1939 NAIA Men's Basketball Tournament
The 1939 NAIA Men's Basketball Tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 3rd annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format.[1] This was also the year the NCAA basketball tournament was started. This tournament also featured the lowest-scoring game in tournament history between Loras College (Iowa) and Central Missouri State University, the two-time champions. Loras scored a total of 16 points, a tournament low as well, Central Missouri State won the game with a total score of 20. The total combined score of the game was 36, resulting in the all-time lowest scoring game in tournament history.
| 1939 NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament | |
|---|---|
| Teams | 32 |
| Champions | Southwestern (Kan.) (1st title, 1st title game, 2nd Fab Four) |
| Runner-Up | San Diego State (1st title game, 1st Fab Four) |
| Semifinalists | Glenville State (W.Va.) Peru State (Neb.) |
| Chuck Taylor MVP | Edgar Hinshaw (Southwestern (Kan.)) |
The championship game featured Southwestern College (Kan.) defeat San Diego State by a score of 32-31. It would be the closest final score until the 1981 tournament which ended in overtime with a score of 86-85. (1939, 1981, and 2016 are the only three years a team has won by one point, to date.)
This year the NAIA awarded the first Chuck Taylor Most Valuable Player Award. The first award went to Edgar Hinshaw of Southwestern College
Awards and honors
Many of the records set by the 1939 tournament have been broken, and many of the awards were established much later:
- Leading scorer est. 1963
- Leading rebounder est. 1963
- Charles Stevenson Hustle Award est. 1958
- Coach of the Year est. 1954
- Player of the Year est. 1994
- Fewest points by team; single game: 16, Loras (Iowa) vs. Central Missouri State 20.
- Fewest points in a tournament Game; both teams: 36 total; Central Missouri State vs. Loras (Iowa) (20-16).[2]
1939 NAIA bracket
| First Round | Second Round | Elite Eight | NAIA National Semifinals | NAIA National Championship | ||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Wayne University (Mich.) | 55 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Anderson (Ind.) | 26 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Wayne | 50 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Glenville State | 56 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Glenville State (W.Va.) | 49 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Simpson (Iowa) | 34 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Glenville State | 52 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| TOP TIER | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | St. Ambrose | 42 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | St. Ambrose (Iowa) | 37 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | New Mexico Mines | 22 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | St. Ambrose | 42 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Dakota Wesleyan | 21 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) | 41 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | West Texas State | 38 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Glenville State | 37 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Southwestern | 46 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Southwestern (Kan.) | 39 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Eau Claire State (Wisc.) | 30 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Southwestern | 37 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Westminster | 31 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Westminster (Mo.) | 33 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Delta State (Miss.) | 32 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Southwestern | 53 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| TOP TIER | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Northwest Missouri State | 37 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Northwest Missouri State | 35 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Wayne State (Neb.) | 20 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Northwest Missouri State | 30 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Culver-Stockton | 24 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Culver-Stockton (Mo.) | 53 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Winona State (Minn.) | 40 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Southwestern | 32 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | San Diego State | 31 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Central Missouri State | 20 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Columbia College (Iowa) | 16 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Central Missouri State | 32 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Augustana | 29 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Augustana (Ill.) | 49 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Northwestern State (La.) | 43 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Peru State | 45 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| BOTTOM TIER | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Central Missouri State | 31 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Trinity (Texas) | 44 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Alfred Holbrook (Ohio) | 41 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Trinity | 42* | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Peru State | 48 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Peru State (Neb.) | 55 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | High Point (N.C.) | 46 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Peru State | 39 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | San Diego State | 49 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Murray State (Ky.) | 43 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Jordan College (Mich.) | 37 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Murray State | 39 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Manchester | 42 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Central State (Okla.) | 50 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Manchester (Ind.) | 53 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Manchester | 41 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| BOTTOM TIER | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | San Diego State | 49 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | San Diego State | 49 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Northern State (S.D.) | 25 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | San Diego State | 41 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | East Texas State | 36 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | Southwest Missouri State | 45 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| - | East Texas State | 68 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
- * denotes overtime.
3rd place game
The third place game featured the losing team from the national semifinalist to determine 3rd and 4th places in the tournament. This game was played until 1988.
| NAIA Third Place Game | ||||
| - | Glenville State | 73 | ||
| - | Peru State | 49 | ||