# 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.
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 under a minute left, the Hawks had rallied to within one point, 48–47. Blue Demons guard Skip Dillard was fouled with 12 seconds left. Dillard was known as 'Money' for his superb free throw shooting (85%), but he missed the front end of a one-and-one opportunity, and St. Joseph's guard Bryan Warrick got the rebound and dribbled to the front court without calling a timeout. Then he 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.

## Schedule and venues

The following are the sites that were selected to host each round of the 1981 tournament:
First and Second rounds
* March 12 and 14
** East Region
*** Providence Civic Center, Providence, Rhode Island (Host: Providence College)
** Mideast Region
*** University of Dayton Arena, Dayton, Ohio (Host: University of Dayton)
** Midwest Region
*** Frank Erwin Center, Austin, Texas (Host: University of Texas at Austin)
** West Region
*** Pauley Pavilion, Los Angeles, California (Host: UCLA)
* March 13 and 15
** East Region
*** Charlotte Coliseum, Charlotte, North Carolina (Host: University of North Carolina at Charlotte)
** Mideast Region
*** Memorial Coliseum, Tuscaloosa, Alabama (Host: University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa)
** Midwest Region
*** Levitt Arena, Wichita, Kansas (Host: Wichita State University)
** West Region
*** Special Events Center, El Paso, Texas (Host: University of Texas at El Paso)
Regional semifinals and finals (Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight)
* March 19 and 21
** East Regional, Omni Coliseum, Atlanta, Georgia (Host: Georgia Tech)
** West Regional, Special Events Center, Salt Lake City, Utah (Host: University of Utah)
* March 20 and 22
** Mideast Regional, Assembly Hall, Bloomington, Indiana (Host: Indiana University Bloomington)
** Midwest Regional, Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana (Host: Tulane University)
National semifinals and championship (Final Four and championship)
* March 28 and 30
** The Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Hosts: The Philadelphia Big 5 - Villanova University, Temple University, La Salle University, Saint Joseph's University, University of Pennsylvania)

