# 1981 NCAA Division II basketball tournament

The 1981 NCAA Division II 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 1980–81 NCAA Division II men's basketball season. It was won by Florida Southern College and Florida Southern's John Ebeling was the Most Outstanding Player.

## Regional participants

Outcome :
| Cheyney | Third Place |
| Elizabeth City State | Runner-up |
| Mount St. Mary's | Regional Champion |
| Randolph–Macon | Fourth Place |
Outcome :
| Indiana State–Evansville | Fourth Place |
| Northern Michigan | Regional Champion |
| Western Illinois | Runner-up |
| Wright State | Third Place |
Outcome :
| Central Missouri State | Fourth Place |
| Green Bay | Regional Champion |
| North Dakota | Runner-up |
| North Dakota State | Third Place |
Outcome :
| Jacksonville State | Third Place |
| Lincoln (MO) | Fourth Place |
| North Alabama | Regional Champion |
| NE Missouri State | Runner-up |
Outcome :
| Chico State | Fourth Place |
| Cal State Dominguez Hills | Runner-up |
| Eastern Montana | Third Place |
| Puget Sound | Regional Champion |
Outcome :
| Florida Southern | Regional Champion |
| Morehouse | Fourth Place |
| UCF | Runner-up |
| West Georgia | Third Place |
Outcome :
| Bloomsburg | Fourth Place |
| Cal Poly | Regional Champion |
| Clarion | Runner-up |
| Monmouth | Third Place |
Outcome :
| New Hampshire College | Regional Champion |
| Sacred Heart | Runner-up |
| Springfield | Fourth Place |
| Stonehill | Third Place |
*denotes tie

## Regionals
### South Atlantic - Emmitsburg, Maryland

Location: Memorial Gym Host: Mount Saint Mary's College and Seminary
| Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7 |
| Mount St. Mary's | Mount St. Mary's | 81 | | | |
| Cheyney | Cheyney | 75 | | | |
| Cheyney | Cheyney | 75 | Mount St. Mary's | Mount St. Mary's | 78 |
| | | | Elizabeth City State | Elizabeth City State | 76 |
| Elizabeth City State | Elizabeth City State | 54 | Elizabeth City State | Elizabeth City State | 76 |
| Randolph–Macon | Randolph–Macon | 53 | | | |
* Third Place - Cheyney 76, Randolph-Macon 67

### Great Lakes - Macomb, Illinois

Location: Western Hall Host: Western Illinois University
| Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7 |
| Western Illinois | Western Illinois | 80 | | | |
| Indiana State–Evansville | Indiana State–Evansville | 73 | | | |
| Indiana State–Evansville | Indiana State–Evansville | 73 | Western Illinois | Western Illinois | 87 |
| | | | Northern Michigan | Northern Michigan | 93 |
| Northern Michigan | Northern Michigan | 70 | Northern Michigan | Northern Michigan | 93 |
| Wright State | Wright State | 69 | | | |
* Third Place - Wright State 96, Indiana State–Evansville 89

### North Central - Green Bay, Wisconsin

Location: Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena Host: University of Wisconsin at Green Bay
| Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7 |
| Green Bay | Green Bay | 82 | | | |
| North Dakota State | North Dakota State | 76 | | | |
| North Dakota State | North Dakota State | 76 | Green Bay | Green Bay | 72 |
| | | | North Dakota | North Dakota | 60 |
| North Dakota | North Dakota | 87 | North Dakota | North Dakota | 60 |
| Central Missouri State | Central Missouri State | 80 | | | |
* Third Place - North Dakota State 95, Central Missouri State 87

### South Central - Florence, Alabama

Location: Flowers Hall Host: University of North Alabama
| Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 5 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 5 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 5 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 6 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 6 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 6 |
| North Alabama | North Alabama | 67 | | | |
| Lincoln | Lincoln | 53 | | | |
| Lincoln | Lincoln | 53 | North Alabama | North Alabama | 63 |
| | | | NE Missouri State | NE Missouri State | 59 |
| NE Missouri State | NE Missouri State | 82 | NE Missouri State | NE Missouri State | 59 |
| Jacksonville State | Jacksonville State | 78 | | | |
* Third Place - Jacksonville State 84, Lincoln 66

### West - Billings, Montana

Location: Alterowitz Gym Host: Eastern Montana College
| Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7 |
| Puget Sound | Puget Sound | 62 | | | |
| Chico State | Chico State | 60 | | | |
| Chico State | Chico State | 60 | Puget Sound | Puget Sound | 72 |
| | | | Cal State Dominguez Hills | Cal State Dominguez Hills | 54 |
| Cal State Dominguez Hills | Cal State Dominguez Hills | 61 | Cal State Dominguez Hills | Cal State Dominguez Hills | 54 |
| Eastern Montana | Eastern Montana | 52 | | | |
* Third Place - Eastern Montana 54, Chico State 49

