# 1980–81 Wyoming Cowboys basketball team

The 1980–81 Wyoming Cowboys basketball team represented the University of Wyoming as a member of the Western Athletic Conference during the 1980–81 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Cowboys, led by second-year head coach Jim Brandenburg, played their home games at War Memorial Fieldhouse in Laramie, Wyoming.

## Schedule and results

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | Site city, state |
| Regular Season ||||||
| Nov 28, 1980* | | at Nebraska | W 62–59 $^{OT}$ | 1–0 | Bob Devaney Sports Center (7,800) Lincoln, Nebraska |
| Dec 2, 1980* | | Midwestern State | W 87–61 | 2–0 | War Memorial Fieldhouse (4,389) Laramie, Wyoming |
| Dec 4, 1980* | | Stanford | W 73–51 | 3–0 | War Memorial Fieldhouse (5,079) Laramie, Wyoming |
| Dec 6, 1980* | | Adams State | W 101–67 | 4–0 | War Memorial Fieldhouse (7,042) Laramie, Wyoming |
| Dec 11, 1980* | | at Boise State | W 76–51 | 5–0 | Bronco Gym (2,076) Boise, Idaho |
| Dec 13, 1980* | | at USC | L 57–59 | 5–1 | L.A. Sports Arena (3,270) Los Angeles, California |
| Dec 16, 1980* | | Western Montana | W 79–45 | 6–1 | War Memorial Fieldhouse (4,713) Laramie, Wyoming |
| Dec 19, 1980* | | vs. Oklahoma | W 98–77 | 7–1 | Astrodome (3,800) Houston, Texas |
| Dec 20, 1980* | | at Houston | L 61–70 | 7–2 | Astrodome (5,300) Houston, Texas |
| Dec 29, 1980* | | Illinois–Chicago | W 99–47 | 8–2 | War Memorial Fieldhouse (4,419) Laramie, Wyoming |
| Jan 2, 1981 | | at San Diego State | W 69–51 | 9–2 (1–0) | San Diego Sports Arena (3,247) San Diego, California |
| Jan 5, 1981 | | at Hawaii | W 71–66 $^{OT}$ | 10–2 (2–0) | Neal S. Blaisdell Center (5,479) Honolulu, Hawaii |
| Jan 9, 1981* | | UTEP | W 44–42 | 11–2 (3–0) | War Memorial Fieldhouse (8,107) Laramie, Wyoming |
| Jan 10, 1981 | | New Mexico | W 91–54 | 12–2 (4–0) | War Memorial Fieldhouse (7,814) Laramie, Wyoming |
| Jan 17, 1981 | | at Colorado State | W 85–54 | 13–2 (5–0) | Moby Arena (8,976) Fort Collins, Colorado |
| Jan 23, 1981 | | at No. 14 Utah | L 53–55 | 13–3 (5–1) | Jon M. Huntsman Center (15,122) Salt Lake City, Utah |
| Jan 24, 1981 | | at No. 18 BYU | L 70–84 | 13–4 (5–2) | Marriott Center (22,983) Provo, Utah |
| Jan 27, 1981* | | UNLV | W 71–66 | 14–4 | War Memorial Fieldhouse (7,124) Laramie, Wyoming |
| Jan 31, 1981 | | Air Force | W 69–45 | 15–4 (6–2) | War Memorial Fieldhouse (7,234) Laramie, Wyoming |
| Feb 5, 1981 | | Hawaii | W 77–58 | 16–4 (7–2) | War Memorial Fieldhouse (7,998) Laramie, Wyoming |
| Feb 7, 1981 | | San Diego State | W 102–57 | 17–4 (8–2) | War Memorial Fieldhouse (7,991) Laramie, Wyoming |
| Feb 12, 1981 | | at New Mexico | L 56–57 | 17–5 (8–3) | University Arena (15,803) Albuquerque, New Mexico |
| Feb 14, 1981 | | at UTEP | W 63–58 | 18–5 (9–3) | Special Events Center (8,121) El Paso, Texas |
| Feb 21, 1981 | | Colorado State | W 68–40 | 19–5 (10–3) | War Memorial Fieldhouse (8,665) Laramie, Wyoming |
| Feb 26, 1981 | | No. 15 BYU | W 86–84 | 20–5 (11–3) | War Memorial Fieldhouse (9,300) Laramie, Wyoming |
| Feb 28, 1981 | | No. 7 Utah | W 53–50 | 21–5 (12–3) | War Memorial Fieldhouse (8,974) Laramie, Wyoming |
| Mar 6, 1981 | No. 19 | at Air Force | W 46–38 | 22–5 (13–3) | Clune Arena (6,300) Colorado Springs, Colorado |
| Mar 7, 1981* | No. 19 | at UNLV | W 97–70 | 23–5 | Las Vegas Convention Center (6,393) Las Vegas, Nevada |
| NCAA tournament ||||||
| Mar 12, 1981* | (5 W) No. 17 | vs. (12 W) Howard First round | W 78–43 | 24–5 | Pauley Pavilion (12,045) Los Angeles, California |
| Mar 14, 1981* | (5 W) No. 17 | vs. (4 W) No. 19 Illinois Second round | L 65–67 | 24–6 | Pauley Pavilion (12,340) Los Angeles, California |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. W=West. ||||||