1966 NCAA College Division basketball tournament
The 1966 NCAA College Division basketball tournament involved 36 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA College Division basketball as a culmination of the 1965–66 NCAA College Division men's basketball season. It was won by Kentucky Wesleyan College, with Kentucky Wesleyan's Sam Smith named Most Outstanding Player.

| Teams | 36 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finals site | Evansville, Indiana | ||||
| Champions | Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers (1st title) | ||||
| Runner-up | Southern Illinois Salukis (2nd title game) | ||||
| Semifinalists |
| ||||
| Winning coach | Guy R. Strong (1st title) | ||||
| MOP | Sam Smith (Kentucky Wesleyan) | ||||
| Attendance | 26,082 | ||||
| |||||
Regional participants
| School | Outcome | |
|---|---|---|
| American International | Fifth Place* | |
| Assumption | Runner-up | |
| Central Connecticut State | Regional Champion | |
| Le Moyne | Fifth Place* | |
| Northeastern | Third Place* | |
| Philadelphia Textile | Third Place* | |
| Potsdam State | Seventh Place* | |
| Springfield | Seventh Place* | |
| School | Outcome | |
|---|---|---|
| Kentucky Wesleyan | Regional Champion | |
| Oglethorpe | Runner-up | |
| South Carolina State | Fourth Place | |
| Winston-Salem | Third Place | |
| School | Outcome | |
|---|---|---|
| Albright | Third Place | |
| Cheyney | Runner-up | |
| Drexel | Fourth Place | |
| Long Island | Regional Champion | |
| School | Outcome | |
|---|---|---|
| Akron | Regional Champion | |
| Randolph–Macon | Fourth Place | |
| Steubenville | Runner-up | |
| Youngstown State | Third Place | |
| School | Outcome | |
|---|---|---|
| Fresno State | Regional Champion | |
| Nevada | Third Place | |
| San Diego | Fourth Place | |
| Seattle Pacific | Runner-up | |
| School | Outcome | |
|---|---|---|
| Evansville | Runner-up | |
| Indiana State | Fourth Place | |
| Lamar | Third Place | |
| Southern Illinois | Regional Champion | |
| School | Outcome | |
|---|---|---|
| Abilene Christian | Regional Champion | |
| Arkansas State | Third Place | |
| Jackson State | Fourth Place | |
| SW Missouri State | Runner-up | |
| School | Outcome | |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado State College | Third Place* | |
| North Dakota | Regional Champion | |
| St. Procopius | Third Place* | |
| Valparaiso | Runner-up | |
*indicates a tie
Regionals
New England
| First round Round of 36 See below | Regional semifinals Round of 32 See below | Regional Final - Worcester, MA Sweet 16 March 7 | ||||||||||||
| Assumption | 105 | |||||||||||||
| American International | 102 | |||||||||||||
| Assumption | 96 | |||||||||||||
| Springfield, MA March 1 and 2 | ||||||||||||||
| Northeastern | 69 | |||||||||||||
| Northeastern | 93 | |||||||||||||
| Springfield | 80 | |||||||||||||
| Assumption | 87 | |||||||||||||
| Central Connecticut State | 96 | |||||||||||||
| Central Connecticut State | 94 | |||||||||||||
| Potsdam State | 82 | |||||||||||||
| Central Connecticut State | 97 | |||||||||||||
| Syracuse, NY March 2 and 3 | ||||||||||||||
| Philadelphia Textile | 75 | |||||||||||||
| Philadelphia Textile | 83 | |||||||||||||
| Le Moyne | 61 | |||||||||||||
- Consolation March 2 - American International 96, Springfield 94*
- Consolation March 3 - Le Moyne 86, Potsdam State 63
South - Durham, North Carolina
Location: McClendon–McDougald Gym Host: North Carolina College at Durham
| Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 4 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 5 | ||||||||
| Kentucky Wesleyan | 81* | ||||||||
| South Carolina State | 73 | ||||||||
| Kentucky Wesleyan | 48 | ||||||||
| Oglethorpe | 41 | ||||||||
| Oglethorpe | 69 | ||||||||
| Winston-Salem | 66 | ||||||||
- Third Place - Winston-Salem 85, South Carolina State 81
East - Reading, Pennsylvania
