1979 NCAA Division III basketball tournament

1979 NCAA Division III
basketball tournament

Teams	32
Finals site	Rock Island, Illinois
Champions	North Park (2nd title)
Runner-up	SUNY Potsdam (1st title game)
Semifinalists	Franklin & Marshall (1st Final Four) Centre (KY) (1st Final Four)
MOP	Mike Harper (North Park)
NCAA Division III men's tournaments «1978 1980»

The 1979 NCAA Division III men's basketball tournament was the fifth annual single-elimination tournament, held during March 1979, to determine the national champions of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) men's Division III collegiate basketball in the United States.

The tournament field included 32 teams, an increase of two from 1978, with the national championship rounds being contested in Rock Island, Illinois.

Defending champions North Park defeated SUNY Potsdam, 66–62, in the championship game to repeat as national champions and claim their second overall title.

Regional Rounds

Regional No. 1

	First round					Regional Championship
	Framingham State		89
	Rhode Island College		80
						Framingham State		73
						Clark (MA)		85
	Clark (MA)		68**
	Coast Guard		59			Regional Third-place
						Rhode Island College		71
						Coast Guard		76

Regional No. 2

	First round					Regional Championship
	St. Lawrence		64
	Manhattanville		59
						St. Lawrence		61
						SUNY Potsdam		70
	SUNY Potsdam		70
	Stony Brook		65			Regional Third-place
						Manhattanville		61
						Stony Brook		66

Regional No. 3

	First round					Regional Championship
	Baldwin Wallace		70
	Albion		66
						Baldwin Wallace		68
						Wittenberg		66
	Wittenberg		69
	Allegheny		68			Regional Third-place
						Albion		91
						Allegheny		78

Regional No. 4

	First round					Regional Championship
	Savannah State		82*
	Albany (NY)		81
						Savannah State		54
						Centre (KY)		82
	Centre (KY)		79
	Lane		68			Regional Third-place
						Albany (NY)		85*
						Lane		83

Regional No. 5

	First round					Regional Championship
	Elizabethtown		58
	Grove City		53
						Elizabethtown		59
						Franklin & Marshall		60
	Franklin & Marshall		74*
	Albright		63			Regional Third-place
						Grove City		79
						Albright		73

Regional No. 6

	First round					Regional Championship
	Jersey City State		85
	Virginia Wesleyan		64
						Jersey City State		91
						Upsala		81
	Upsala		115
	Lynchburg		85			Regional Third-place
						Virginia Wesleyan		108
						Lynchburg		84

Regional No. 7

	First round					Regional Championship
	Central (IA)		85
	Minnesota–Morris		57
						Central (IA)		66
						North Park		81
	North Park		63
	Beloit		62			Regional Third-place
						Minnesota–Morris		64
						Beloit		72

Regional No. 8

	First round					Regional Championship
	Chaminade		78
	William Penn		69
						Chaminade		78
						Whittier		77
	Whittier		74**
	Humboldt State		73			Regional Third-place
						William Penn		91
						Humboldt State		95

Championship Rounds

• Site: Rock Island, Illinois

	Quarterfinals					Semifinals					Championship
		Clark (MA)	72
		SUNY Potsdam	89
							SUNY Potsdam	67
							Centre (KY)	63
		Centre (KY)	68***
		Baldwin Wallace	65
												SUNY Potsdam	62
												North Park	66
		Franklin & Marshall	83
		Jersey City State	72
							Franklin & Marshall	73			Third-place
							North Park	83
		North Park	95									Centre (KY)	65
		Chaminade	74									Franklin & Marshall	66

See also

• 1979 NCAA Division I basketball tournament
• 1979 NCAA Division II basketball tournament
• 1979 NAIA Basketball Tournament