1981–82 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders men's basketball team

American college basketball season March 2026 August 2023 1981–82 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders Basketball Middle Tennessee MT Logomark.svg 150 Ohio Valley Conference OVC 22–8 12–4 Stan Simpson 3rd Murphy Center OVC tournament champions Rick Campbell, All OVC tournament team Jerry Beck All OVC tournament team NCAA tournament Rick Campbell Led MTSU in scoring with 19 points Jerry Beck 14 points 10 rebounds Second Round The 1981–82 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders men's basketball team represented Middle Tennessee State University during the 1981–82 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Blue Raiders, led by third-year head coach Stan Simpson, played their home games at the Murphy Center in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and were members of the Ohio Valley Conference. They finished the season 22–8, 12–4 in OVC play to finish third in the regular season standings. In the OVC tournament, they defeated, Murray State and Western Kentucky and to receive the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. As the No. 11 seed in the Mideast region, they upset No. 6 seed Kentucky, 50–44,Raiders claw Cats 50-44 in first-ever NCAA Tournament win https://mtsusidelines.com/1982/03/15/raiders-claw-cats-50-44-in-first-ever-ncaa-tournament-win/ Middle Tennessee State University March 15, 1982 April 30, 2023 Rick Campbell Led MTSU with 19 points and Jerry Beck with 14 points 10 rebounds in the opening round before losing to No. 3 seed, and eventual Final Four participant, Louisville, 81–56.Indiana Eliminated; Louisville a Winner https://www.nytimes.com/1982/03/14/sports/indiana-eliminated-louisville-a-winner.html The New York Times March 14, 1982 April 30, 2023 Roster 1981 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders y y Jerry Beck 44 F 6 7 200 Sr Danville, Virginia George Washington y basketball Stan Simpson Schedule and results 1981-82 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings 1981 yes yes |- !colspan=9 style=Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders| Regular season Nov 27, 1981 yes yes Chattanooga Gentry Complex Nashville, Tennessee Coors Classic 54–62 0–1 Nov 28, 1981 yes yes 1981 men Austin Peay Governors Austin Peay Gentry Complex Nashville, Tennessee Coors Classic 54–51 1–1 Dec 3, 1981 yes 1981 none South Alabama Jaguars South Alabama Murphy Center Murfreesboro, Tennessee 71–69 OT 2–1 Dec 5, 1981 yes 1981 none Tennessee State Tigers Tennessee State Murphy Center Murfreesboro, Tennessee 55–60 2–2 Dec 10, 1981 yes 1981 men Morehead State Eagles Morehead State Ellis Johnson Arena Morehead, Kentucky 64–59 3–2 1–0 Dec 12, 1981 yes 1981 men Eastern Kentucky Colonels Eastern Kentucky Alumni Coliseum Richmond, Kentucky 69–51 4–2 2–0 Dec 17, 1981 yes 1981 men Georgia State Panthers Georgia State Murphy Center Murfreesboro, Tennessee 62–49 5–2 Dec 19, 1981 1981 men Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles Tennessee Tech Murphy Center Murfreesboro, Tennessee 88–63 6–2 3–0 Dec 21, 1981 yes 1981 men Samford Bulldogs Samford Murphy Center Murfreesboro, Tennessee 67–63 OT 7–2 Dec 30, 1981 yes 1981 men Detroit Titans Detroit Murphy Center Murfreesboro, Tennessee 64–62 OT 8–2 Jan 4, 1982 yes yes 1981 men Xavier Musketeers Xavier Schmidt Fieldhouse Cincinnati, Ohio 69–48 9–2 Jan 7, 1982 1981 men Akron Zips Akron Murphy Center Murfreesboro, Tennessee 83–62 10–2 4–0 Jan 9, 1982 1981 men Youngstown State Penguins Youngstown State Murphy Center Murfreesboro, Tennessee 73–56 11–2 5–0 Jan 14, 1982 yes Western Kentucky E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, Kentucky 49–65 11–3 5–1 Jan 16, 1982 yes yes Tennessee State Gentry Complex Nashville, Tennessee 70–68 OT 12–3 Jan 21, 1982 1981 men Murray State Racers Murray State Murphy Center Murfreesboro, Tennessee 58–59 12–4 5–2 Jan 23, 1982 Austin Peay Murphy Center Murfreesboro, Tennessee 64–52 13–4 6–2 Jan 27, 1982 yes yes 1981 men Oral Roberts Titans Oral Roberts Mabee Center Tulsa, Oklahoma 73–83 13–5 Jan 30, 1982 yes Tennessee Tech Eblen Center Cookeville, Tennessee 61–75 13–6 6–3 Feb 4, 1982 yes Akron James A. Rhodes Arena Akron, Ohio 65–53 14–6 7–3 Feb 6, 1982 yes Youngstown State Beeghly Center Youngstown, Ohio 73–67 15–6 8–3 Feb 13, 1982 Western Kentucky Murphy Center Murfreesboro, Tennessee 64–75 15–7 8–4 Feb 18, 1982 yes Murray State Racer Arena Murray, Kentucky 70–53 16–7 9–4 Feb 20, 1982 yes Austin Peay Dunn Center Clarksville, Tennessee 67–56 17–7 10–4 Feb 25, 1982 Morehead State Murphy Center Murfreesboro, Tennessee 63–52 18–7 11–4 Feb 27, 1982 Eastern Kentucky Murphy Center Murfreesboro, Tennessee 62–55 19–7 12–4 |- !colspan=9 style=Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders| OVC tournament Mar 5, 1982 yes yes 3 Murray State 2 E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, Kentucky Semifinals 56–54 OT 20–7 Mar 6, 1982 yes yes 3 Western Kentucky 1 E. A. Diddle Arena Bowling Green, Kentucky Championship game 54–52 21–7 |- !colspan=9 style=Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders| NCAA tournament Mar 11, 1982 yes yes 11 ME Kentucky 15 6 ME Memorial Gymnasium Nashville, Tennessee First round 50–44 22–7 Mar 13, 1982 yes yes 11 ME Louisville 20 3 ME Memorial Gymnasium Nashville, Tennessee Second round 56–81 22–8 AP Poll Central Time ME Mideast Source2019-20 Middle Tennessee Men's Basketball Media Guide https://goblueraiders.com/documents/2019/10/24/2019_20_MBB_Media_Guide_web_.pdf Middle Tennessee State University Athletics April 30, 20231981-82 Men's Basketball Schedule https://goblueraiders.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedule/1981-82 Middle Tennessee State University Athletics May 21, 2023 Awards and honors Jerry Beck OVC Player of the Year (2x) References Category:Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders men's basketball seasons Middle Tennessee Middle Tennessee Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders