1981 NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament

The 1981 NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament involved 48 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 12, 1981, and ended with the championship game on March 30 in Philadelphia. A total of 48 games were played, including a national third place game (the last in the NCAA Tournament). It was also the last tournament to be televised on NBC, before CBS took over the following year. Additionally, it was the last season in which the NCAA sponsored championships only in men's sports; the first Division I Women's Tournament would be played the following year.

1981 NCAA Division I
Basketball Tournament
Season198081
Teams48
Finals siteThe Spectrum
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
ChampionsIndiana Hoosiers (4th title, 4th title game,
5th Final Four)
Runner-upNorth Carolina Tar Heels (5th title game,
8th Final Four)
Semifinalists
Winning coachBob Knight (2nd title)
MOPIsiah Thomas (Indiana)
Attendance347,414
Top scorerAl Wood North Carolina
(109 points)
NCAA Division I Men's Tournaments
«1980 1982»

Indiana, coached by Bob Knight, won the national title with a 63–50 victory over North Carolina, coached by Dean Smith. Isiah Thomas of Indiana was named the Tournament's Most Outstanding Player.

The March 14 upsets

The date of Saturday, March 14, 1981, resulted in three major second round tournament upsets which were decided by last-second baskets.

St. Joseph's trailed No. 1 seed DePaul by seven at about the midway point of the second half, in an early afternoon Mideast Region game from Dayton, Ohio. However, with 48 seconds left, the Hawks had rallied to within 48–47. Blue Demons guard Skip Dillard was fouled with 13 seconds left. Dillard was known as 'Money' for his superb free throw shooting, but he missed the front end of a one-and-one opportunity, and St. Joseph's got the rebound, then quickly passed the ball to the front court without calling a timeout. Guard Bryan Warrick got the ball to freshman Lonnie McFarlan who was wide open in the right corner. McFarlan began to shoot until forward John Smith yelled "Please!" to him. McFarlan passed to Smith, who was open underneath the basket. Smith's layup with two seconds left enabled the Hawks of coach Jim Lynam to stun the Blue Demons of Ray Meyer, 49–48.

Later in the afternoon in Austin, Texas, Arkansas coach Eddie Sutton called timeout with 5 seconds left after falling behind Louisville in the Midwest Region, 73–72 on a jumper by guard Derek Smith. Sutton told his team to get the ball to U.S. Reed. The Razorbacks' guard dribbled to near half court, then launched a 49-foot shot that beat the buzzer and swished through the net, as Arkansas dethroned the defending national champion Cardinals of Denny Crum, 74–73. Sutton told the media, "Champions die hard."

Only moments after the Razorbacks' upset, the season ended for another #1 seed in the West Region in Los Angeles. Oregon State led Kansas State by as much as 11 points in the second half. Coach Ralph Miller and center Steve Johnson had led the Beavers to a two-year record of 52–4. Then Rolando Blackman led the Wildcats back with a 16-6 run to tie the game, 48–48 with 3:23 left. Johnson then fouled out, and both teams stalled with the ball until Oregon State missed the front end of a one-and-one from the foul line. K-State then held for the last shot. With two seconds left, Blackman, double-teamed, drilled a fall-away 17 footer from the right baseline for a 50–48 upset by the Wildcats of Jack Hartman.

In another second round Mideast Region upset, UAB defeated Kentucky 69–62. A semifinal in the East Region saw Danny Ainge dribble the length of the court and drive all the way in for a layup and another buzzer-beating winner, lifting BYU over Notre Dame 51–50.

Greg Johnson of NCAA.com, in a March 9, 2011 article, indicated that March 14, 1981 was a date which defined March Madness.[1][2]

Locations

Charlotte
Austin
El Paso
Dayton
Los Angeles
Providence
Tuscaloosa
Wichita
1981 sites for first and second round games
Atlanta
New Orleans
Bloomington
Salt Lake City
Philadelphia
1981 Regionals (blue) and Final Four (red)

First & Second Rounds

RegionSiteVenueHost
East Charlotte, North Carolina Charlotte Coliseum UNC Charlotte
Providence, Rhode Island Providence Civic Center Providence
Mideast Dayton, Ohio UD Arena Dayton
Tuscaloosa, Alabama Memorial Coliseum Alabama
Midwest Austin, Texas Frank Erwin Center Texas
Wichita, Kansas Levitt Arena Wichita State
West El Paso, Texas Special Events Center UTEP
Los Angeles, California Pauley Pavilion UCLA

Regional Sites and Final Four

RegionSiteVenueHost
East Atlanta, Georgia Omni Coliseum Georgia Tech
Mideast Bloomington, Indiana Assembly Hall Indiana
Midwest New Orleans, Louisiana Louisiana Superdome New Orleans/Tulane
West Salt Lake City, Utah Special Events Center Utah
Final Four Philadelphia, Pennsylvania The Spectrum Drexel/Penn/Temple/Villanova

The Spectrum in Philadelphia hosted its second Final Four, both of which were won by Indiana. New Orleans hosted its second regional, the first at the Superdome and first in the city since 1942. This also marked only the second year ever to feature a domed stadium, and an NFL stadium; only four times since (1983, 1985, 1994, and 2018) has the tournament not included any NFL stadiums, and only in 1985 did it not include any domes at all. Two cities, Austin and El Paso, hosted Tournament games for the first time; it would be the only time El Paso would host tournament games and Austin would once again be host in 1990.

