| Teams | 32 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finals site | Springfield, Massachusetts | ||||
| Champions | Sacred Heart Pioneers (1st title) | ||||
| Runner-up | Southeast Missouri State Indians (2nd title game) | ||||
| Semifinalists |
| ||||
| Winning coach | Dave Bike (1st title) | ||||
| MOP | Roger Younger (Sacred Heart) | ||||
| Attendance | 59,370 | ||||
| |||||
The 1986 NCAA Division II men's basketball tournament involved 32 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division II college basketball as a culmination of the 1985–86 NCAA Division II men's basketball season. It was won by Sacred Heart University and Sacred Heart's Roger Younger was the Most Outstanding Player.

Regional participants
| School | Outcome | |
|---|---|---|
| Kentucky Wesleyan | Third Place | |
| Lewis | Fourth Place | |
| SIU Edwardsville | Runner-up | |
| Wright State | Regional Champion | |
| School | Outcome | |
|---|---|---|
| Cheyney | Regional Champion | |
| Edinboro | Fourth Place | |
| Gannon | Runner-up | |
| Millersville | Third Place | |
| School | Outcome | |
|---|---|---|
| Abilene Christian | Third Place | |
| Delta State | Runner-up | |
| Sam Houston | Fourth Place | |
| SE Missouri State | Regional Champion | |
| School | Outcome | |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska–Anchorage | Runner-up | |
| Cal Poly | Fourth Place | |
| Cal State Hayward | Regional Champion | |
| UC Riverside | Third Place | |
| School | Outcome | |
|---|---|---|
| Augustana (SD) | Fourth Place | |
| Eastern Montana | Third Place | |
| St. Cloud State | Runner-up | |
| Wayne State (MI) | Regional Champion | |
| School | Outcome | |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama A&M | Fourth Place | |
| Florida Southern | Regional Champion | |
| Tampa | Runner-up | |
| West Georgia | Third Place | |
| School | Outcome | |
|---|---|---|
| Mount St. Mary's | Runner-up | |
| Norfolk State | Regional Champion | |
| Virginia Union | Third Place | |
| Winston-Salem State | Fourth Place | |
| School | Outcome | |
|---|---|---|
| Sacred Heart | Regional Champion | |
| New Hampshire College | Runner-up | |
| Springfield | Third Place | |
| St. Anselm | Fourth Place | |
*denotes tie
Regionals
Great Lakes - Fairborn, Ohio
Location: Physical Education Building Host: Wright State University
| Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 7 | Regional final Sweet 16 March 8 | ||||||||
| SIU Edwardsville | 70 | ||||||||
| Lewis | 61 | ||||||||
| SIU Edwardsville | 73 | ||||||||
| Wright State | 77 | ||||||||
| Wright State | 94 | ||||||||
| Kentucky Wesleyan | 84 | ||||||||
- Third Place - Kentucky Wesleyan 91, Lewis 81
East - Erie, Pennsylvania
Location: Hammermill Center Host: Gannon University
| Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 7 | Regional final Sweet 16 March 8 | ||||||||
| Cheyney | 68 | ||||||||
| Edinboro | 62 | ||||||||
| Cheyney | 68 | ||||||||
| Gannon | 62 | ||||||||
| Gannon | 78 | ||||||||
| Millersville | 66 | ||||||||
- Third Place - Millersville 107, Edinboro 86
South Central - Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Location: Houck Field House Host: Southeast Missouri State University
| Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 7 | Regional final Sweet 16 March 8 | ||||||||
| Delta State | 61 | ||||||||
| Sam Houston | 59 | ||||||||
| Delta State | 74 | ||||||||
| SE Missouri State | 75 | ||||||||
| SE Missouri State | 94 | ||||||||
