# 1981–82 NCAA Division I men's basketball season

The 1981–82 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 27, 1981, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 1982 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament championship game on March 29, 1982, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The North Carolina Tar Heels won their second NCAA national championship with a 63–62 victory over the Georgetown Hoyas.

## Season headlines

* Eastern Illinois, Illinois–Chicago, Loyola (MD), Marist, Maryland–Eastern Shore, Texas–San Antonio, U.S. International, Utica, Western Illinois, Wisconsin–Green Bay and Youngstown State began Division I play.
* The ECAC Metro Conference began play, with 11 original members. It was renamed the Northeast Conference in 1988.
* The ECAC South Conference began conference play, with 11 original members. Although it had been founded in 1979, its members had played as independents until this season, taking part in the Eastern College Athletic Conference's postseason South region tournament for independents. The ECAC South Conference was renamed the Colonial Athletic Association in 1985 and the Coastal Athletic Association in 2023.
* The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference began play, with six original members.
* Before a crowd of 7,300 people at Robertson Field House in Peoria, Illinois, on December 21, 1981, Cincinnati defeated Bradley 75–73 in seven overtimes in the longest game in NCAA Division I history.
* Texas Southern's Harry Kelly led the United States is scoring and had the highest single-game output with 51 points against Texas College.
* The NCAA tournament's national third-place game — which had pitted the two teams that lost in the semifinals against one another — was abolished. It had been part of the tournament from 1946 through 1981.
* The National Invitation Tournament's third-place game, in which the two teams that lost in the semifinals had played against one another, was abolished. It had been part of the NIT since the tournament was first held in 1938.
* For the first time CBS was awarded the television rights for the NCAA tournament.
* The selection show announcing the NCAA tournament bracket was televised live for the first time.
* Brent Musburger of CBS Sports became the first television sportscaster to refer to the NCAA tournament as "March Madness" on the air.
* John Thompson of Georgetown became the first African-American head coach to lead his team to the Final Four.
* Dean Smith won his first national championship as his North Carolina Tar Heels defeated the Georgetown Hoyas 63–62 in New Orleans, Louisiana. It was Smith's first win after three losses in the championship game – including losing the previous year to Indiana.
* Following the season, the University of San Francisco (USF) dropped its basketball program following a scandal involving All-American guard Quintin Dailey. In the process of pleading guilty to assaulting a female USF student, Dailey revealed that he had been paid $1000 per month by a Dons booster for a job he never showed up for. This, combined with other blemishes on the program, caused university president John Lo Schiavo to shut down the program. USF did not reinstate its basketball program until 1985.

## Major rule changes

Beginning in 1981–1982, the following rules changes were implemented:
* The jump ball was only used at the beginning of the game and at the start of each overtime. An alternating arrow was used to indicate possession in jump-ball situations during the game.
* All fouls charged to bench personnel were assessed to the head coach.
* To decrease stalling, two defensive players are required to enter the mid-court area and "continuously and aggressively" attempt to gain control of the ball.
* Causing a backboard to vibrate during a shot or tap is a technical foul.
* Purposely faking a free throw is a violation.
* During free throw attempts, the free throw shooter and any players not in a marked space around the lane are not allowed to enter the lane until the ball touches either the rim or backboard.
* "Break-away" rims, implemented by the NBA after the Darryl Dawkins backboard-shattering dunks, are now permitted.

## Season outlook
### Pre-season polls

The top 20 from the AP Poll during the pre-season.
Associated Press :
| Ranking | Team |
| 1 | North Carolina (25) |
| 2 | UCLA (20) |
| 3 | Kentucky (8) |
| 4 | Louisville (4) |
| 5 | Georgetown (2) |
| 6 | Wichita State |
| 7 | Virginia |
| 8 | DePaul |
| 9 | Iowa |
| 10 | Minnesota |
| 11 | Tulsa |
| 12 | Indiana (1) |
| 13 | Wake Forest |
| 14 | Alabama-Birmingham |
| 15 | Missouri |
| 16 | Georgia |
| 17 | Louisiana State |
| 18 | Arkansas (1) |
| 19 | Notre Dame |
| 20 | Alabama |
UPI Coaches :
| Ranking | Team |
| 1 | North Carolina |
| 2 | UCLA |
| 3 | Kentucky |
| 4 | Louisville |
| 5 | Georgetown |
| 6 | Virginia |
| 7 | Wichita State |
| 8 | Iowa |
| 9 | DePaul |
| 10 | Minnesota |
| 11 | Indiana |
| 12 | Tulsa |
| 13 | Georgia |
| 14 | Wake Forest |
| 15 | Missouri |
| 16 | San Francisco |
| 17 | Alabama-Birmingham |
| 18 | Louisiana State |
| 19 | Arkansas |
| 20 | UNLV |

