1986 NAIA men's basketball tournament

The 1986 NAIA Men's Basketball Tournament was held in March at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri. The 49th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format.

Awards and honors

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

1986 NAIA bracket

	First Round					Second Round					Elite Eight					NAIA National Semifinals					NAIA National Championship
	1	Cumberland (Ky.)	74
	-	Southern Colorado	40
						1	Cumberland (Ky.)	46
						16	Charleston (S.C.)	59
	16	College of Charleston (S.C.)	57
	-	Taylor (Ind.)	47
											16	Charleston (S.C.)	60
	TOP TIER
											-	Arkansas-Monticello	63
	9	Wayland Baptist (Tex.)	72
	-	College of Idaho	66
						9	Wayland Baptist	51
						-	Arkansas-Monticello	56
	-	Arkansas-Monticello	90**
	8	Briar Cliff (Iowa)	86
																-	Arkansas-Monticello	67
																4	Southeastern Oklahoma State	61
	-	Southwestern (Tex.)	80
	5	Webber (Florida)	79
						-	Southwestern (Tex.)	53
						12	Wisconsin Eau Claire	47
	12	Wisconsin-Eau Claire	63
	-	Cabrini (Pa.)	45
											-	Southwestern (Tex.)	55
	TOP TIER
											4	Southeastern Oklahoma State	58
	13	Huron (S.D.)	90
	-	Quincy (Ill.)	77
						13	Huron	66
						4	Southeastern Oklahoma State	79
	4	Southeastern Oklahoma State	79'
	-	Franklin Pierce (N.H.)	62
																					-	Arkansas-Monticello	54
																					11	David Lipscomb	67
	3	Birmingham Southern (Ala.)	76
	-	Kearney State (Neb.)	64
						3	Birmingham Southern	56
						14	Central Washington	59
	14	Central Washington	86
	-	Findlay (Ohio)	82
											11	David Lipscomb	80
	BOTTOM TIER
											14	Central Washington	64
	11	David Lipscomb (Tenn.)	62
	-	Minnesota-Duluth	56
						11	David Lipscomb	79
						7	Emporia State	76
	7	Emporia State (Kan.)	80
	-	Brigham Young-Hawaii	72
																11	David Lipscomb	102
																7	St. Thomas Aquinas	91
	7	St. Thomas Aquinas (N.Y.)	51
	-	Saginaw Valley State (Mich.)	49
						7	St. Thomas Aquinas	77
						-	Atlantic Christian	71
	-	Atlantic Christian (N.C.)	92
	10	Waynesburg (Pa.)	89
											7	St. Thomas Aquinas	78
	BOTTOM TIER
											2	Charleston (W.Virginia)	77
	15	Drury (Mo.)	53
	-	Westmont (California)	52
						15	Drury	51
						2	Charleston (W.Virginia)	55
	2	University of Charleston (W.Virginia)	78
	-	William Carey (Miss.)	73

•  * 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
	4	Southeastern Oklahoma	75
	7	St. Thomas Aquinas	74