1973 NAIA basketball tournament
| Teams | 32 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finals site | Municipal Auditorium, Kansas City, Missouri  | ||||
| Champions | Guilford (2 title, 1 title game) | ||||
| Runner-up | Maryland Eastern Shore (2 title game) | ||||
| Semifinalists | 
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Charles Stevenson Hustle Award  | David Hudson (Slippery Rock) | ||||
| MVP | Lloyd Free (Guilford) | ||||
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The 1973 NAIA men's basketball tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 36th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format. Valdosta State ended (3) Kentucky State's run to get 4 championship in a row by upsetting (3) Kentucky State in the first round by 9.