| Season | 1951–52 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teams | 32 | ||||
| Finals site | Municipal Auditorium Kansas City, Missouri | ||||
| Champions | Southwest Missouri State (1st title, 1st title game, 1st Final Four) | ||||
| Runner-up | Murray State (2nd title game, 4th Final Four) | ||||
| Semifinalists |
| ||||
| MVP | Bennie Purcell (Murray State) | ||||
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The 1952 NAIA basketball tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 15th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format.[1] In 1952, the National Association of Intercollegiate Basketball (NAIB) changes its name to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA)[2]
The championship game featured Southwest Missouri State, now Missouri State University, who defeated Murray State, 73–64.
Finishing out the NAIA Final Four, and playing for the 3rd place game were Southwest Texas State, now Texas State University–San Marcos, and Portland. The Bears of Southwest Missouri State defeated the Pilots of Portland, 78–68.
A notorious game happened in the first round between Morningside and Pepperdine. There was a tournament record of forty personal fouls between the two teams in one game. Incidentally, Morningside would win the game 84 to 80.