## Conference membership changes

| School | Former conference | New conference |
| Army Cadets | Division I independent | Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference |
| Baltimore Super Bees | Division I independent | ECAC Metro Conference |
| Catholic Cardinals | Division I independent | Old Dominion Athletic Conference (Division III) |
| East Carolina Pirates | Division I independent | ECAC South Conference |
| Eastern Illinois Panthers | Division II | Division I independent |
| Fairfield Stags | Division I independent | Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference |
| Fairleigh Dickinson Knights | Division I independent | ECAC Metro Conference |
| Fordham Rams | Division I independent | Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference |
| George Mason Patriots | Division I independent | ECAC South Conference |
| Georgia State Panthers | Sun Belt Conference | Division I independent |
| Green Bay Phoenix | Division II | Division I independent |
| Illinois Chicago Flames | Non-Division I program | Division I independent |
| Illinois State Redbirds | Division I independent | Missouri Valley Conference |
| Iona Gaels | Division I independent | Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference |
| James Madison Dukes | Division I independent | ECAC South Conference |
| Long Island Blackbirds | Division I independent | ECAC Metro Conference |
| Loyola (Md.) Greyhounds | Non-major program | ECAC Metro Conference |
| Manhattan Jaspers | Division I independent | Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference |
| Marist Red Foxes | Big Apple Conference (Division II) | ECAC Metro Conference |
| Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks | Division II independent | Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference |
| Navy Midshipmen | Division I independent | ECAC South Conference |
| Old Dominion Monarchs | Division I independent | ECAC South Conference |
| Richmond Spiders | Division I independent | ECAC South Conference |
| Robert Morris Colonials | Division I independent | ECAC Metro Conference |
| St. Francis (N.Y.) Terriers | Division I independent | ECAC Metro Conference |
| St. Francis (Pa.) Red Flash | Division I independent | ECAC Metro Conference |
| Saint Peter's Peacocks | Division I independent | Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference |
| Siena Saints | Division I independent | ECAC Metro Conference |
| Texas–San Antonio Roadrunners | No program | Division I independent |
| Towson State Tigers | Division I independent | ECAC Metro Conference |
| U.S. International Gulls | Non-major program | Division I independent |
| Utica Pioneers | Non-major program | Division I independent |
| Wagner Seahawks | Division I independent | ECAC Metro Conference |
| Western Illinois Leathernecks | Division II | Division I independent |
| William & Mary Indians | Division I independent | ECAC South Conference |
| Youngstown State Penguins | Division II independent | Ohio Valley Conference |
NOTE: Although the ECAC South Conference was founded in 1979, its members played as independents until conference play began this season. Catholic University left the ECAC South Conference before conference play began.

## New arenas

Georgetown, which had used on-campus McDonough Gymnasium as its home court since the 1951–52 season, moved off campus to Capital Centre (later known as USAir Arena and USAirways Arena) in Landover, Maryland. Although they would continue to play occasional home games at McDonough Gymnasium, the Hoyas would use Capital Centre as their home court until early in the 1997–98 season. In its first game at Capital Centre, Georgetown defeated San Diego State 71–53 before a crowd of 8,302 on December 5, 1981.

## Regular season
### Conferences
#### Conference winners and tournaments

| Conference | Regular season winner | Conference player of the year | Conference tournament | Tournament venue (City) | Tournament winner |
| Atlantic Coast Conference | North Carolina & Virginia | Ralph Sampson, Virginia | 1982 ACC men's basketball tournament | Greensboro Coliseum (Greensboro, North Carolina) | North Carolina |
| Big East Conference | Villanova | Dan Callandrillo, Seton Hall | 1982 Big East men's basketball tournament | Hartford Civic Center (Hartford, Connecticut) | Georgetown |
| Big Eight Conference | Missouri | Ricky Frazier, Missouri | 1982 Big Eight Conference men's basketball tournament | Kemper Arena (Kansas City, Missouri) (Semifinals and Finals) | Missouri |
| Big Sky Conference | Idaho | Ken Owens, Idaho | 1982 Big Sky Conference men's basketball tournament | Kibbie Dome (Moscow, Idaho) | Idaho |
| Big Ten Conference | Minnesota | None Selected | no tournament | no tournament | no tournament |
| East Coast Conference | Temple (East) West Chester (West) | Granger Hall, Temple & Mark Nickens, American | 1982 East Coast Conference men's basketball tournament | The Palestra (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) | St. Joseph's |
| Eastern Athletic Association (Eastern 8) | West Virginia | Greg Jones, West Virginia | 1982 Eastern 8 men's basketball tournament | Civic Arena (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) | Pittsburgh |
| ECAC Metro | Fairleigh Dickinson (North) Robert Morris (South) | Not awarded | 1982 ECAC Metro men's basketball tournament | Campus sites; final held at Schwartz Athletic Center (Brooklyn, New York) | Robert Morris |
| ECAC North | Northeastern | Perry Moss, Northeastern | 1982 ECAC North men's basketball tournament | Matthews Arena (Boston, Massachusetts) | Northeastern |
| ECAC South | James Madison | Not awarded | 1982 ECAC South men's basketball tournament | Norfolk Scope (Norfolk, Virginia) | Old Dominion |
| Ivy League | Penn | Paul Little, Penn & Craig Robinson, Princeton | no tournament | no tournament | no tournament |
| Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference | St. Peter's | William Brown, St. Peter's | 1982 MAAC men's basketball tournament | Meadowlands Arena (East Rutherford, New Jersey) | Iona |
| Metro Conference | Memphis State | Keith Lee, Memphis State | 1982 Metro Conference men's basketball tournament | Mid-South Coliseum (Memphis, Tennessee) | Memphis State |
| Mid-American Conference | Ball State | Mel McLaughlin, Central Michigan | 1982 MAC men's basketball tournament | Crisler Arena (Ann Arbor, Michigan) | Northern Illinois |
| Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference | North Carolina A&T | Joe Binion, North Carolina A&T | 1982 MEAC men's basketball tournament | Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum (Winston-Salem, North Carolina) | North Carolina A&T |
| Midwestern City Conference | Evansville | Wayne Sappleton, Loyola (Chicago) | 1982 Midwestern City Conference men's basketball tournament | Mabee Center (Tulsa, Oklahoma) | Evansville |
| Missouri Valley Conference | Bradley | Paul Pressey, Tulsa | 1982 Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball tournament | Tulsa Convention Center (Tulsa, Oklahoma) | Tulsa |
| Ohio Valley Conference | Murray State & Western Kentucky | Jerry Beck, Middle Tennessee State | 1982 Ohio Valley Conference men's basketball tournament | E. A. Diddle Arena (Bowling Green, Kentucky) | Middle Tennessee State |
| Pacific-10 Conference | Oregon State | Lester Conner, Oregon State | no tournament | no tournament | no tournament |
| Pacific Coast Athletic Association | Fresno State | Kevin Magee, UC Irvine | 1981 Pacific Coast Athletic Association men's basketball tournament | Anaheim Convention Center (Anaheim, California) | Fresno State |
| Southeastern Conference | Kentucky & Tennessee | Dale Ellis, Tennessee | 1982 SEC men's basketball tournament | Rupp Arena (Lexington, Kentucky) | Alabama |
| Southern Conference | Tennessee-Chattanooga | Willie White, Tennessee-Chattanooga | 1982 Southern Conference men's basketball tournament | Charleston Civic Center (Charleston, West Virginia) | Tennessee-Chattanooga |
| Southland Conference | Southwestern Louisiana | Albert Culton, Texas-Arlington | 1982 Southland Conference men's basketball tournament | Blackham Coliseum (Lafayette, Louisiana) | Southwestern Louisiana |
| Southwest Conference | Arkansas | Ricky Pierce, Rice | 1982 Southwest Conference men's basketball tournament | Reunion Arena (Dallas, Texas) | Arkansas |
| Southwestern Athletic Conference | Alcorn State & Jackson State | Harry Kelly, Texas Southern | 1982 SWAC men's basketball tournament | | Alcorn State |
| Sun Belt Conference | UAB | Oliver Robinson, UAB | 1982 Sun Belt Conference men's basketball tournament | Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex (Birmingham, Alabama) | UAB |
| Trans America Athletic Conference | Arkansas-Little Rock | Willie Jackson, Centenary | 1982 TAAC men's basketball tournament | Ewing Coliseum (Monroe, Louisiana) | Northeast Louisiana Louisiana |
| West Coast Athletic Conference | Pepperdine | Quintin Dailey, San Francisco | no tournament | no tournament | no tournament |
| Western Athletic Conference | Wyoming | Bill Garnett, Wyoming | no tournament | no tournament | no tournament |