## Teams

| Region | Seed | Team | Coach | Conference | Finished | Final Opponent | Score |
| East ||||||||
| East | 1 | Virginia | Terry Holland | ACC | Third Place | 1 LSU | W 78–74 |
| East | 2 | Notre Dame | Digger Phelps | Independent | Sweet Sixteen | 6 BYU | L 51–50 |
| East | 3 | UCLA | Larry Brown | Pacific-10 | Round of 32 | 6 BYU | L 78–55 |
| East | 4 | Tennessee | Don DeVoe | SEC | Sweet Sixteen | 1 Virginia | L 62–48 |
| East | 5 | VCU | J. D. Barnett | Sun Belt | Round of 32 | 4 Tennessee | L 58–56 |
| East | 6 | BYU | Frank Arnold | WAC | Regional Runner-up | 1 Virginia | L 74–60 |
| East | 7 | Georgetown | John Thompson | Big East | Round of 48 | 10 James Madison | L 61–55 |
| East | 8 | Houston | Guy Lewis | Southwest | Round of 48 | 9 Villanova | L 90–72 |
| East | 9 | Villanova | Rollie Massimino | Big East | Round of 32 | 1 Virginia | L 54–50 |
| East | 10 | James Madison | Lou Campanelli | ECAC South | Round of 32 | 2 Notre Dame | L 54–45 |
| East | 11 | Princeton | Pete Carril | Ivy League | Round of 48 | 6 BYU | L 60–51 |
| East | 12 | Long Island | Paul Lizzo | ECAC Metro | Round of 48 | 5 VCU | L 85–69 |
| Mideast ||||||||
| Mideast | 1 | DePaul | Ray Meyer | Independent | Round of 32 | 9 Saint Joseph's | L 49–48 |
| Mideast | 2 | Kentucky | Joe B. Hall | SEC | Round of 32 | 7 UAB | L 69–62 |
| Mideast | 3 | Indiana | Bob Knight | Big Ten | Champion | 2 North Carolina | W 63–50 |
| Mideast | 4 | Wake Forest | Carl Tacy | ACC | Round of 32 | 5 Boston College | L 67–64 |
| Mideast | 5 | Boston College | Tom Davis | Big East | Sweet Sixteen | 9 Saint Joseph's | L 42–41 |
| Mideast | 6 | Maryland | Lefty Driesell | ACC | Round of 32 | 3 Indiana | L 99–64 |
| Mideast | 7 | UAB | Gene Bartow | Sun Belt | Sweet Sixteen | 3 Indiana | L 87–72 |
| Mideast | 8 | Creighton | Tom Apke | Missouri Valley | Round of 48 | 9 Saint Joseph's | L 59–57 |
| Mideast | 9 | Saint Joseph's | Jim Lynam | East Coast | Regional Runner-up | 3 Indiana | L 78–46 |
| Mideast | 10 | Western Kentucky | Clem Haskins | Ohio Valley | Round of 48 | 7 UAB | L 93–68 |
| Mideast | 11 | Chattanooga | Murray Arnold | Southern | Round of 48 | 6 Maryland | L 81–69 |
| Mideast | 12 | Ball State | Steve Yoder | MAC | Round of 48 | 5 Boston College | L 93–90 |
| Midwest ||||||||
| Midwest | 1 | LSU | Dale Brown | SEC | Fourth Place | 1 Virginia | L 78–74 |
| Midwest | 2 | Arizona State | Ned Wulk | Pacific-10 | Round of 32 | 7 Kansas | L 88–71 |
| Midwest | 3 | Iowa | Lute Olson | Big Ten | Round of 32 | 6 Wichita State | L 60–56 |
| Midwest | 4 | Louisville | Denny Crum | Metro | Round of 32 | 5 Arkansas | L 74–73 |
| Midwest | 5 | Arkansas | Eddie Sutton | Southwest | Sweet Sixteen | 1 LSU | L 72–56 |
| Midwest | 6 | Wichita State | Gene Smithson | Missouri Valley | Regional Runner-up | 1 LSU | L 96–85 |
| Midwest | 7 | Kansas | Ted Owens | Big Eight | Sweet Sixteen | 6 Wichita State | L 66–65 |
| Midwest | 8 | Lamar | Pat Foster | Southland | Round of 32 | 1 LSU | L 100–78 |
| Midwest | 9 | Missouri | Norm Stewart | Big Eight | Round of 48 | 8 Lamar | L 71–67 |
| Midwest | 10 | Ole Miss | Bob Weltlich | SEC | Round of 48 | 7 Kansas | L 69–66 |
| Midwest | 11 | Southern | Carl Stewart | SWAC | Round of 48 | 6 Wichita State | L 95–70 |
| Midwest | 12 | Mercer | Bill Bibb | Trans America | Round of 48 | 5 Arkansas | L 73–67 |
| West ||||||||
| West | 1 | Oregon State | Ralph Miller | Pacific-10 | Round of 32 | 8 Kansas State | L 50–48 |
| West | 2 | North Carolina | Dean Smith | ACC | Runner Up | 3 Indiana | L 63–50 |
| West | 3 | Utah | Jerry Pimm | WAC | Sweet Sixteen | 2 North Carolina | L 61–56 |
| West | 4 | Illinois | Lou Henson | Big Ten | Sweet Sixteen | 8 Kansas State | L 57–52 |
| West | 5 | Wyoming | Jim Brandenburg | WAC | Round of 32 | 4 Illinois | L 67–65 |
| West | 6 | Fresno State | Boyd Grant | Pacific Coast | Round of 48 | 11 Northeastern | L 55–53 |
| West | 7 | Idaho | Don Monson | Big Sky | Round of 48 | 10 Pittsburgh | L 70–69 |
| West | 8 | Kansas State | Jack Hartman | Big Eight | Regional Runner-up | 2 North Carolina | L 82–68 |
| West | 9 | San Francisco | Peter Barry | West Coast | Round of 48 | 8 Kansas State | L 64–60 |
| West | 10 | Pittsburgh | Roy Chipman | Eastern | Round of 32 | 2 North Carolina | L 74–57 |
| West | 11 | Northeastern | Jim Calhoun | ECAC North | Round of 32 | 3 Utah | L 94–69 |
| West | 12 | Howard | A.B. Williamson | MEAC | Round of 48 | 5 Wyoming | L 78–43 |

