1968 NAIA basketball tournament

1968 (1968) NAIA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
Teams	32
Finals Site	Municipal Auditorium Kansas City, Missouri
Champions	Central State (Ohio) (2nd title, 2nd title game, 2nd Final Four)
Runner-Up	Fairmont State (W.Va.) (1st title game, 2nd Final Four)
Semifinalists	Wisconsin-Oshkosh (1st Final Four) Westminster (Pa.) (4th Final Four)
Coach of the Year	Jack Dobbins (Northeastern State (Okla.))
Chuck Taylor MVP	John Jamerson (Fairmont State (W.Va.))
Charles Stevenson Hustle Award	Mike Malone (Wisconsin-Oshkosh)
Top scorer	Ron Hayek (Wisconsin-Oshkosh) (116 points)
NAIA Men's Division I Tournaments ← 1967 1969 →

The 1968 NAIA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 31st annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format.

Awards and honors

• Leading scorer: Ron Hayek, Wisconsin-Oshkosh; 5 games, 47 field goals, 22 free throws, 116 total points (23.2 average points per game)
• Leading rebounder: Wayne Denham, Fairmont State (W.Va.); 5 games, 68 total rebounds (13.6 average rebounds per game)
• Player of the Year: est. 1994

1968 NAIA bracket

	First Round					Second Round					Elite Eight					NAIA National Semifinals					NAIA National Championship
	1	Guilford (NC)	78
	-	Oshkosh State (Wis.)	80
						-	Oshkosh State	82
						-	Eastern Montana	75
	-	Eastern Montana	83
	16	Wayne State (Neb.)	70
											-	Oshkosh State	57
	TOP TIER
											-	Drury	55
	9	Union (Ky.)	69
	-	Drury (Mo.)	75
						-	Drury	85
						8	Northeastern State	69
	-	Athens (Al.)	72
	8	Northeastern State (Okla.)	89
																-	Oshkosh State	74
																-	Fairmont State	76
	5	St. Cloud State (Minn.)	88
	-	Millersville State (Pa.)	77
						5	St. Cloud State State	68
						-	Dickinson State	70
	-	Dickinson State (N.D.)	76
	12	Washburn (Kan.)	71
											-	Dickinson State	81
	TOP TIER
											-	Fairmont State	86
	13	Albany State (Ga.)	68
	-	New Haven (Conn.)	69
						-	New Haven	72
						-	Fairmont State	97
	-	Fairmont State (W.Va.)	78
	4	Oklahoma Christian	75
																					-	Fairmont State	48
																					3	Central State (Ohio)	51
	3	Central State (Ohio)	81
	-	Millikin (Ill.)	64
						3	Central State (Ohio)	60
						14	Valdosta State	53
	-	Westmar (Iowa)	57
	14	Valdosta State (Ga.)	62
											3	Central State (Ohio)	66
	BOTTOM TIER
											10	Central Washington State	47
	10	Central Washington State	95
	-	Albuquerque (N.Mex.)	72
						10	Central Washington State	85
						7	Alcorn A&M	70
	-	Henderson State (Ark.)	70
	7	Alcorn A&M (Miss.)	79
																3	Central State (Ohio)	72
																6	Westminster (Pa.)	51
	6	Westminster (Pa.)	69
	-	Pasadena (Calif.)	67
						6	Westminster (Pa.)	70
						11	Monmouth	69
	-	Bishop (Tex.)	91
	11	Monmouth (N.J.)	102
											6	Westminster (Pa.)	92
	BOTTOM TIER
											-	Eastern Michigan	84
	15	Hanover (Ind)	107
	-	Southern Oregon State	59
						15	Hanover	81
						-	Eastern Michigan	94
	-	Eastern Michigan	82
	2	Stephen F. Austin (Tex.)	80

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
	-	Oshkosh State	102
	6	Westminster (Pa.)	68

See also

• 1968 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
• 1968 NCAA Men's Division II Basketball Tournament
• 1968 National Invitation Tournament