Teams

RegionSeedTeamCoachFinishedFinal OpponentScore
East
East1VirginiaTerry HollandThird Place1 LSUW 78–74
East2Notre DameDigger PhelpsSweet Sixteen6 BYUL 51–50
East3UCLALarry BrownRound of 326 BYUL 78–55
East4TennesseeDon DeVoeSweet Sixteen1 VirginiaL 62–48
East5VCUJ. D. BarnettRound of 324 TennesseeL 58–56
East6BYUFrank ArnoldRegional Runner-up1 VirginiaL 74–60
East7GeorgetownJohn ThompsonRound of 4810 James MadisonL 61–55
East8HoustonGuy LewisRound of 489 VillanovaL 90–72
East9VillanovaRollie MassiminoRound of 321 VirginiaL 54–50
East10James MadisonLou CampanelliRound of 322 Notre DameL 54–45
East11PrincetonPete CarrilRound of 486 BYUL 60–51
East12Long IslandPaul LizzoRound of 485 VCUL 85–69
Mideast
Mideast1DePaulRay MeyerRound of 329 Saint Joseph'sL 49–48
Mideast2KentuckyJoe B. HallRound of 327 UABL 69–62
Mideast3IndianaBob KnightChampion2 North CarolinaW 63–50
Mideast4Wake ForestCarl TacyRound of 325 Boston CollegeL 67–64
Mideast5Boston CollegeTom DavisSweet Sixteen9 Saint Joseph'sL 42–41
Mideast6MarylandLefty DriesellRound of 323 IndianaL 99–64
Mideast7UABGene BartowSweet Sixteen3 IndianaL 87–72
Mideast8CreightonTom ApkeRound of 489 Saint Joseph'sL 59–57
Mideast9Saint Joseph'sJim LynamRegional Runner-up3 IndianaL 78–46
Mideast10Western KentuckyClem HaskinsRound of 487 UABL 93–68
Mideast11ChattanoogaMurray ArnoldRound of 486 MarylandL 81–69
Mideast12Ball StateSteve YoderRound of 485 Boston CollegeL 93–90
Midwest
Midwest1LSUDale BrownFourth Place1 VirginiaL 78–74
Midwest2Arizona StateNed WulkRound of 327 KansasL 88–71
Midwest3IowaLute OlsonRound of 326 Wichita StateL 60–56
Midwest4LouisvilleDenny CrumRound of 325 ArkansasL 74–73
Midwest5ArkansasEddie SuttonSweet Sixteen1 LSUL 72–56
Midwest6Wichita StateGene SmithsonRegional Runner-up1 LSUL 96–85
Midwest7KansasTed OwensSweet Sixteen6 Wichita StateL 66–65
Midwest8LamarPat FosterRound of 321 LSUL 100–78
Midwest9MissouriNorm StewartRound of 488 LamarL 71–67
Midwest10Ole MissBob WeltlichRound of 487 KansasL 69–66
Midwest11SouthernCarl StewartRound of 486 Wichita StateL 95–70
Midwest12MercerBill BibbRound of 485 ArkansasL 73–67
West
West1Oregon StateRalph MillerRound of 328 Kansas StateL 50–48
West2North CarolinaDean SmithRunner Up3 IndianaL 63–50
West3UtahJerry PimmSweet Sixteen2 North CarolinaL 61–56
West4IllinoisLou HensonSweet Sixteen8 Kansas StateL 57–52
West5WyomingJim BrandenburgRound of 324 IllinoisL 67–65
West6Fresno StateBoyd GrantRound of 4811 NortheasternL 55–53
West7IdahoDon MonsonRound of 4810 PittsburghL 70–69
West8Kansas StateJack HartmanRegional Runner-up2 North CarolinaL 82–68
West9San FranciscoPeter BarryRound of 488 Kansas StateL 64–60
West10PittsburghRoy ChipmanRound of 322 North CarolinaL 74–57
West11NortheasternJim CalhounRound of 323 UtahL 94–69
West12HowardA.B. WilliamsonRound of 485 WyomingL 78–43

Bracket

* – Denotes overtime period

East region

  First round Second round Regional Semifinals Regional Finals
                                     
8 Houston 72  
9 Villanova 90  
  9 Villanova 50  
    1 Virginia 54  
     
       
  1 Virginia 62  
  4 Tennessee 48  
       
       
  4 Tennessee 58
    5 VCU 56*  
5 VCU 85
12 Long Island 69  
  1 Virginia 74
  6 BYU 60
6 BYU 60  
11 Princeton 51  
  6 BYU 78
    3 UCLA 55  
     
