1980–81 Kansas State Wildcats men's basketball team

American college basketball season March 2026 August 2023 Basketball 1980-81 Kansas State Wildcats Big Eight Conference Big Eight 24–9 9–5 Jack Hartman 11th Lon Kruger 2nd Ahearn Field House NCAA tournament Elite Eight The 1980–81 Kansas State Wildcats men's basketball team represented Kansas State University as a member of the Big Eight Conference in the 1980–81 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The team was led by head coach Jack Hartman and played their home games at Ahearn Field House in Manhattan, Kansas. The Wildcats finished second in the conference regular season standings and received a bid to the NCAA tournament as No. 8 seed in the West region. The Wildcats beat No. 9 seed San Francisco in the opening round,Kansas State Rallies to Win https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1981/03/13/kansas-state-rallies-to-win/00ea590b-384a-4910-85fc-08a6b2272835/ The Washington Post March 13, 1981 February 26, 2023 then upset No. 1 seed Oregon State and No. 4 seed Illinois to reach the regional final where they lost to North Carolina in Elite Eight, 82–68.VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA REACH N.C.A.A. FINAL FOUR https://www.nytimes.com/1981/03/22/sports/virginia-and-north-carolina-reach-ncaa-final-four-kansas-state-bows-82-68.html The New York Times March 22, 1981 February 19, 2023 Kansas State finished with a record of 24–9 (9–5 Big Eight). Roster 1980 Kansas State Wildcats y Tim Jankovich 12 G 6 0 165 Jr y Manhattan, Kansas Rolando Blackman 25 G 6 6 190 Sr y Brooklyn, New York Ed Nealy 45 F 6 7 238 Jr y Bonner Springs, Kansas Randy Reed 52 F 6 7 215 Jr St. Louis, Missouri Jack Hartman https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/1980-81 1980-81 Men's Basketball Roster https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/1980-81 Kansas State University Athletics February 19, 2023 Schedule |- !colspan=12 style=Kansas State Wildcats| Regular season November 29 yes Northern Iowa 72–54 1–0 Ahearn Field House Manhattan, Kansas December 1 yes South Dakota 83–50 2–0 Ahearn Field House Manhattan, Kansas December 6 yes yes Arizona 55–53 3–0 McKale Center Tucson, Arizona December 8 yes yes 15 Arizona State 61–84 3–1 ASU Activity Center Tempe, Arizona December 13 yes Wisconsin-Parkside 72–58 4–1 Ahearn Field House Manhattan, Kansas December 20 yes US International 76–45 5–1 Ahearn Field House Manhattan, Kansas December 23 yes 15 Indiana 44–51 5–2 Ahearn Field House Manhattan, Kansas December 27 yes yes 17 Arkansas 47–46 6–2 Kansas City, Mo December 31 yes Fresno State 47–39 7–2 Ahearn Field House Manhattan, Kansas January 3 yes Louisville 64–47 8–2 Ahearn Field House Manhattan, Kansas January 6 yes Oklahoma City 97–79 9–2 Ahearn Field House Manhattan, Kansas January 10 yes Eastern Illinois 74–62 10–2 Ahearn Field House Manhattan, Kansas January 14 yes Nebraska 49–59 10–3 0–1 Bob Devaney Sports Center Lincoln, Nebraska January 17 yes Colorado 63–62 11–3 1–1 CU Events Center Boulder, Colorado January 21 Oklahoma State 83–90 11–4 1–2 Ahearn Field House Manhattan, Kansas January 24 yes Oklahoma 63–65 11–5 1–3 Lloyd Noble Center Norman, Oklahoma January 28 18 Kansas 54–43 12–5 2–3 Ahearn Field House Manhattan, Kansas January 31 yes Iowa State 75–62 13–5 3–3 Hilton Coliseum 11,238 Ames, Iowa February 4 Missouri 75–65 14–5 4–3 Ahearn Field House 11,290 Manhattan, Kansas February 7 Colorado 82–62 15–5 5–3 Ahearn Field House Manhattan, Kansas February 11 yes Oklahoma State 73–70 16–5 6–3 Gallagher-Iba Arena Stillwater, Oklahoma February 14 Nebraska 66–49 17–5 7–3 Ahearn Field House Manhattan, Kansas February 18 yes Kansas 49–51 17–6 7–4 Allen Fieldhouse Lawrence, Kansas February 21 Oklahoma 108–71 18–6 8–4 Ahearn Field House Manhattan, Kansas February 25 Iowa State 67–60 19–6 9–4 Ahearn Field House Manhattan, Kansas February 28 yes Missouri 43–46 19–7 9–5 Hearnes Center 12,906 Columbia, Missouri |- !colspan=12 style=Kansas State Wildcats| Big 8 tournament March 3 2 7 Oklahoma Quarterfinals 75–56 20–7 9–5 Ahearn Field House Manhattan, Kansas March 4 2 yes 6 Colorado Semifinals 64–61 21–7 9–5 Kemper Arena Kansas City, Missouri March 5 2 yes 4 Kansas Championship 68–80 21–8 9–5 Kemper Arena Kansas City, Missouri |- !colspan=12 style=Kansas State Wildcats| NCAA Tournament March 12 8 W yes 9 W San Francisco First round 64–60 22–8 9–5 Pauley Pavilion Los Angeles, California March 14 8 W yes 1 W 2 Oregon State Second round 50–48March 14, 1981: When the NCAA tournament became Madness https://www.si.com/college/2012/03/14/1981-madness Sports Illustrated March 14, 2012 February 19, 2023 Tim Layden 23–8 9–5 Pauley Pavilion Los Angeles, California March 19 8 W yes 4 W 19 Illinois West Regional Semifinal Sweet Sixteen 57–52 24–8 9–5 Jon M. Huntsman Center 15,450 Salt Lake City, Utah March 21 8 W yes 2 W 6 North Carolina West Regional Final Elite Eight 68–82 24–9 9–5 Jon M. Huntsman Center Salt Lake City, Utah AP Poll Central Time W West Source1980-81 Kansas State Wildcats Schedule and Results https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/kansas-state/1981-schedule.html#all_scans CBBRef Sports Reference LLC 12 July 20211980-81 K-State Schedule https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedule/1980-81 K-State Basketball K-State Athletics 12 July 2021 Team players drafted into the NBA Kansas State Wildcats Round Pick Player NBA club 1 9 Rolando Blackman Dallas Mavericks References Kansas State Kansas State Category:Kansas State Wildcats men's basketball seasons Category:1980 in sports in Kansas Category:1981 in sports in Kansas