#### Conference standings

Atlantic Coast Conference :
| | Conf | Conf | Conf | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| Team | W | L | Pct | W | L | Pct |
| No. 1 North Carolina | 12 | 2 | .857 | 32 | 2 | .941 |
| No. 3 Virginia | 12 | 2 | .857 | 30 | 4 | .882 |
| No. 18 Wake Forest | 9 | 5 | .643 | 21 | 9 | .700 |
| North Carolina State | 7 | 7 | .500 | 22 | 10 | .688 |
| Maryland | 5 | 9 | .357 | 16 | 13 | .552 |
| Clemson | 4 | 10 | .286 | 14 | 14 | .500 |
| Duke | 4 | 10 | .286 | 10 | 17 | .370 |
| Georgia Tech | 3 | 11 | .214 | 10 | 16 | .385 |
Big East Conference :
| | Conf | Conf | Conf | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| Team | W | L | Pct | W | L | Pct |
| Villanova | 11 | 3 | .786 | 24 | 8 | .750 |
| No. 6 Georgetown | 10 | 4 | .714 | 30 | 7 | .811 |
| St. John's | 9 | 5 | .643 | 21 | 9 | .700 |
| Boston College | 8 | 6 | .571 | 22 | 10 | .688 |
| Connecticut | 7 | 7 | .500 | 17 | 11 | .607 |
| Syracuse | 7 | 7 | .500 | 16 | 13 | .552 |
| Seton Hall | 2 | 12 | .143 | 11 | 16 | .407 |
| Providence | 2 | 12 | .143 | 10 | 17 | .370 |
Big Eight Conference :
| | Conf | Conf | Conf | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| Team | W | L | Pct | W | L | Pct |
| No. 5 Missouri | 12 | 2 | .857 | 27 | 4 | .871 |
| Kansas State | 10 | 4 | .714 | 23 | 8 | .742 |
| Oklahoma | 8 | 6 | .571 | 22 | 11 | .667 |
| Nebraska | 7 | 7 | .500 | 16 | 12 | .571 |
| Oklahoma State | 7 | 7 | .500 | 15 | 12 | .556 |
| Iowa State | 5 | 9 | .357 | 10 | 17 | .370 |
| Kansas | 4 | 10 | .286 | 13 | 14 | .481 |
| Colorado | 3 | 11 | .214 | 11 | 16 | .407 |
Big Sky Conference :
| | Conf | Conf | Conf | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| Team | W | L | Pct | W | L | Pct |
| No. 8 Idaho | 13 | 1 | .929 | 27 | 3 | .900 |
| Montana | 10 | 4 | .714 | 17 | 10 | .630 |
| Nevada-Reno | 9 | 5 | .643 | 19 | 9 | .679 |
| Weber State | 6 | 8 | .429 | 15 | 13 | .536 |
| Boise State | 6 | 8 | .429 | 12 | 14 | .462 |
| Idaho State | 5 | 9 | .357 | 14 | 12 | .538 |
| Montana State | 5 | 9 | .357 | 11 | 18 | .379 |
| Northern Arizona | 2 | 12 | .143 | 6 | 20 | .231 |
Big Ten Conference :
| | Conf | Conf | Conf | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| Team | W | L | Pct | W | L | Pct |
| No. 7 Minnesota | 14 | 4 | .778 | 23 | 6 | .793 |
| No. 16 Iowa | 12 | 6 | .667 | 21 | 8 | .724 |
| Ohio State | 12 | 6 | .667 | 21 | 10 | .677 |
| Indiana | 12 | 6 | .667 | 19 | 10 | .655 |
| Purdue | 11 | 7 | .611 | 18 | 14 | .563 |
| Illinois | 10 | 8 | .556 | 18 | 11 | .621 |
| Michigan State | 7 | 11 | .389 | 11 | 17 | .393 |
| Michigan | 7 | 11 | .389 | 7 | 20 | .259 |
| Northwestern | 5 | 13 | .278 | 8 | 19 | .296 |
| Wisconsin | 3 | 15 | .167 | 6 | 21 | .222 |
East Coast Conference :
| | Conf | Conf | Conf | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| Team | W | L | Pct | W | L | Pct |
| East |||||||
| Temple | 11 | 0 | 1.000 | 19 | 8 | .704 |
| Saint Joseph's | 10 | 1 | .909 | 25 | 5 | .833 |
| American | 8 | 3 | .727 | 21 | 9 | .700 |
| Drexel | 7 | 4 | .636 | 19 | 11 | .633 |
| La Salle | 7 | 4 | .636 | 16 | 13 | .552 |
| Hofstra | 4 | 7 | .364 | 12 | 16 | .429 |
| West |||||||
| West Chester | 8 | 8 | .500 | 13 | 14 | .481 |
| Lafayette | 7 | 9 | .438 | 12 | 15 | .444 |
| Rider | 7 | 9 | .438 | 11 | 16 | .407 |
| Delaware | 6 | 10 | .375 | 9 | 17 | .346 |
| Lehigh | 3 | 13 | .188 | 9 | 17 | .346 |
| Bucknell | 3 | 13 | .188 | 7 | 20 | .259 |
ECAC Metro Conference :
| | Conf | Conf | Conf | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| Team | W | L | Pct | W | L | Pct |
| North |||||||
| Fairleigh Dickinson | 12 | 3 | .800 | 16 | 11 | .593 |
| Long Island | 11 | 4 | .733 | 20 | 10 | .667 |
| Siena | 8 | 7 | .533 | 15 | 13 | .536 |
| St. Francis (NY) | 8 | 7 | .533 | 10 | 17 | .370 |
| Marist | 6 | 9 | .400 | 12 | 14 | .462 |
| Wagner | 1 | 14 | .067 | 4 | 22 | .154 |
| South |||||||
| Robert Morris | 9 | 5 | .643 | 17 | 13 | .567 |
| Baltimore | 8 | 6 | .571 | 15 | 13 | .536 |
