The 1963 NAIA men's basketball tournament was held March 11–16 at
Municipal Auditorium in
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City (abbreviated KC or KCMO) is the largest city in Missouri by population and area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 508,090 in 2020, making it the 36th most-populous city in the United States. It is the central ...
. The 26th annual
NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format. This tournament did not feature any games going into overtime. This was the first tournament to feature a Leading Scorer, and Leading Rebounder awards. They were presented to Mel Gibson, Willis Reed and Lucious Jackson respectively. In the inaugural year of the Leading Scorer award, there was a tie. This would not happen again until
1981
Events January
* January 1
** Greece enters the European Economic Community, predecessor of the European Union.
** Palau becomes a self-governing territory.
* January 10 – Salvadoran Civil War: The FMLN launches its first major offensiv ...
.
Awards and honors
*Leading scorers; tie: ''Mel Gibson'', Western Carolina (N.C.) 5 games, 60 field goals 17 free throws 137 total points (27.4 average points per game) and ''Willis Reed'', Grambling (La.) 5 games, 58 field goals, 21 free throws, 137 total points (27.4 average points per game)
*Leading rebounder: ''Lucious Jackson'', Pan American (Texas), 5 games, 93 rebounds (18.6 rebounds per game)
*Player of the Year: est. 1994
*Most rebounds; career continues: ''180'', Lucious Jackson, Pan American (Texas), (1962,63,64)
*All-time leading scorer; second appearance: ''Lucious Jackson, 7th'' Pan American (Texas) (1962,63,64), 12 games, 117 field goals, 67 free throws, 301 total points, 25.0 average per game; ''Willis Reed, 16th'' Grambling (La.) (1961,63,64), 12 games 108 field goals 39 free throws 265 total points, 22.8 average per
*All-time leading scorer; final appearance: ''Hershell West, 15th'' Grambling (La.) (1960,61,63), 13 games, 116 field goals, 37 free throws, 269 total points, 20.7 average per game.
NAIA Championship History
1963 NAIA bracket
Third-place game
The third-place game featured the losing teams from the national semifinalist to determine 3rd and 4th places in the tournament. This game was played until 1988.
See also
* 1963 NCAA University Division basketball tournament
The 1963 NCAA University Division basketball tournament involved 25 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball in the United States. It began on March 9, 1963, and en ...
* 1963 NCAA College Division basketball tournament
The 1963 NCAA College Division basketball tournament involved 32 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA College Division college basketball as a culmination of the 1962–63 ...
References
{{NAIA men's basketball tournament
NAIA Men's Basketball Championship
Tournament
NAIA men's basketball tournament
NAIA men's basketball tournament
College basketball tournaments in Missouri
Basketball competitions in Kansas City, Missouri