1971 NCAA College Division basketball tournament

The 1971 NCAA College Division basketball tournament involved 32 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA College Division college basketball as a culmination of the 1970-71 NCAA College Division men's basketball season. It was won by the University of Evansville, with Evansville's Don Buse named the Most Outstanding Player.

1971 NCAA College Division
basketball tournament

Teams	32
Finals site	, Evansville, Indiana
Champions	Evansville Purple Aces (5th title)
Runner-up	Old Dominion Monarchs (1st title game)
Semifinalists	Southwestern Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns (Vacated Final Four) Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers (7th Final Four)
Winning coach	Arad McCutchan (5th title)
MOP	Don Buse (Evansville)
Attendance	35,812
NCAA Division II men's tournaments «1970 1972»

Southwestern Louisiana's tournament and semifinal appearances were later vacated due to NCAA rules violations.

Reading

Lafayette

Worcester

Buffalo

Norfolk

Kirksville

Tacoma

Evansville

1971 NCAA Division II Men's sites - regionals (cyan) Elite Eight (red)

Regional participants

School	Outcome
Kentucky Wesleyan	Regional Champion
North Dakota State	Third Place
Northeast Missouri State	Runner-up
St. Olaf	Fourth Place

School	Outcome
Akron	Third Place
Cheyney	Regional Champion
Philadelphia Textile	Runner-up
Wooster	Fourth Place

School	Outcome
Norfolk State	Runner-up
Old Dominion	Regional Champion
Roanoke	Fourth Place
Stetson	Third Place

School	Outcome
Cal Poly	Third Place
Puget Sound	Regional Champion
San Francisco State	Fourth Place
Seattle Pacific	Runner-up

School	Outcome
Assumption	Regional Champion
Central Connecticut State	Runner-up
Sacred Heart	Third Place
Stonehill	Fourth Place

School	Outcome
Louisiana Tech	Third Place
LSU–New Orleans	Fourth Place
Southwestern Louisiana*	Vacated
Tennessee State	Runner-up

School	Outcome
Ashland	Third Place
Augustana (IL)	Fourth Place
Central Michigan	Runner-up
Evansville	Regional Champion

School	Outcome
Buffalo State	Runner-up
C. W. Post	Fourth Place
Hartwick	Regional Champion
Montclair State	Third Place

*tournament appearance vacated

Regionals

Midwest - Kirksville, Missouri

Location: Pershing Arena Host: Northeast Missouri State University

	Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 11					Regional Final Sweet 16 March 12
	Kentucky Wesleyan		94
	St. Olaf		79
						Kentucky Wesleyan		60
						Northeast Missouri State		48
	Northeast Missouri State		75
	North Dakota State		66

• Third Place - North Dakota State 96, St. Olaf 94

Mideast - Reading, Pennsylvania

Location: Bollman Center Host: Cheyney State College

	Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 12					Regional Final Sweet 16 March 13
	Philadelphia Textile		83*
	Wooster		81
						Philadelphia Textile		58
						Cheyney		60
	Cheyney		100
	Akron		89

• Third Place - Akron 77, Wooster 68

South Atlantic - Norfolk, Virginia

Location: Norfolk Scope Host: Old Dominion University

	Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 12					Regional Final Sweet 16 March 13
	Norfolk State		97
	Roanoke		77
						Norfolk State		97
						Old Dominion		102
	Old Dominion		89
	Stetson		65

• Third Place - Stetson 91, Roanoke 72

West - Tacoma, Washington

Location: Memorial Fieldhouse Host: University of Puget Sound

	Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 11					Regional Final Sweet 16 March 12
	Seattle Pacific		75
	San Francisco State		68
						Seattle Pacific		78
						Puget Sound		85
	Puget Sound		81
	Cal Poly		69

• Third Place - Cal Poly 70, San Francisco State 68

New England - Worcester, Massachusetts

Location: Andrew Laska Gymnasium Host: Assumption College

	Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 12					Regional Final Sweet 16 March 13
	Assumption		106
	Sacred Heart		83
						Assumption		105
						Central Connecticut State		77
	Central Connecticut State		111
	Stonehill		99

• Third Place - Sacred Heart 86, Stonehill 81

South - Lafayette, Louisiana

Location: Blackham Coliseum Host: University of Southwestern Louisiana

	Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 12					Regional Final Sweet 16 March 13
	Tennessee State		92*
	Louisiana Tech		91
						Tennessee State		82
						Southwestern Louisiana		86
	Southwestern Louisiana		113
	LSU–New Orleans		107

• Third Place - Louisiana Tech 107, LSU–New Orleans 88

Great Lakes - Evansville, Indiana

Location: Roberts Municipal Stadium Host: University of Evansville

	Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 11					Regional Final Sweet 16 March 12
	Central Michigan		63
	Augustana (IL)		59
						Central Michigan		60
						Evansville		78
	Evansville		72
	Ashland		64

• Third Place - Ashland 88, Augustana 65

East - Buffalo, New York

Location: unknown Host: Buffalo State College

	Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 11					Regional Final Sweet 16 March 12
	Hartwick		77
	C. W. Post		50
						Hartwick		71
						Buffalo State		70
	Buffalo State		103
	Montclair State		93

• Third Place - Montclair State 80, C. W. Post 68

*denotes each overtime played

National Finals - Evansville, Indiana

Location: Roberts Municipal Stadium Host: University of Evansville

	National Quarterfinals Elite Eight March 17					National semifinals Final Four March 18					National Championship March 19
	Kentucky Wesleyan		89
	Cheyney		83
						Kentucky Wesleyan		83
						Old Dominion		97
	Old Dominion		81*
	Puget Sound		80
											Old Dominion		82
											Evansville		97
	Assumption		99
	Southwestern Louisiana		110
						Southwestern Louisiana		74
						Evansville		93
	Evansville		105
	Hartwick		69

• Third Place - Southwestern Louisiana 105, Kentucky Wesleyan 83

*denots each overtime played

All-tournament team

• Don Buse (Evansville)
• Rick Coffey (Evansville)
• John Duncan (Kentucky Wesleyan)
• Dwight Lamar (Southwestern Louisiana)
• Skip Noble (Old Dominion)

See also

• 1971 NCAA University Division basketball tournament
• 1971 NAIA Basketball Tournament