The NCAA Division II men's basketball tournament (officially styled by the NCAA as a "Championship" instead of a "Tournament") is an annual championship tournament for colleges and universities that are members of NCAA Division II, a grouping of schools in the United States (plus one school in Canada) that are generally smaller than the higher-profile institutions grouped in Division I. The tournament, originally known as the NCAA College Division Basketball Championship, was established in 1957, immediately after the NCAA subdivided its member schools into the University Division (today's Division I) and College Division. It became the Division II championship in 1974, when the NCAA split the College Division into the limited-scholarship Division II and the non-scholarship Division III, and added the "Men's" designation in 1982 when the NCAA began sponsoring a Division II women's championship.
Like all other NCAA basketball divisions for men and women, the champion is decided in a single-elimination tournament. The Division II tournament normally involves 64 teams. The Division II tournaments for men and women differ in a major respect from those in Divisions I and III. The finals of both Division II tournaments consist of eight teams, instead of the four in the other two divisions. The eight survivors of regional play meet in the Elite Eight at a predetermined site.
Gannon is the reigning national champion, winning its first national title in 2026.
Qualification A total of 64 bids are normally available for each tournament: 23 automatic bids (awarded to the champion of each Division II all-sports conference) and 41 at-large bids. Due to COVID-19 issues, the 2020 tournament was canceled, and the 2021 tournament was reduced to 48 teams when nine all-sports conferences chose not to compete in men's basketball in 2020–21.
The bids are allocated evenly among the eight NCAA-designated regions (Atlantic, Central, East, Midwest, South, South Central, Southeast, and West), all but one of which contain three of the 23 Division II conferences that sponsor men's basketball. The South Central region contains only two conferences. Each regional tournament involves an appropriate number of automatic qualifiers (teams that won their respective conference tournaments), with the remaining participants entering via at-large bids (which are awarded regardless of conference affiliation).
Conference tournaments Schools in italics are, as of the 2025–26 Division II basketball season, no longer members of that specific conference. Region ConferenceTournamentDebutMost ChampionshipsCurrent Champion (2026) Atlantic CIAA Tournament 1946 Virginia Union (17) Fayetteville State (3rd)Mountain East Tournament 2014 West Liberty (5) West Liberty (5th)PSAC Tournament 1981 Cheyney (15) California (PA) (9th) Central Great American Tournament 2012 Arkansas Tech (3)Harding (3) Harding (3rd)MIAA Tournament 1981 NW Missouri State (12) Washburn (6th)NSIC Tournament 2010 Northern State (SD) (6) Minnesota–Duluth (3rd) East CACC Tournament 2002 Bloomfield (6)Jefferson (6) Felician (3rd)East Coast Tournament 1990 St. Thomas Aquinas (8) Daemen (2nd)Northeast-10 Tournament 1981 Saint Anselm (11) Saint Anselm (11th) Midwest GLIAC Tournament 1991 Findlay (8) Grand Valley State (7th)GLVC Tournament 1981 Bellarmine (5)Kentucky Wesleyan (5) William Jewell (2nd)G-MAC Tournament 2013 Walsh (5) Walsh (5th) South Gulf South Tournament 1981 Alabama–Huntsville (6)Delta State (6)North Alabama (6) West Florida (2nd)SIAC Tournament 1934 Florida A&M (12) Morehouse (7th)Sunshine State Tournament 1978 Florida Southern (25) Nova Southeastern (5th) South Central Lone Star Tournament 1975 West Texas A&M (12) Dallas Baptist (2nd)RMAC Tournament 1993 MSU Denver (11) Black Hills State (2nd) Southeast Carolinas Tournament 1936 High Point (12) Young Harris (1st)Peach Belt Tournament 1992 Augusta (7) Lander (6th)SAC Tournament 1992 Catawba (9) Anderson (SC) (1st) West CCAA Tournament 1986 Cal State Bakersfield (5)UC San Diego (5) Cal State East Bay (1st)GNAC Tournament 2011 Seattle Pacific (5) Saint Martin's (1st)Pacific West Tournament 2013 Point Loma (5) Point Loma (5th)