## Bracket

* – Denotes overtime period

### East region

| First round | First round | First round | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Regional semifinals | Regional semifinals | Regional semifinals | Regional Finals | Regional Finals | Regional Finals |
| 8 | Houston | 72 | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Villanova | 90 | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Villanova | 90 | 9 | Villanova | 50 | | | | | | |
| | | | 1 | Virginia | 54 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 1 | Virginia | 62 | | | |
| | | | | | | 4 | Tennessee | 48 | | | |
| | | | 4 | Tennessee | 58 | | | | | | |
| | | | 5 | VCU | 56* | | | | | | |
| 5 | VCU | 85 | 5 | VCU | 56* | | | | | | |
| 12 | Long Island | 69 | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Long Island | 69 | | | | | | | 1 | Virginia | 74 |
| | | | | | | | | | 6 | BYU | 60 |
| 6 | BYU | 60 | | | | | | | | | | 6 | BYU | 60 |
| 11 | Princeton | 51 | | | | | | | | | |
| 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 | 45 | | | | | | |
| 10 | James Madison | 61 | | | | | | | | | |

### West region

| First round | First round | First round | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Regional semifinals | Regional semifinals | Regional semifinals | Regional Finals | Regional Finals | Regional Finals |
| 8 | Kansas State | 64 | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | San Francisco | 60 | | | | | | | | | |
| 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 | 5 | Wyoming | 65 | | | | | | |
| 12 | Howard | 43 | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Howard | 43 | | | | | | | 8 | Kansas State | 68 |
| | | | | | | | | | 2 | North Carolina | 82 |
| 6 | Fresno State | 53 | | | | | | | | | | 2 | North Carolina | 82 |
| 11 | Northeastern | 55 | | | | | | | | | |
| 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 | 57 | | | | | | |
| 10 | Pittsburgh | 70 | | | | | | | | | |

### Mideast region

| First round | First round | First round | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Regional semifinals | Regional semifinals | Regional semifinals | Regional Finals | Regional Finals | Regional Finals |
| 8 | Creighton | 57 | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Saint Joseph's | 59 | | | | | | | | | |
| 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 | 5 | Boston College | 67 | | | | | | |
| 12 | Ball State | 90 | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Ball State | 90 | | | | | | | 9 | Saint Joseph's | 46 |
| | | | | | | | | | 3 | Indiana | 78 |
| 6 | Maryland | 81 | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Indiana | 78 |
| 11 | Chattanooga | 69 | | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | Chattanooga | 69 | 6 | Maryland | 64 | | | | | | |
| | | | 3 | Indiana | 99 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 3 | Indiana | 87 | | | |
| | | | | | | 7 | UAB | 72 | | | |
| | | | 2 | Kentucky | 62 | | | | | | |
| | | | 7 | UAB | 69 | | | | | | |
| 7 | UAB | 93 | 7 | UAB | 69 | | | | | | |
| 10 | Western Kentucky | 68 | | | | | | | | | |

### Midwest region

| First round | First round | First round | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Regional semifinals | Regional semifinals | Regional semifinals | Regional Finals | Regional Finals | Regional Finals |
| 8 | Lamar | 71 | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Missouri | 67 | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Missouri | 67 | 8 | Lamar | 78 | | | | | | |
| | | | 1 | LSU | 100 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 1 | LSU | 72 | | | |
| | | | | | | 5 | Arkansas | 56 | | | |
| | | | 4 | Louisville | 73 | | | | | | |
| | | | 5 | Arkansas | 74 | | | | | | |
| 5 | Arkansas | 73 | 5 | Arkansas | 74 | | | | | | |
| 12 | Mercer | 67 | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Mercer | 67 | | | | | | | 1 | LSU | 96 |
| | | | | | | | | | 6 | Wichita State | 85 |
| 6 | Wichita State | 95 | | | | | | | | | | 6 | Wichita State | 85 |
| 11 | Southern | 70 | | | | | | | | | |
| 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 | 7 | Kansas | 88 | | | | | | |
| 10 | Ole Miss | 66 | | | | | | | | | |

### Final Four

| National semifinals Saturday, March 28 | National semifinals Saturday, March 28 | National semifinals Saturday, March 28 | National Final Monday, March 30 | National Final Monday, March 30 | National Final Monday, March 30 |
| E1 | Virginia | 65 | | | |
| W2 | North Carolina | 78 | | | |
| W2 | North Carolina | 78 | W2 | North Carolina | 50 |
| | | | ME3 | Indiana | 63 |
| ME3 | Indiana | 67 | ME3 | Indiana | 63 |
| MW1 | LSU | 49 | National third-place game | National third-place game | National third-place game |
| | | | E1 | Virginia | 78 |
| | | | MW1 | LSU | 74 |