▁O lat he , ▁Kansas ▁this ▁year . ▁The ▁ 6 5 th ▁annual ▁NA IA ▁basketball ▁tournament ▁featured ▁ 3 2 ▁teams ▁playing ▁in ▁a ▁single - el im ination ▁format . ▁The ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁champion ▁was ▁ 2 0 0 1 ' s ▁runner - up , ▁University ▁of ▁Science ▁and ▁Arts ▁of ▁Oklahoma . ▁The ▁Dro vers ▁faced ▁So on er ▁Athlet ic ▁Conference ▁rival ▁Oklahoma ▁Bapt ist ▁University ▁in ▁the ▁championship ▁game . ▁It ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁two ▁teams ▁from ▁the ▁So on er ▁Athlet ic ▁Conference ▁ever ▁met ▁in ▁the ▁national ▁championship ▁game . ▁And ▁the ▁first ▁S AC ▁team ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁tournament ▁since ▁Oklahoma ▁City ▁University ▁won ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 . ▁ ▁The ▁Dro vers ▁rolled ▁over ▁the ▁B ison ▁ 9 6 – 7 9 . ▁Fin ishing ▁out ▁the ▁NA IA ▁Sem if inals ▁were ▁Az usa ▁Pacific ▁University ▁( Cal if .) ▁and ▁Bar at ▁College ▁( Ill .). ▁▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁was ▁also ▁the ▁first ▁year ▁Buff alo ▁Fund s , ▁a ▁Kansas ▁City - based ▁invest ment ▁management ▁firm , ▁was ▁the ▁title ▁corpor ate ▁spons or . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁Buff alo ▁Fund s ▁extended ▁its ▁contract ▁with ▁the ▁NA IA ▁tournament ▁until ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁tournament ; ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁it ▁would ▁be ▁extended ▁to ▁ 2 0 1 7 . ▁ ▁Awards ▁and ▁hon ors ▁ ▁Le ading ▁sc