### South - Orlando, Florida

Location: UCF Fieldhouse Host: University of Central Florida
| Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7 |
| UCF | UCF | 94 | | | |
| Morehouse | Morehouse | 77 | | | |
| Morehouse | Morehouse | 77 | UCF | UCF | 71 |
| | | | Florida Southern | Florida Southern | 73 |
| Florida Southern | Florida Southern | 70 | Florida Southern | Florida Southern | 73 |
| West Georgia | West Georgia | 59 | | | |
* Third Place - West Georgia 102, Morehouse 76

### East - West Long Branch, New Jersey

Location: William T. Boylan Gymnasium Host: Monmouth College
| Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7 |
| Clarion | Clarion | 80 | | | |
| Monmouth | Monmouth | 78 | | | |
| Monmouth | Monmouth | 78 | Clarion | Clarion | 61 |
| | | | Cal Poly | Cal Poly | 84 |
| Cal Poly | Cal Poly | 71 | Cal Poly | Cal Poly | 84 |
| Bloomsburg | Bloomsburg | 43 | | | |
* Third Place - Monmouth 79, Bloomsburg 64

### New England - Manchester, New Hampshire

Location: NHC Fieldhouse Host: New Hampshire College
| Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 6 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7 | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7 |
| New Hampshire College | New Hampshire College | 76 | | | |
| Springfield | Springfield | 75 | | | |
| Springfield | Springfield | 75 | New Hampshire College | New Hampshire College | 81 |
| | | | Sacred Heart | Sacred Heart | 80 |
| Sacred Heart | Sacred Heart | 89 | Sacred Heart | Sacred Heart | 80 |
| Stonehill | Stonehill | 86 | | | |
* Third Place - Stonehill 79, Springfield 78
*denotes each overtime played

## National Quarterfinals

| Quarterfinal - Emmitsburg, MD Elite Eight March 14 | Quarterfinal - Emmitsburg, MD Elite Eight March 14 | Quarterfinal - Emmitsburg, MD Elite Eight March 14 |
| Mount St. Mary's | Mount St. Mary's | 88 |
| Northern Michigan | Northern Michigan | 74 |
| Quarterfinal - Green Bay, WI Elite Eight March 14 | Quarterfinal - Green Bay, WI Elite Eight March 14 | Quarterfinal - Green Bay, WI Elite Eight March 14 |
| North Alabama | North Alabama | 39 |
| Wisconsin-Green Bay | Wisconsin-Green Bay | 65 |
| Quarterfinal - San Luis Obispo, CA Elite Eight March 14 | Quarterfinal - San Luis Obispo, CA Elite Eight March 14 | Quarterfinal - San Luis Obispo, CA Elite Eight March 14 |
| New Hampshire College | New Hampshire College | 73 |
| Cal Poly-SLO | Cal Poly-SLO | 77 |
| Quarterfinal - Tacoma, WA Elite Eight March 14 | Quarterfinal - Tacoma, WA Elite Eight March 14 | Quarterfinal - Tacoma, WA Elite Eight March 14 |
| Florida Southern | Florida Southern | 56 |
| Puget Sound | Puget Sound | 55 |

## National Finals - Springfield, Massachusetts

Location: Springfield Civic Center Hosts: American International College and Springfield College
| National semifinals Final Four March 20 | National semifinals Final Four March 20 | National semifinals Final Four March 20 | National Championship March 21 | National Championship March 21 | National Championship March 21 |
| Mount St. Mary's | Mount St. Mary's | 76 | | | |
| Green Bay | Green Bay | 60 | | | |
| Green Bay | Green Bay | 60 | Mount St. Mary's | Mount St. Mary's | 68 |
| | | | Florida Southern | Florida Southern | 73 |
| Florida Southern | Florida Southern | 54 | Florida Southern | Florida Southern | 73 |
| Cal Poly | Cal Poly | 51 | | | |
* Third Place - Cal Poly 62, Green Bay 61**
*denotes each overtime played

## All-tournament team

* Jay Bruchak (Mount Saint Mary's)
* John Ebeling (Florida Southern)
* Mike Hayes (Florida Southern)
* Durelle Lewis (Mount Saint Mary's)
* Jim Rowe (Mount Saint Mary's)