       
  6 BYU 51
  2 Notre Dame 50  
       
       
  2 Notre Dame 54
    10 James Madison 45  
7 Georgetown 55
10 James Madison 61  

West region

  First round Second round Regional Semifinals Regional Finals
                                     
8 Kansas State 64  
9 San Francisco 60  
  8 Kansas State 50  
    1 Oregon State 48  
     
       
  8 Kansas State 57  
  4 Illinois 52  
       
       
  4 Illinois 67
    5 Wyoming 65  
5 Wyoming 78
12 Howard 43  
  8 Kansas State 68
  2 North Carolina 82
6 Fresno State 53  
11 Northeastern 55  
  11 Northeastern 69
    3 Utah 94  
     
       
  3 Utah 56
  2 North Carolina 61  
       
       
  2 North Carolina 74
    10 Pittsburgh 57  
7 Idaho 69*
10 Pittsburgh 70  

Mideast region

  First round Second round Regional Semifinals Regional Finals
                                     
8 Creighton 57  
9 Saint Joseph's 59  
  9 Saint Joseph's 49  
    1 DePaul 48  
     
       
  9 Saint Joseph's 42  
  5 Boston College 41  
       
       
  4 Wake Forest 64
    5 Boston College 67  
5 Boston College 93
12 Ball State 90  
  9 Saint Joseph's 46
  3 Indiana 78
6 Maryland 81  
11 Chattanooga 69  
  6 Maryland 64
    3 Indiana 99  
     
       
  3 Indiana 87
  7 UAB 72  
       
       
  2 Kentucky 62
    7 UAB 69  
7 UAB 93
10 Western Kentucky 68  

Midwest region

  First round Second round Regional Semifinals Regional Finals
                                     
8 Lamar 71  
9 Missouri 67  
  8 Lamar 78  
    1 LSU 100  
     
       
  1 LSU 72  
  5 Arkansas 56  
       
       
  4 Louisville 73
    5 Arkansas 74  
5 Arkansas 73
12 Mercer 67  
  1 LSU 96
  6 Wichita State 85
6 Wichita State 95  
11 Southern 70  
  6 Wichita State 60
    3 Iowa 56  
     
       
  6 Wichita State 66
  7 Kansas 65  
       
       
  2 Arizona State 71
    7 Kansas 88  
7 Kansas 69
10 Ole Miss 66  

Final Four

  National Semifinals     National Finals
                 
  E1 Virginia 65  
  W2 North Carolina 78    
      W2 North Carolina 50
      ME3 Indiana 63
  ME3 Indiana 67    
  MW1 LSU 49   National Third Place Game
 
E1 Virginia 78
  MW1 LSU 74

NOTES: 1. This was the last tournament that a third place game was staged prior to the national championship.

Announcers (NBC and NCAA Productions)

  • Dick Enberg, Billy Packer and Al McGuire – Second Round at Providence, Rhode Island (UCLA–Brigham Young, Notre Dame–James Madison); Second Round at Charlotte, North Carolina (Virginia–Villanova, Tennessee–VCU); East Regional Final at Atlanta, Georgia; Midwest Regional Final at New Orleans, Louisiana; Final Four at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Marv Albert and Steve Grote – Mideast Regional Final at Bloomington, Indiana
  • Don Criqui and Gary Thompson – Second Round at Dayton, Ohio (DePaul–St. Joseph's, Indiana–Maryland); West Regionals at Salt Lake City, Utah
  • Bill O'Donnell and Jeff Mullins – East Regional Semifinals at Atlanta, Georgia
  • Jim Thacker and Steve Grote – Mideast Regional Semifinals at Bloomington, Indiana
  • Fred White and Larry Conley – Midwest Regional Semifinals at New Orleans, Louisiana
  • Bob Costas and Gary Thompson – Second Round at Tuscaloosa, Alabama (Kentucky–UAB, Wake Forest–Boston College)
  • Marv Albert and Bucky Waters – Second Round at Austin, Texas (LSU–Lamar, Louisville–Arkansas)
  • Charlie Jones and Lynn Shackelford – Second Round at Wichita, Kansas (Iowa–Wichita State, Arizona State–Kansas)
  • Jay Randolph and Steve Grote – Second Round at Los Angeles, California (Oregon State–Kansas State, Illinois–Wyoming)
  • Merle Harmon and Matt Guokas – Second Round at El Paso, Texas (Utah–Northeastern, North Carolina–Pittsburgh)
  • Tom Hammond and Larry Conley – First Round at Tuscaloosa, Alabama (Boston College–Ball State, UAB–Western Kentucky)

See also

References

  1. "March Madness defining moment?". ncaa.com. March 9, 2011. Archived from the original on February 1, 2018. Retrieved April 4, 2018.
  2. "The myth of three consecutive buzzer beaters in the 1981 NCAA tournament".
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