Results
NCAA Division II Men's Basketball ChampionshipYear Finals SiteHost Arena# TeamsChampionship GameTournament MVP/MOPRefWinner ScoreRunner-up 1957Evansville, INRoberts Municipal Stadium32Wheaton (IL)89–65 Kentucky WesleyanMel Peterson(Wheaton)195832South Dakota75–53St. Michael'sEd Smallwood(Evansville)195932Evansville83–67Southwest Missouri StateHugh Ahlering(Evansville)196032Evansville(2)90–69ChapmanEd Smallwood(Evansville)196132Wittenberg42–38Southeast Missouri StateDon Jacobson(South Dakota State)196232Mount St. Mary's58–57Sacramento StateRon Rohrer(Sacramento State)196332South Dakota State44–42 WittenbergWayne Rasmussen(South Dakota State)196432Evansville(3)72–59AkronJerry Sloan(Evansville)196532Evansville(4)85–82Southern IllinoisJerry Sloan(Evansville)196636Kentucky Wesleyan54–51Southern IllinoisSam Smith(Kentucky Wesleyan)196736Winston-Salem State77–74Southwest Missouri StateEarl Monroe(Winston-Salem State)196836Kentucky Wesleyan(2)63–52Indiana StateJerry Newsom(Indiana State)196932Kentucky Wesleyan(3)75–71Southwest Missouri StateGeorge Tinsley(Kentucky Wesleyan)197032Philadelphia Textile76–65Tennessee StateTed McClain(Tennessee State)197132Evansville(5)97–82Old DominionDon Buse(Evansville)197236Roanoke84–72AkronHal Johnston(Roanoke)197342Kentucky Wesleyan(4)78–76Tennessee StateMike Williams(Kentucky Wesleyan)197444Morgan State67–52Southwest Missouri StateMarvin Webster(Morgan State)197532Old Dominion76–74New OrleansWilson Washington(Old Dominion)197632Puget Sound83–74ChattanoogaCurt Peterson(Puget Sound)1977Springfield, MASpringfield Civic Center32Chattanooga71–62Randolph–MaconWayne Golden(Chattanooga)1978Springfield, MOHammons Student Center32Cheyney State47–40Wisconsin–Green BayAndrew Fields(Cheyney)197932North Alabama64–50Wisconsin–Green BayPerry Oden(North Alabama)1980Springfield, MASpringfield Civic Center32Virginia Union80–74New York TechKeith Valentine(Virginia Union)198132Florida Southern73–68Mount St. Mary'sJohn Ebeling(Florida Southern)198232District of Columbia73–63Florida SouthernMichael Britt(District of Columbia)198332Wright State92–73District of ColumbiaGary Monroe(Wright State)198432Central Missouri State81–77St. Augustine'sRon Nunnelly(Central Missouri)198532Jacksonville State74–73South Dakota StateMark Tetzlaff(South Dakota State)198632Sacred Heart93–87Southeast Missouri StateRoger Younger(Sacred Heart)198732Kentucky Wesleyan(5)92–74GannonSam Smith(Kentucky Wesleyan)198832Lowell75–72Alaska–AnchorageLeo Parent(Lowell)198932North Carolina Central73–46Southeast Missouri StateMiles Clarke(North Carolina Central)199032Kentucky Wesleyan(6)93–79CSU BakersfieldWade Green(CSU Bakersfield)199132North Alabama(2)79–72BridgeportLambert Shell(Bridgeport)199232Virginia Union(2)100–75BridgeportDerrick Johnson(Virginia Union)199332CSU Bakersfield85–72Troy StateTyrone Davis(CSU Bakersfield)199448CSU Bakersfield(2)92–86Southern IndianaStan Gouard(Southern Indiana)1995Louisville, KYCommonwealth Convention Center48Southern Indiana71–63 UC RiversideWilliam Wilson(UC Riverside)199648Fort Hays State70–63Northern KentuckySherick Simpson(Fort Hays State)199748CSU Bakersfield(3)57–56Northern KentuckyKebu Stewart(CSU Bakersfield)199848UC Davis83–77Kentucky WesleyanAntonio Garcia(Kentucky Wesleyan)199948Kentucky Wesleyan(7)75–60Metro StateAntonio Garcia(Kentucky Wesleyan)200048Metro State97–79Kentucky WesleyanDeMarcos Anzures(Metro State)2001Bakersfield, CARabobank Arena48Kentucky Wesleyan(8)72–63WashburnLorio Duncan(Kentucky Wesleyan)2002Evansville, INRoberts Municipal Stadium48Metro State(2)80–72Kentucky WesleyanPatrick Mutombo(Metro State)2003Lakeland, FLLakeland Center64Northeastern State75–64Kentucky WesleyanDarnell Hinson(Northeastern State)2004Bakersfield, CARabobank Arena64Kennesaw State84–59Southern IndianaTerrence