| Loyola (MD) | 7 | 7 | .500 | 11 | 16 | .407 |
| Towson State | 7 | 7 | .500 | 10 | 17 | .370 |
| Saint Francis (PA) | 3 | 11 | .214 | 6 | 20 | .231 |
ECAC North Conference :
| | Conf | Conf | Conf | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| Team | W | L | Pct | W | L | Pct |
| Northeastern | 8 | 1 | .889 | 23 | 7 | .767 |
| Canisius | 7 | 2 | .778 | 19 | 8 | .704 |
| Niagara | 7 | 2 | .778 | 19 | 10 | .655 |
| Boston University | 6 | 2 | .750 | 19 | 9 | .679 |
| Holy Cross | 4 | 4 | .500 | 16 | 11 | .593 |
| Maine | 3 | 7 | .300 | 7 | 19 | .269 |
| Vermont | 2 | 8 | .200 | 10 | 16 | .385 |
| Colgate | 2 | 8 | .200 | 8 | 17 | .320 |
| New Hampshire | 2 | 9 | .182 | 9 | 18 | .333 |
ECAC South Conference :
| | Conf | Conf | Conf | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| Team | W | L | Pct | W | L | Pct |
| James Madison | 10 | 1 | .909 | 24 | 6 | .800 |
| Richmond | 6 | 4 | .600 | 18 | 11 | .621 |
| Old Dominion | 5 | 4 | .556 | 18 | 12 | .600 |
| William & Mary | 6 | 5 | .545 | 16 | 12 | .556 |
| Navy | 2 | 4 | .333 | 12 | 14 | .462 |
| George Mason | 2 | 6 | .250 | 13 | 14 | .481 |
| East Carolina | 2 | 8 | .200 | 10 | 17 | .370 |
Eastern Athletic Association :
| | Conf | Conf | Conf | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| Team | W | L | Pct | W | L | Pct |
| No. 14 West Virginia | 13 | 1 | .929 | 27 | 4 | .871 |
| Rutgers | 9 | 5 | .643 | 20 | 10 | .667 |
| Pittsburgh | 8 | 6 | .571 | 20 | 10 | .667 |
| St. Bonaventure | 7 | 7 | .500 | 14 | 14 | .500 |
| George Washington | 7 | 7 | .500 | 13 | 14 | .481 |
| Duquesne | 5 | 9 | .357 | 11 | 16 | .407 |
| Rhode Island | 4 | 10 | .286 | 10 | 17 | .370 |
| Massachusetts | 3 | 11 | .214 | 7 | 20 | .259 |
Ivy League :
| | Conf | Conf | Conf | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| Team | W | L | Pct | W | L | Pct |
| Penn | 12 | 2 | .857 | 17 | 10 | .630 |
| Columbia | 9 | 5 | .643 | 16 | 10 | .615 |
| Princeton | 9 | 5 | .643 | 13 | 13 | .500 |
| Yale | 7 | 7 | .500 | 13 | 13 | .500 |
| Cornell | 7 | 7 | .500 | 10 | 16 | .385 |
| Harvard | 6 | 8 | .429 | 11 | 15 | .423 |
| Brown | 5 | 9 | .357 | 5 | 21 | .192 |
| Dartmouth | 1 | 13 | .071 | 7 | 19 | .269 |
Metro Conference :
| | Conf | Conf | Conf | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| Team | W | L | Pct | W | L | Pct |
| No. 9 Memphis State | 10 | 2 | .833 | 24 | 5 | .828 |
| No. 20 Louisville | 8 | 4 | .667 | 23 | 10 | .697 |
| Tulane | 8 | 4 | .667 | 19 | 9 | .679 |
| Virginia Tech | 7 | 5 | .583 | 20 | 11 | .645 |
| Cincinnati | 4 | 8 | .333 | 15 | 12 | .556 |
| Florida State | 4 | 8 | .333 | 11 | 17 | .393 |
| Saint Louis | 1 | 11 | .083 | 6 | 21 | .222 |
Metro Atlantic Conference :
| | Conf | Conf | Conf | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| Team | W | L | Pct | W | L | Pct |
| Saint Peter's | 9 | 1 | .900 | 20 | 9 | .828 |
| Fordham | 8 | 2 | .800 | 18 | 11 | .621 |
| Iona | 7 | 3 | .700 | 24 | 9 | .727 |
| Manhattan | 3 | 7 | .300 | 11 | 16 | .407 |
| Fairfield | 3 | 7 | .300 | 11 | 18 | .379 |
| Army | 0 | 10 | .000 | 6 | 21 | .222 |
Mid-American Conference :
| | Conf | Conf | Conf | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| Team | W | L | Pct | W | L | Pct |
| Ball State | 12 | 4 | .750 | 17 | 11 | .607 |
| Bowling Green | 10 | 6 | .625 | 18 | 11 | .621 |
| Northern Illinois | 9 | 7 | .563 | 16 | 14 | .533 |
| Eastern Michigan | 8 | 8 | .500 | 15 | 12 | .556 |
| Western Michigan | 8 | 8 | .500 | 15 | 14 | .517 |
| Ohio | 8 | 8 | .500 | 13 | 14 | .481 |
| Miami (OH) | 8 | 8 | .500 | 11 | 16 | .407 |
| Toledo | 7 | 9 | .438 | 15 | 11 | .577 |
| Kent State | 6 | 10 | .375 | 10 | 16 | .385 |
| Central Michigan | 4 | 12 | .250 | 10 | 16 | .385 |
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference :
| | Conf | Conf | Conf | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| Team | W | L | Pct | W | L | Pct |
| North Carolina A&T | 10 | 2 | .833 | 19 | 9 | .679 |
| Howard | 9 | 3 | .750 | 17 | 11 | .607 |
