kentucky Wesleyan)
200048Metro State97–79Kentucky WesleyanDeMarcos Anzures
(Metro State)
2001Bakersfield, CARabobank Arena48Kentucky Wesleyan
(8)		72–63WashburnLorio Duncan
(Kentucky Wesleyan)
2002Evansville, INRoberts Municipal Stadium48Metro State
(2)		80–72Kentucky WesleyanPatrick Mutombo
(Metro State)
2003Lakeland, FLLakeland Center64Northeastern State75–64Kentucky WesleyanDarnell Hinson
(Northeastern State)
2004Bakersfield, CARabobank Arena64Kennesaw State84–59Southern IndianaTerrence Hill
(Kennesaw State)
2005Grand Forks, NDRalph Engelstad Arena64Virginia Union
(3)		63–58BryantAntwan Walton
(Virginia Union)
2006Springfield, MAMassMutual Center64Winona State73–61 Virginia UnionJohn Smith
(Winona State)
200764Barton77–75Winona StateAnthony Atkinson
(Barton)
200864Winona State
(2)		87–76Augusta StateJonte Flowers
(Winona State)
200964Findlay56–53
(OT)		Cal Poly PomonaJosh Bostic
(Findlay)
201064Cal Poly Pomona65–53Indiana (PA)Austin Swift
(Cal Poly Pomona)
201164Bellarmine71–68BYU–HawaiiJet Chang
(BYU–Hawaii)		[1]
2012Highland Heights, KYThe Bank of Kentucky Center64Western Washington72–65MontevalloD. J. Rivera
(Montevallo)
2013Atlanta, GAPhilips Arena64Drury74–73Metro StateAlex Hall
(Drury)		[2]
2014Evansville, INFord Center64Central Missouri
(2)		84–77 West LibertyDaylen Robinson
(Central Missouri)
201564Florida Southern
(2)		77–62Indiana (PA)Kevin Capers
(Florida Southern)		[3]
2016Frisco, TXDr Pepper Arena64Augustana (SD)90–81Lincoln MemorialAlex Richter
(Augustana (SD))		[4]
2017Sioux Falls, SDSanford Pentagon64Northwest Missouri State71–61Fairmont StateJustin Pitts
(Northwest Missouri State)		[5]
201864Ferris State71–69Northern StateZach Hankins
(Ferris State)		[6]
2019Evansville, INFord Center64Northwest Missouri State
(2)		64–58Point LomaTrevor Hudgins
(Northwest Missouri State)
2020Atlanta, GAState Farm Arena64Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2021Evansville, INFord Center48Northwest Missouri State
(3)		80–54West Texas A&MRyan Hawkins
(Northwest Missouri State)
202264Northwest Missouri State
(4)		67–58AugustaTrevor Hudgins
(Northwest Missouri State)
202364Nova Southeastern111–101West LibertyWill Yoakum & RJ Sunahara
(Nova Southeastern)
202464Minnesota State88–85Nova SoutheasternMalik Willingham
(Minnesota State)
2025
2026Pittsburgh, PAUPMC Cooper Fieldhouse

Records and statistics

Championships by school

SchoolTitlesYears
81966, 1968, 1969, 1973, 1987, 1990, 1999, 2001
51959, 1960, 1964, 1965, 1971
NW Missouri State42017, 2019, 2021, 2022
31980, 1992, 2005
31993, 1994, 1997
21981, 2015
21984, 2014
22006, 2008
22000, 2002
North Alabama21979, 1991
Minnesota State12024
Nova Southeastern12023
Ferris State12018
Augustana (SD)12016
Drury12013
Western Washington12012
Bellarmine12011
Cal Poly Pomona12010
Findlay12009
Barton12007
12004
12003
11998
11996
11995
11989
11988
11986
11985
11983
11982
Cheyney11978
11977
11976
11975
11974
11972
11970
11967
11963
11962
Wittenberg11961
11958
Wheaton (IL)11957

Team appearances

See also: List of NCAA Division II men's basketball tournament bids by school.

Former Division II champions now in other classes

Division I

Source:[9]

SchoolChampionship(s)Year movedCurrent Conference
South Dakota19582006The Summit League
Evansville1959 • 1960 • 1964 • 1965 • 19711977Missouri Valley Conference
Mount St. Mary's19621989Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
South Dakota State19632005The Summit League
Morgan State19741985Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
Old Dominion19751976Sun Belt Conference
Chattanooga19771977Southern Conference
North Alabama1979 • 1991align=center 2018Atlantic Sun Conference
Wright State19831988Horizon League
Jacksonville State19851996Conference USA
Sacred Heart19861999Northeast Conference
UMass Lowell19882013America East Conference
North Carolina Central19892008Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
Bakersfield1993 • 1994 • 19972007Big West Conference
19952022Ohio Valley Conference
UC Davis19982004Big West Conference
Kennesaw State20042006Atlantic Sun Conference
Bellarmine2011align=center 2020Atlantic Sun Conference

Division III

Source:[10]

SchoolChampionship(s)Year movedCurrent Conference
Wheaton (IL)19571974College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin
Wittenberg1961align=center 1974North Coast Athletic Conference
Roanoke1972align=center 1976Old Dominion Athletic Conference
Puget Sound1976align=center 1996Northwest Conference

Broadcasting

CBS Sports holds rights to the semi-final and final rounds of the Division II tournament, with the semi-final games broadcast on CBS Sports Network and the final on CBS (covered as part of the NCAA March Madness package). In 2015, CBS Sports reached a long-term deal to continue broadcasting the Division II men's semi-final on CBS Sports Network through 2024.[11]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ballarmine wins national championship . . March 26, 2011. March 26, 2011.
  2. News: Calm, cool and collected. https://web.archive.org/web/20130419160446/http://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2013-04-07/calm-cool-and-collected. dead. April 7, 2013. April 19, 2013.
  3. Web site: Gutsy championship . Paul D. . Bowker . March 28, 2015 . NCAA.com . August 20, 2022.
  4. Web site: Augustana wins 2016 NCAA Division II men's basketball championship. NCAA. March 26, 2016. ncaa.com.
  5. Web site: DII basketball: Northwest Missouri State handles Fairmont State to win first championship. NCAA. March 25, 2017. ncaa.com.
  6. Web site: DII men's basketball championship: Ferris State wins program's first title in thriller over Northern State. NCAA. March 24, 2018. ncaa.com.
  7. Web site: Division II Men’s Basketball Championship. NCAA.
  8. Web site: Men's Basketball DII History - NCAA.com. NCAA.com.
  9. Web site: Division I Men's Basketball Institutions. NCAA Directory.
  10. Web site: Division III Men's Basketball Institutions. NCAA Directory.
  11. Web site: CBS Sports Network to televise Division II basketball semifinals through 2024. NCAA. March 25, 2017. October 22, 2015.

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