| Abilene Christian | 72 | ||||||||
- Third Place - Abilene Christian 73, Sam Houston 60
West - Hayward, California
Location: Pioneer Gymnasium Host: California State University, Hayward
| Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 7 | Regional final Sweet 16 March 8 | ||||||||
| Alaska–Anchorage | 86 | ||||||||
| UC Riverside | 83 | ||||||||
| Alaska–Anchorage | 73 | ||||||||
| Cal State Hayward | 87 | ||||||||
| Cal State Hayward | 67 | ||||||||
| Cal Poly | 65 | ||||||||
- Third Place - UC Riverside 55, Cal Poly 53
North Central - St. Cloud, Minnesota
Location: Halenbeck Hall Host: St. Cloud State University
| Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 7 | Regional final Sweet 16 March 8 | ||||||||
| Wayne State (MI) | 72 | ||||||||
| Augustana (SD) | 57 | ||||||||
| Wayne State (MI) | 75 | ||||||||
| St. Cloud State | 71 | ||||||||
| St. Cloud State | 76 | ||||||||
| Eastern Montana | 67 | ||||||||
- Third Place - Eastern Montana 86, Augustana 61
South - Tampa, Florida
Location: Spartan Sports Arena Host: University of Tampa
| Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 7 | Regional final Sweet 16 March 8 | ||||||||
| Florida Southern | 83 | ||||||||
| West Georgia | 82 | ||||||||
| Florida Southern | 67 | ||||||||
| Tampa | 57 | ||||||||
| Tampa | 76 | ||||||||
| Alabama A&M | 69 | ||||||||
- Third Place - West Georgia 104, Alabama A&M 84
South Atlantic - Emmitsburg, Maryland
Location: Memorial Gym Host: Mount Saint Mary's College and Seminary
| Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 7 | Regional final Sweet 16 March 8 | ||||||||
| Norfolk State | 70 | ||||||||
| Virginia Union | 60 | ||||||||
| Norfolk State | 78 | ||||||||
| Mount St. Mary's | 75 | ||||||||
| Mount St. Mary's | 74 | ||||||||
| Winston-Salem State | 71 | ||||||||
- Third Place - Virginia Union 95, Winston-Salem State 77
New England - Manchester, New Hampshire
Location: NHC Fieldhouse Host: New Hampshire College
| Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 7 | Regional final Sweet 16 March 8 | ||||||||
| Sacred Heart | 76** | ||||||||
| Springfield | 74 | ||||||||
| Sacred Heart | 83 | ||||||||
| New Hampshire College | 67 | ||||||||
| New Hampshire College | 67 | ||||||||
| St. Anselm | 57 | ||||||||
- Third Place - Springfield 70, St. Anselm 65
*denotes each overtime played
National Quarterfinals
| Quarterfinal - Norfolk, VA Elite Eight March 15 | ||||
| Norfolk State | 74 | |||
| Sacred Heart | 84 | |||
| Quarterfinal - Lakeland, FL Elite Eight March 14 | ||||
| Wayne State (MI) | 65 | |||
| Florida Southern | 77 | |||
| Quarterfinal - Dayton, OH Elite Eight March 15 | ||||
| Wright State | 75 | |||
| Cheyney | 78 | |||
| Quarterfinal - Cape Girardeau, MO Elite Eight March 15 | ||||
| SE Missouri State | 85 | |||
| Cal State Hayward | 69 | |||
National Finals - Springfield, Massachusetts
Location: Springfield Civic Center Hosts: American International College and Springfield College
| National semifinals Final Four March 21 | National championship March 22 | ||||||||
| Cheyney | 81 | ||||||||
| SE Missouri State | 90 | ||||||||
| SE Missouri State | 87 | ||||||||
| Sacred Heart | 93 | ||||||||
| Florida Southern | 80 | ||||||||
| Sacred Heart | 86 | ||||||||
*denotes each overtime played
All-tournament team
- Riley Ellis (Southeast Missouri State)
- Keith Johnson (Sacred Heart)
- Ronny Rankin (Southeast Missouri State)
- Kevin Stevens (Sacred Heart)
- Roger Younger (Sacred Heart)