| South Carolina State | 7 | 5 | .583 | 10 | 15 | .400 |
| Florida A&M | 5 | 7 | .417 | 10 | 17 | .370 |
| Delaware State | 4 | 8 | .333 | 13 | 13 | .500 |
| Bethune-Cookman | 4 | 8 | .333 | 10 | 18 | .357 |
| Maryland-Eastern Shore | 3 | 9 | .250 | 6 | 20 | .231 |
Midwestern City Conference :
| | Conf | Conf | Conf | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| Team | W | L | Pct | W | L | Pct |
| Evansville | 10 | 2 | .833 | 23 | 6 | .793 |
| Oral Roberts | 8 | 4 | .667 | 18 | 12 | .600 |
| Loyola-Chicago | 8 | 4 | .667 | 17 | 12 | .586 |
| Oklahoma City | 6 | 6 | .500 | 14 | 14 | .500 |
| Detroit | 6 | 6 | .500 | 10 | 17 | .370 |
| Butler | 3 | 9 | .250 | 7 | 20 | .259 |
| Xavier | 1 | 11 | .083 | 8 | 20 | .286 |
Missouri Valley Conference :
| | Conf | Conf | Conf | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| Team | W | L | Pct | W | L | Pct |
| Bradley | 13 | 3 | .813 | 26 | 10 | .722 |
| No. 10 Tulsa | 12 | 4 | .750 | 24 | 6 | .800 |
| Wichita State | 12 | 4 | .750 | 23 | 6 | .793 |
| New Mexico State | 10 | 6 | .625 | 17 | 11 | .607 |
| Illinois State | 9 | 7 | .563 | 17 | 12 | .586 |
| Drake | 7 | 9 | .438 | 12 | 15 | .444 |
| Southern Illinois | 7 | 9 | .438 | 11 | 16 | .407 |
| Creighton | 4 | 12 | .250 | 7 | 20 | .259 |
| West Texas State | 3 | 13 | .188 | 11 | 15 | .423 |
| Indiana State | 2 | 14 | .125 | 9 | 18 | .333 |
Ohio Valley Conference :
| | Conf | Conf | Conf | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| Team | W | L | Pct | W | L | Pct |
| Murray State | 13 | 3 | .813 | 20 | 8 | .714 |
| Western Kentucky | 13 | 3 | .813 | 19 | 10 | .655 |
| Middle Tennessee State | 12 | 4 | .750 | 22 | 8 | .733 |
| Morehead State | 11 | 5 | .688 | 17 | 10 | .630 |
| Tennessee Tech | 8 | 8 | .500 | 12 | 14 | .462 |
| Youngstown State | 5 | 11 | .313 | 8 | 18 | .308 |
| Austin Peay | 4 | 12 | .250 | 6 | 20 | .231 |
| Akron | 3 | 13 | .188 | 7 | 19 | .269 |
| Eastern Kentucky | 3 | 13 | .188 | 5 | 21 | .192 |
Pacific Coast Athletic Association :
| | Conf | Conf | Conf | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| Team | W | L | Pct | W | L | Pct |
| No. 11 Fresno State | 13 | 1 | .929 | 27 | 3 | .900 |
| UC Irvine | 10 | 4 | .714 | 23 | 7 | .767 |
| Cal State Fullerton | 9 | 5 | .643 | 18 | 14 | .563 |
| San Jose State | 7 | 7 | .500 | 13 | 13 | .500 |
| Long Beach State | 7 | 7 | .500 | 12 | 16 | .429 |
| UC Santa Barbara | 5 | 9 | .357 | 10 | 16 | .385 |
| Pacific | 3 | 11 | .214 | 7 | 20 | .259 |
| Utah State | 2 | 12 | .143 | 4 | 23 | .148 |
| UNLV | – | – | – | 20 | 10 | .667 |
Pacific-10 Conference :
| | Conf | Conf | Conf | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| Team | W | L | Pct | W | L | Pct |
| No. 4 Oregon State | 16 | 2 | .889 | 25 | 5 | .833 |
| No. 19 UCLA | 14 | 4 | .778 | 21 | 6 | .778 |
| Southern California | 13 | 5 | .722 | 19 | 9 | .679 |
| Washington | 11 | 7 | .611 | 19 | 10 | .655 |
| Washington State | 10 | 8 | .556 | 16 | 14 | .533 |
| California | 8 | 10 | .444 | 14 | 13 | .519 |
| Arizona State | 8 | 10 | .444 | 13 | 14 | .481 |
| Arizona | 4 | 14 | .222 | 9 | 18 | .333 |
| Oregon | 4 | 14 | .222 | 9 | 18 | .333 |
| Stanford | 2 | 16 | .111 | 7 | 20 | .259 |
Southeastern Conference :
| | Conf | Conf | Conf | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| Team | W | L | Pct | W | L | Pct |
| No. 15 Kentucky | 13 | 5 | .722 | 22 | 8 | .733 |
| Tennessee | 13 | 5 | .722 | 20 | 10 | .667 |
| No. 13 Alabama | 12 | 6 | .667 | 24 | 7 | .774 |
| Mississippi | 11 | 7 | .611 | 18 | 12 | .600 |
| LSU | 11 | 7 | .611 | 14 | 14 | .500 |
| Georgia | 10 | 8 | .556 | 19 | 12 | .613 |
| Vanderbilt | 7 | 11 | .389 | 15 | 13 | .536 |
| Auburn | 7 | 11 | .389 | 14 | 14 | .500 |
| Mississippi State | 4 | 14 | .222 | 8 | 19 | .296 |
| Florida | 2 | 16 | .111 | 5 | 22 | .185 |
Southern Conference :
| | Conf | Conf | Conf | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| Team | W | L | Pct | W | L | Pct |
| Tennessee-Chattanooga | 15 | 1 | .938 | 27 | 4 | .871 |