Location: Bollman Center Host: Albright College
| Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 4 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 5 | ||||||||
| Cheyney | 61 | ||||||||
| Albright | 56 | ||||||||
| Cheyney | 64 | ||||||||
| Long Island | 67 | ||||||||
| Long Island | 62 | ||||||||
| Drexel | 54 | ||||||||
- Third Place - Albright 78, Drexel 61
Mideast - Akron, Ohio
Location: Memorial Hall Host: Municipal University of Akron
| Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 4 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 5 | ||||||||
| Steubenville | 77 | ||||||||
| Randolph–Macon | 56 | ||||||||
| Steubenville | 76 | ||||||||
| Akron | 93 | ||||||||
| Akron | 70 | ||||||||
| Youngstown State | 51 | ||||||||
- Third Place - Youngstown State 94, Randolph–Macon 63
Pacific Coast - Fresno, California
Location: North Gym Host: Fresno State College
| Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 4 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 5 | ||||||||
| Seattle Pacific | 69 | ||||||||
| San Diego | 63 | ||||||||
| Seattle Pacific | 58 | ||||||||
| Fresno State | 64 | ||||||||
| Fresno State | 127 | ||||||||
| Nevada | 78 | ||||||||
- Third Place - Nevada 74, San Diego 71
Great Lakes - Carbondale, Illinois
Location: SIU Arena Host: Southern Illinois University
| Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 4 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 5 | ||||||||
| Evansville | 111 | ||||||||
| Lamar | 103 | ||||||||
| Evansville | 77 | ||||||||
| Southern Illinois | 90 | ||||||||
| Southern Illinois | 83 | ||||||||
| Indiana State | 65 | ||||||||
- Third Place - Lamar 93, Indiana State 78
Southwest - Jonesboro, Arkansas
Location: Indian Fieldhouse Host: Arkansas State College
| Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 4 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 5 | ||||||||
| Abilene Christian | 94 | ||||||||
| Jackson State | 79 | ||||||||
| Abilene Christian | 63 | ||||||||
| SW Missouri State | 58 | ||||||||
| SW Missouri State | 72 | ||||||||
| Arkansas State | 71 | ||||||||
- Third Place - Arkansas State 84, Jackson State 77
Midwest - Grand Forks, North Dakota
Location: Hyslop Sports Center Host: University of North Dakota
| Regional semifinals Round of 32 See below | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7 | ||||||||
| Valparaiso | 107 | ||||||||
| St. Procopius | 76 | ||||||||
| Valparaiso | 82 | ||||||||
| North Dakota | 112 | ||||||||
| North Dakota | 84 | ||||||||
| Colorado State College | 71 | ||||||||
Note: The first-round game between North Dakota and Colorado State College was delayed a day to March 6; the Valparaiso/Saint Procopius game was played in Moorhead, Minnesota on March 5; and the third-place game was cancelled entirely. These occurrences were due to inclement weather.
*denotes each overtime played
National Finals - Evansville, Indiana
Location: Roberts Municipal Stadium Host: Evansville College
| National Quarterfinals Elite Eight March 9 | National semifinals Final Four March 10 | National Championship March 11 | ||||||||||||
| Central Connecticut State | 76 | |||||||||||||
| Kentucky Wesleyan | 84 | |||||||||||||
| Kentucky Wesleyan | 105 | |||||||||||||
| Akron | 74 | |||||||||||||
| Long Island | 68 | |||||||||||||
| Akron | 74 | |||||||||||||
| Kentucky Wesleyan | 54 | |||||||||||||
| Southern Illinois | 51 | |||||||||||||
| Fresno State | 70 | |||||||||||||
| Southern Illinois | 93 | |||||||||||||
| Southern Illinois | 69 | |||||||||||||
| North Dakota | 61 | |||||||||||||
| Abilene Christian | 62 | |||||||||||||
| North Dakota | 63 | |||||||||||||
- Third Place - Akron 76, North Dakota 71
*denotes each overtime played
All-tournament team
- Phil Jackson (North Dakota)
- David Lee (Southern Illinois)
- George McNeil (Southern Illinois)
- Clarence Smith (Southern Illinois)
- Sam Smith (Kentucky Wesleyan)