Hill(Kennesaw State)2005Grand Forks, NDRalph Engelstad Arena64Virginia Union(3)63–58BryantAntwan Walton(Virginia Union)2006Springfield, MAMassMutual Center64Winona State73–61 Virginia UnionJohn Smith(Winona State)200764Barton77–75Winona StateAnthony Atkinson(Barton)200864Winona State(2)87–76Augusta StateJonte Flowers(Winona State)200964Findlay56–53Cal Poly PomonaJosh Bostic(Findlay)201064Cal Poly Pomona65–53Indiana (PA)Austin Swift(Cal Poly Pomona)201164Bellarmine71–68BYU–HawaiiJet Chang(BYU–Hawaii)2012Highland Heights, KYThe Bank of Kentucky Center64Western Washington72–65MontevalloD. J. Rivera(Montevallo)2013Atlanta, GAPhilips Arena64Drury74–73Metro StateAlex Hall(Drury)2014Evansville, INFord Center64Central Missouri(2)84–77 West LibertyDaylen Robinson (Central Missouri)201564Florida Southern(2)77–62Indiana (PA)Kevin Capers(Florida Southern)2016Frisco, TXDr Pepper Arena64Augustana (SD)90–81Lincoln MemorialAlex Richter(Augustana (SD))2017Sioux Falls, SDSanford Pentagon64Northwest Missouri State71–61Fairmont StateJustin Pitts(Northwest Missouri State)201864Ferris State71–69Northern StateZach Hankins(Ferris State)2019Evansville, INFord Center64Northwest Missouri State(2)64–58Point LomaTrevor Hudgins (Northwest Missouri State)2020Atlanta, GAState Farm Arena64Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic 2021 Evansville, IN Ford Center48 Northwest Missouri State(3)80–54West Texas A&MRyan Hawkins (Northwest Missouri State)202264Northwest Missouri State(4)67–58AugustaTrevor Hudgins(Northwest Missouri State)202364Nova Southeastern111–101West LibertyWill Yoakum & RJ Sunahara (Nova Southeastern)202464Minnesota State88–85Nova SoutheasternMalik Willingham (Minnesota State)202564Nova Southeastern(2)74–73Cal State Dominguez HillsMJ Iraldi(Nova Southeastern)2026Indianapolis, INGainbridge Fieldhouse64Gannon 84–61Lander Pace Prosser (Gannon) Source:
Records and statistics
Championships by school
Active programs SchoolTitlesYears81966, 1968, 1969, 1973, 1987, 1990, 1999, 200142017, 2019, 2021, 2022 31980, 1992, 200522023, 20251981, 20151984, 20142006, 2008 2000, 2002 1202620242018201620132012201020092007200319961982 19701967
Former programs SchoolTitlesYears51959, 1960, 1964, 1965, 197131993, 1994, 199721979, 1991 120112004199819951989 1988 1986198519831978 1977197619751974197219631962196119581957
Team appearances
Former Division II champions now in other classes Division I Source:
SchoolChampionship(s)Year movedCurrent conferenceSouth Dakota19582006The Summit LeagueEvansville1959 • 1960 • 1964 • 1965 • 19711977Missouri Valley ConferenceMount St. Mary's19621989Metro Atlantic Athletic ConferenceSouth Dakota State19632005The Summit LeagueMorgan State19741985Mid-Eastern Athletic ConferenceOld Dominion19751976Sun Belt ConferenceChattanooga19771977Southern ConferenceNorth Alabama1979 • 1991 2018Atlantic Sun ConferenceWright State19831988Horizon LeagueJacksonville State19851996Conference USASacred Heart19861999Metro Atlantic Athletic ConferenceUMass Lowell19882013America East ConferenceNorth Carolina Central19892008Mid-Eastern Athletic ConferenceBakersfield1993 • 1994 • 19972007 Big West ConferenceSouthern Indiana 19952022Ohio Valley ConferenceUC Davis19982004Big West ConferenceKennesaw State20042006 Conference USA Bellarmine 2011 2020 Atlantic Sun Conference
Division III Source:
SchoolChampionship(s)Year movedCurrent Conference Wheaton (IL) 19571974 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Wittenberg 1961 1974 North Coast Athletic Conference Roanoke 1972 1976 Old Dominion Athletic Conference Puget Sound 1976 1996 Northwest Conference
Broadcasting CBS Sports holds rights to the semi-final and final rounds of the Division II tournament, with the semi-final games broadcast on CBS Sports Network and the final on CBS (covered as part of the NCAA March Madness package). In 2015, CBS Sports reached a long-term deal to continue broadcasting the Division II men's semi-final on CBS Sports Network through 2024.
See also