| Western Carolina | 11 | 5 | .688 | 19 | 8 | .704 |
| Davidson | 9 | 7 | .563 | 14 | 15 | .483 |
| Marshall | 8 | 8 | .500 | 16 | 11 | .593 |
| East Tennessee State | 8 | 8 | .500 | 13 | 15 | .464 |
| The Citadel | 7 | 9 | .438 | 14 | 14 | .500 |
| Furman | 7 | 9 | .438 | 11 | 16 | .407 |
| Appalachian State | 6 | 10 | .375 | 11 | 15 | .423 |
| VMI | 1 | 15 | .063 | 1 | 25 | .038 |
Southland Conference :
| | Conf | Conf | Conf | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| Team | W | L | Pct | W | L | Pct |
| Southwest Louisiana | 8 | 2 | .800 | 24 | 8 | .750 |
| Lamar | 7 | 3 | .700 | 22 | 7 | .759 |
| Texas-Arlington | 6 | 4 | .600 | 16 | 12 | .571 |
| McNeese State | 4 | 6 | .400 | 14 | 15 | .483 |
| Arkansas State | 3 | 7 | .300 | 15 | 11 | .577 |
| Louisiana Tech | 2 | 8 | .200 | 11 | 16 | .407 |
| North Texas State | - | - | - | 15 | 12 | .556 |
Southwest Conference :
| | Conf | Conf | Conf | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| Team | W | L | Pct | W | L | Pct |
| No. 12 Arkansas | 12 | 4 | .750 | 23 | 6 | .793 |
| Houston | 11 | 5 | .688 | 25 | 8 | .758 |
| Texas A&M | 10 | 6 | .625 | 20 | 11 | .645 |
| Baylor | 9 | 7 | .563 | 17 | 11 | .607 |
| Texas Christian | 9 | 7 | .563 | 16 | 13 | .552 |
| Texas Tech | 8 | 8 | .500 | 17 | 11 | .607 |
| Texas | 6 | 10 | .375 | 16 | 11 | .593 |
| Rice | 6 | 10 | .375 | 15 | 15 | .500 |
| SMU | 1 | 15 | .063 | 6 | 21 | .222 |
Southwestern Athletic Conference :
| | Conf | Conf | Conf | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| Team | W | L | Pct | W | L | Pct |
| Alcorn State | 10 | 2 | .833 | 22 | 8 | .733 |
| Jackson State | 10 | 2 | .833 | 19 | 9 | .679 |
| Texas Southern | 8 | 4 | .667 | 21 | 8 | .724 |
| Grambling | 8 | 4 | .667 | 12 | 17 | .414 |
| Mississippi Valley State | 4 | 8 | .333 | 6 | 20 | .231 |
| Southern | 3 | 9 | .250 | 7 | 18 | .280 |
| Prairie View A&M | 1 | 11 | .083 | 2 | 23 | .080 |
Sun Belt Conference :
| | Conf | Conf | Conf | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| Team | W | L | Pct | W | L | Pct |
| No. 17 UAB | 9 | 1 | .900 | 25 | 6 | .806 |
| VCU | 7 | 3 | .700 | 17 | 11 | .607 |
| Jacksonville | 5 | 5 | .500 | 14 | 13 | .519 |
| South Florida | 4 | 6 | .400 | 17 | 11 | .607 |
| UNC Charlotte | 3 | 7 | .300 | 15 | 12 | .556 |
| South Alabama | 2 | 8 | .200 | 12 | 16 | .429 |
Trans America Athletic Conference :
| | Conf | Conf | Conf | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| Team | W | L | Pct | W | L | Pct |
| Arkansas-Little Rock | 12 | 4 | .750 | 19 | 8 | .704 |
| Northwestern State | 10 | 6 | .625 | 19 | 9 | .679 |
| Northeast Louisiana | 9 | 7 | .563 | 19 | 11 | .633 |
| Centenary | 9 | 7 | .563 | 17 | 12 | .586 |
| Mercer | 8 | 8 | .500 | 16 | 11 | .593 |
| Georgia Southern | 8 | 8 | .500 | 14 | 13 | .519 |
| Houston Baptist | 8 | 8 | .500 | 13 | 14 | .481 |
| Samford | 6 | 10 | .375 | 11 | 15 | .423 |
| Hardin–Simmons | 2 | 14 | .125 | 6 | 20 | .231 |
West Coast Athletic Conference :
| | Conf | Conf | Conf | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| Team | W | L | Pct | W | L | Pct |
| Pepperdine | 14 | 0 | 1.000 | 22 | 7 | .759 |
| San Francisco | 11 | 3 | .786 | 25 | 6 | .806 |
| Portland | 9 | 5 | .643 | 17 | 10 | .630 |
| Santa Clara | 7 | 7 | .500 | 16 | 11 | .593 |
| Gonzaga | 7 | 7 | .500 | 15 | 12 | .556 |
| San Diego | 4 | 10 | .286 | 11 | 15 | .423 |
| Saint Mary's | 3 | 11 | .214 | 11 | 16 | .407 |
| Loyola-Marymount | 1 | 13 | .071 | 3 | 24 | .111 |
Western Athletic Conference :
| | Conf | Conf | Conf | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| Team | W | L | Pct | W | L | Pct |
| Wyoming | 14 | 2 | .875 | 23 | 7 | .767 |
| UTEP | 11 | 5 | .688 | 20 | 8 | .714 |
| San Diego State | 11 | 5 | .688 | 20 | 9 | .690 |
| Hawaii | 9 | 7 | .563 | 17 | 10 | .630 |
| BYU | 9 | 7 | .563 | 17 | 13 | .567 |
| New Mexico | 7 | 9 | .438 | 14 | 14 | .500 |
| Utah | 6 | 10 | .375 | 11 | 17 | .393 |
| Air Force | 3 | 13 | .188 | 8 | 19 | .296 |
| Colorado State | 2 | 14 | .125 | 8 | 19 | .296 |

