2017 NAIA Division I men's basketball tournament

2017 (2017) NAIA Division I men's basketball tournament
Teams	32
Finals site	Municipal Auditorium; Kansas City, Missouri
Champions	Texas Wesleyan Rams (2 title, 2 title game,; 4 Fab Four)
Runner-up	Life Running Eagles (3 title game,; 5 Fab Four)
Semifinalists	Alexandria State Generals; William Penn Statesmen;
Coach of the year	Brennen Shingleton (Texas Wesleyan)
Player of the year	Dalarian Williams (Life (Ga.))
Charles Stevenson; Hustle Award	Jonathan Beausejour (Life (Ga.))
Chuck Taylor MVP	Dion Rogers (Texas Wesleyan)
Attendance	39,093
Top scorer	Dion Rogers (Texas Wesleyan); (28 points)
NAIA Division I ; men's tournaments
«2016	2018»

The 2017 Buffalo Funds - NAIA Division I men's basketball tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 80th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format. The opening game round started on March 15, and the National Championship Game was played on March 21.^[1]

Awards and honors

Leading scorer: Dion Rogers, 28 points.
Leading rebounder:
Frank Cramer Award: Randy Covitz, Kansas City Star
Dr. James Naismith-Emil S. Liston Sportsmanship Award: Biola (Calif.)
2017 All-Tournament Team: Michael Harris, Langston (Okla.), Jonathan Beausejour, Life (Ga.), Dalarian Williams, Life (Ga.), Brandon Moss, LSU Alexandria (La.), Brian Sylvester, LSU Alexandria (La.), Ryan Harris, Texas Wesleyan, Dion Rogers, Texas Wesleyan, Najeal Young, Texas Wesleyan, Charles Knowles, William Penn (Iowa), Torren Jones, William Penn (Iowa)
Player of the Year: Dalarian Williams (Life Ga.) ^[2]
Most consecutive tournament appearances: 26th, Georgetown (KY)
Most tournament appearances: 36th, Georgetown (KY)

2017 NAIA results

Texas Wesleyan won their 2nd national title, defeating Life University (Ga.) 86 to 76. It was Texas Wesleyan's 13th appearance in the NAIA Tournament. It was their 4th elite eight and final four, and second title game. 2017 was the 9th straight year without a back-to-back winner. Texas Wesleyan became the 16th program to win two or more national titles with its win. Life finished the season earning its second all-time runner-up title.

2017 NAIA bracket

First round March 15–16			Second round March 17–18			Quarterfinals March 19			National Semifinals March 20			National Championship March 21

1	LSU Alexandria	104

8	Science & Arts (Okla.)	80
			1	LSU Alexandria (La.)	81

			5	Westmont (Calif.)	61
4	William Carey (Miss.)	60

5	Westmont (Calif.)	74
						1	LSU Alexandria (La.)	84
NAISMITH BRACKET March 16
						3	Pikeville (Ky.)	80
3	Pikeville (Ky.)	79

6	Grand View (Iowa)	62
			3	Pikeville (Ky.)	56

			2	Columbia (Mo.)	51
2	Columbia (Mo.)	71

7	Lewis-Clark State (Idaho)	59
									1	LSU Alexandria (La.)	63

									3	Life (Ga.)	65
1	Carroll (Mont.)	82

8	Mount Mercy (Iowa)	69
			1	Carroll (Mont.)	87*

			4	SAGU (Texas)	80
4	SAGU (Texas)	80

5	Talladega (Ala.)	75
						1	Carroll (Mont.)	71
CRAMER BRACKET March 15
						3	Life (Ga.)	73
3	Life (Ga.)	80

6	Martin Methodist (Tenn.)	62
			3	Life (Ga.)	80

			2	Hope Int'l (Calif.)	78
2	Hope Inter'l (Calif.)	61

7	Wiley (Texas)	59
												3	Life (Ga.)	76

												3	Texas Wesleyan	86
1	William Penn (Iowa)	100

8	Loyola (La.)	78
			1	William Penn (Iowa)	87

			4	Georgetown (Ky.)	79
4	Georgetown (Ky.)	81

5	Park (Mo.)	72
						1	William Penn (Iowa)	84
DUER BRACKET March 16
						6	Langston (Okla.)	80
3	Biola (Calif.)	76

6	Langston (Okla.)	78
			6	Langston (Okla.)	84

			2	Dillard (La.)	74
2	Dillard	86

7	Oklahoma City	65
									1	William Penn	82

									3	Texas Wesleyan	83*
1	Dalton State (Ga.)	84

8	Harris-Stowe State (St. Louis, MO)	82
			1	Dalton State (Ga.)	79

			4	Montana Western	60
4	Montana Western	99

5	LSU Shreveport (La.)	94
						1	Dalton State (Ga.)	73
LISTON BRACKET March 15
						3	Texas Wesleyan	82
3	Texas Wesleyan	74

6	Cumberlands (Ky.)	68
			3	Texas Wesleyan	77

			2	The Master's (Calif.)	75
2	The Master's (Calif.)	85

7	Benedictine (Kan.)	56