1971 NAIA basketball tournament

The 1971 NAIA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 34th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format.

The championship game featured Kentucky State University for the second time.

Awards and honors

• Leading scorer:
• Leading rebounder:
• Player of the Year: est. 1994

1971 NAIA bracket

	First Round					Second Round					Elite Eight					NAIA National Semifinals					NAIA National Championship
	1	Kentucky State	100
	-	St. Thomas (Minn.)	66
						1	Kentucky State	73
						16	Central Washington State	59
	-	Doane (Neb.)	73
	16	Central Washington State	98
											1	Kentucky State	93
	TOP TIER
											9	Grambling State	81
	9	Grambling State (La.)	88
	-	Mansfield State (Pa.)	78
						9	Grambling State	77*
						-	Glassboro State	75
	-	Glassboro State (N.J.)	71
	8	East Central State (Okla.)	60
																1	Kentucky State	104
																12	Elizabeth City State	91
	5	Indiana (Pa.)	81
	-	Eastern New Mexico	72
						5	Indiana	72
						12	Elizabeth City State	74
	-	Western New England (Mass.)	76
	12	Elizabeth City State (N.C.)	90
											12	Elizabeth City State	90
	TOP TIER
											4	Stephen F. Austin State	88
	13	Illinois Wesleyan	76
	-	Northern State (S.D.)	88
						-	Northern State	62
						4	Stephen F. Austin State	99
	-	North Carolina-Asheville	73
	4	Stephen F. Austin State (Tex.)	91
																					1	Kentucky State	102
																					6	Eastern Michigan	82
	3	Eau Claire State (Wis.)	66
	-	Southern State (Ark.)	50
						3	Eau Claire State	97
						14	Earlham	76
	-	Lewis & Clark (Ore.)	83
	14	Earlham (Ind.)	105
											3	Eau Claire State	80
	BOTTOM TIER
											6	Eastern Michigan	87
	11	Whittier (Calif.)	65
	-	Sacred Heart (Kan.)	59
						11	Whittier	70
						6	Eastern Michigan	71*
	-	Ohio Dominican	81
	6	Eastern Michigan	119
																6	Eastern Michigan	89
																2	Fairmont State	78
	7	North Carolina A&T	70
	-	Drury (Mo.)	53
						7	North Carolina A&T	86*
						10	Jackson State	73
	-	Northwestern (Iowa)	91
	10	Jackson State (Miss)	96
											7	North Carolina A&T	74
	BOTTOM TIER
											2	Fairmont State	78
	15	Augusta State (Ga.)	71
	-	Great Falls (Mont.)	75
						-	Great Falls	80
						2	Fairmont State	83
	-	Texas Southern	78
	2	Fairmont State (W.Va.)	79

•  * denotes overtime.

3rd place game

The third place game featured the losing teams from the national semifinalist to determine 3rd and 4th places in the tournament. This game was played until 1988.

	NAIA Third Place Game
	12	Elizabeth City State	88*
	2	Fairmont State	87

See also

• 1971 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
• 1971 NCAA Men's Division II Basketball Tournament
• 1971 National Invitation Tournament