##### Conference standings key

Team won the conference tournament and the automatic bid to the NCAA tournament :
* Conference did not have conference tournament, so team received an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament for finishing in first ||||||
* Team received at-large bid to NCAA tournament ||||||
* Rankings from AP Poll.

### Division I independents

A total of 28 college teams played as Division I independents. Among them, DePaul (26–2) had both the best winning percentage (.929) and the most wins.
Division I Independents :
| Team | W | L | Pct |
| No. 2 DePaul | 26 | 2 | .929 |
| Marquette | 23 | 9 | .719 |
| Dayton | 21 | 9 | .700 |
| New Orleans | 18 | 8 | .692 |
| Cleveland State | 17 | 10 | .630 |
| Southeastern Louisiana | 16 | 11 | .593 |
| Southern Mississippi | 15 | 11 | .577 |
| Penn State | 15 | 12 | .556 |
| Tennessee State | 13 | 12 | .520 |
| Eastern Illinois | 14 | 13 | .519 |
| Illinois-Chicago | 14 | 13 | .519 |
| Western Illinois | 14 | 13 | .519 |
| Wisconsin-Green Bay | 14 | 13 | .519 |
| Baptist | 13 | 13 | .500 |
| South Carolina | 14 | 15 | .483 |
| UNC Wilmington | 13 | 14 | .481 |
| Northern Iowa | 12 | 15 | .444 |
| Stetson | 12 | 15 | .444 |
| Campbell | 11 | 16 | .407 |
| East Carolina | 10 | 17 | .370 |
| Notre Dame | 10 | 17 | .370 |
| US International | 9 | 18 | .333 |
| Valparaiso | 9 | 18 | .333 |
| Texas-San Antonio | 8 | 19 | .296 |
| Nicholls State | 6 | 20 | .231 |
| Texas-Pan American | 5 | 20 | .200 |
| Utica | 4 | 22 | .154 |
| Georgia State | 4 | 23 | .148 |

#### Independents key

Team received at-large bid to NCAA tournament :
* Rankings from AP Poll.

### Informal championships

| Conference | Regular season winner | Most Valuable Player |
| Philadelphia Big 5 | Saint Joseph's & Temple | Jeffery Clark, Saint Joseph's, & John Pinone, Villanova |
Saint Joseph's and Temple both finished with records of 3–1 in head-to-head competition among the Philadelphia Big 5.

### Statistical leaders

| Points per game | Points per game | Points per game | Rebounds per game | Rebounds per game | Rebounds per game | Field-goal percentage | Field-goal percentage | Field-goal percentage | Free-throw percentage | Free-throw percentage | Free-throw percentage |
| Player | School | PPG | Player | School | RPG | Player | School | FG% | Player | School | FT% |
| Harry Kelly | TX Southern | 29.7 | LaSalle Thompson | Texas | 13.5 | Mark McNamara | California | 70.2 | Rod Foster | UCLA | 95.0 |
| Ricky Pierce | Rice | 26.8 | Wayne Sappleton | Loyola (IL) | 13.0 | Dale Ellis | Tennessee | 65.4 | Jack Moore | Nebraska | 93.9 |
| Dan Callandrillo | Seton Hall | 25.9 | Darren Tillis | Cleveland St. | 12.8 | Orlando Phillips | Pepperdine | 64.6 | Joe Dykstra | W. Illinois | 91.3 |
| Kevin Magee | UC Irvine | 25.2 | Mark McNamara | California | 12.6 | Albert Culton | TX-Arlington | 64.3 | Byron Williams | Idaho St. | 89.7 |
| Quintin Dailey | San Francisco | 25.2 | Riley Clarida | LIU | 12.3 | Kevin Magee | UC Irvine | 64.2 | Jim Master | Kentucky | 89.6 |

## Postseason tournaments
### NCAA tournament

North Carolina freshman Michael Jordan hit the game-winning shot as Dean Smith won his first national championship after many near-misses over his career, defeating the Georgetown Hoyas 63–62 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans. Fred Brown's errant pass to James Worthy in the closing seconds sealed the game, which featured star freshmen Jordan and the Hoyas' Patrick Ewing. Worthy was named Final Four Most Outstanding Player.

#### Final Four – Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans

| National semifinals | National semifinals | National semifinals | National championship game | National championship game | National championship game |
| E1 | North Carolina | 68 | | | |
| MW6 | Houston | 63 | | | |
| MW6 | Houston | 63 | E1 | North Carolina | 63 |
| | | | W1 | Georgetown | 62 |
| ME3 | Louisville | 46 | W1 | Georgetown | 62 |
| W1 | Georgetown | 50 | | | |

### National Invitation tournament

The Bradley Braves, led by coach Dick Versace, defeated the Purdue Boilermakers 67–58 to win their fourth National Invitation tournament, tying them with St. John's for the most NIT championships (St. John's has since won two additional titles). Bradley's Mitchell Anderson was named NIT Most Valuable Player.

