1979 NCAA Division III basketball tournament

Franklin & Marshall Diplomats (1st Final Four)
Centre Colonels (1st Final Four)

MOPMike 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.^[1]

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

Bracket

Regionals

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

First round		Regional Championship

St. Lawrence	64

Manhattanville	59
		St. Lawrence	61

		Potsdam	70
Potsdam	70

Stony Brook	65	Regional Third-place


		Manhattanville	61

		Stony Brook	66

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

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

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

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

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

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

National finals

Site: Rock Island, Illinois

National quarterfinals		National semifinals		National championship

Clark (MA)	72

Potsdam	89
		Potsdam	67

		Centre (KY)	63
Centre (KY)	68***

Baldwin Wallace	65
				Potsdam	62

				North Park	66
Franklin & Marshall	83

Jersey City State	72
		Franklin & Marshall	73	National third-place game

		North Park	83
North Park	95			Centre (KY)	65

Chaminade	74			Franklin & Marshall	66