#### NIT Semifinals and Final

Played at Madison Square Garden in New York City
| Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final |
| Oklahoma | 68 | | |
| Bradley | 84 | | |
| Bradley | 84 | Bradley | 67 |
| | | Purdue | 58 |
| Georgia | 60 | Purdue | 58 |
| Purdue | 61 | | |

## Awards
### Consensus All-American teams

Consensus First Team :
| Player | Position | Class | Team |
| Terry Cummings | F | Junior | DePaul |
| Quintin Dailey | G | Junior | San Francisco |
| Eric Floyd | G | Senior | Georgetown |
| Ralph Sampson | C | Junior | Virginia |
| James Worthy | F | Junior | North Carolina |
Consensus Second Team :
| Player | Position | Class | Team |
| Dale Ellis | F | Junior | Tennessee |
| Kevin Magee | F | Senior | UC Irvine |
| John Paxson | G | Junior | Notre Dame |
| Sam Perkins | F/C | Sophomore | North Carolina |
| Paul Pressey | F/G | Senior | Tulsa |

### Major player of the year awards

* Wooden Award: Ralph Sampson, Virginia
* Naismith Award: Ralph Sampson, Virginia
* Helms Player of the Year: Ralph Sampson, Virginia, & James Worthy, North Carolina
* Associated Press Player of the Year: Ralph Sampson, Virginia
* UPI Player of the Year: Ralph Sampson, Virginia
* NABC Player of the Year: Ralph Sampson, Virginia
* Oscar Robertson Trophy (USBWA): Ralph Sampson, Virginia
* Adolph Rupp Trophy: Ralph Sampson, Virginia
* Sporting News Player of the Year: Ralph Sampson, Virginia

### Major coach of the year awards

* Associated Press Coach of the Year: Ralph Miller, Oregon State
* Henry Iba Award (USBWA): John Thompson, Georgetown
* NABC Coach of the Year: Don Monson, Idaho
* UPI Coach of the Year: Norm Stewart, Missouri
* CBS/Chevrolet Coach of the Year: Gene Keady, Purdue
* Sporting News Coach of the Year: Ralph Miller, Oregon State

### Other major awards

* Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award (Best player under 6'0): Jack Moore, Nebraska
* Robert V. Geasey Trophy (Top player in Philadelphia Big 5): Jeffery Clark, St. Joseph's & John Pinone, Villanova
* NIT/Haggerty Award (Top player in New York City metro area): Dan Callandrillo, Seton Hall

## Coaching changes

A number of teams changed coaches throughout the season and after the season ended.
| Team | Former Coach | Interim Coach | New Coach | Reason |
| American | Gary Williams | | Ed Tapscott | |
| Arizona | Fred Snowden | | Ben Lindsey | Snowden announced his resignation, effective at the end of the season, on January 8, 1982. |
| Arizona State | Ned Wulk | | Bob Weinhauer | |
| Army | Pete Gaudet | | Les Wothke | Gaudet took an assistant coaching position at Duke under his predecessor at Army, Mike Krzyzewski. |
| Ball State | Steve Yoder | | Al Brown | |
| Boston College | Tom Davis | | Gary Williams | When Dr. Tom Davis left BC, the Eagles replaced him with former Davis assistant Gary Williams. |
| Colgate | Mike Griffin | | Tony Relvas | |
| Detroit | Willie McCarter | | Don Sicko | |
| Duquesne | Mike Rice | | Jim Satalin | |
| East Carolina | Dave Odom | | Charlie Harrison | |
| East Tennessee State | Jim Hallahan | | Barry Dowd | |
| Furman | Eddie Holbrook | | Jene Davis | |
| Idaho State | Lynn Archibald | | Wayne Ballard | |
| Indiana State | Bill Hodges | | Dave Schellhase | |
| Kent State | Ed Douma | | Jim McDonald | |
| Loyola (MD) | Bill Burke | | Mark Amatucci | |
| Mississippi | Bob Weltlich | | Lee Hunt | |
| Mississippi Valley State | Pop Gaines | | Jerry Lewis | |
| Pacific | Dick Fichtner | | Tom O'Neill | |
| Penn | Bob Weinhauer | | Craig Littlepage | |
| Prairie View A&M | Calvin White | | Jim Duplantier | |
| St. Bonaventure | Jim Satalin | | Jim O'Brien | |
| Saint Louis | Ron Ekker | | Rich Grawer | |
| Seton Hall | Bill Raftery | Hoddy Mahon | P. J. Carlesimo | After Raftery unexpectedly quit in November, long-time assistant Mahon was tapped as interim coach. After the season, Seton Hall hired Wagner's Carlesimo. Raftery never coached again, instead embarking on a long and highly successful career as a television analyst. |
| Siena | William Kirsch | | John Griffin | |
| Stanford | Dick DiBiaso | | Tom Davis | |
| Temple | Don Casey | | John Chaney | Casey left to become an assistant for the Chicago Bulls. Temple hired successful Division II coach Chaney. |
| Texas | Abe Lemons | | Bob Weltlich | Lemons was fired after a season that saw the Longhorns start 14–0, but derailed after forward Mike Wacker went down to injury. |
| Texas–Pan American | Bill White | | Lon Kruger | The Broncs gave Kansas State assistant Kruger his first head coaching job. |
| UNC Charlotte | Mike Pratt | | Hal Wissel | |
| VMI | Charlie Schmaus | | Marty Fletcher | |
| Wagner | P. J. Carlesimo | | Neil Kennett | |
| Western Michigan | Les Wothke | | Vernon Payne | |
| Wisconsin | Bill Cofield | | Steve Yoder | |
| Wisconsin-Green Bay | Dave Buss | | Dick Lien | |
| Yale | Ray Carazo | | Tom Brennan | |
| Youngstown State | Dom Roselli | | Mike Rice | |