1980–81 Mercer Bears men's basketball team

American college basketball season March 2026 August 2023 1980–81 Mercer Bears Basketball Mercer Bears wordmark.svg 200 Trans America Athletic Conference TAAC 18–12 7–4 Bill Bibb Hawkins Arena TAAC tournament champions NCAA tournament First round The 1980–81 Mercer Bears men's basketball team represented Mercer University during the 1980–81 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Bears, led by head coach Bill Bibb, played their home games at Hawkins Arena on the university's Macon, Georgia, campus and were members of the Trans America Athletic Conference. They finished the season 18–12, 7–4 in TAAC play to finish third in the regular season standings. They won the TAAC tournament to earn the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division I tournament. In their first ever NCAA Division I Tournament appearance in school history, they were beaten by No. 5 seed Arkansas in the opening round. Roster 1980 Mercer Bears y Tony Gattis F 6 7 210 So Bill Bibb Schedule and results 1980-81 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings 1980 yes yes |- !colspan=9 style=Mercer Bears| Regular season Nov 29, 1980 yes 1980 men Saint Leo Lions St. Leo Hawkins Arena Macon, Georgia 93–65 1–0 Dec 2, 1980 yes yes North Carolina 10 Carmichael Auditorium Chapel Hill, North Carolina 74–89 1–1 Dec 6, 1980 yes yes 1980 men Arkansas State Indians Arkansas State Indian Field House Jonesboro, Arkansas 52–67 1–2 Dec 10, 1980 yes Ole Miss Hawkins Arena Macon, Georgia 58–70 3,145 1–3 Dec 13, 1980 yes 1980 men Columbus State Cougars Columbus State Hawkins Arena Macon, Georgia 56–54 2–3 Dec 15, 1980 yes yes 1980 men Georgia State Panthers Georgia State GSU Sports Arena Atlanta, Georgia 64–61 3–3 Dec 29, 1980 yes yes 1980 none Southeastern Louisiana Lions Southeastern Louisiana Maclellan Gymnasium Chattanooga, Tennessee 74–67 4–3 Dec 30, 1980 yes yes Chattanooga Maclellan Gymnasium Chattanooga, Tennessee 58–60 OT 4–4 Jan 5, 1981 yes 1980 men UNC Greensboro Spartans UNC Greensboro Hawkins Arena Macon, Georgia 88–65 5–4 Jan 8, 1981 1980 none Centenary Gentlemen Centenary Hawkins Arena Macon, Georgia 72–77 5–5 0–1 Jan 10, 1981 1980 men Arkansas–Little Rock Trojans Arkansas–Little Rock Hawkins Arena Macon, Georgia 71–57 6–5 1–1 Jan 13, 1981 yes yes Tulane Devlin Fieldhouse New Orleans, Louisiana 57–67 6–6 Jan 17, 1981 yes Georgia State Hawkins Arena Macon, Georgia 84–69 7–6 Jan 20, 1981 yes Arkansas–Little Rock Barton Coliseum Little Rock, Arkansas 58–68 7–7 1–2 Jan 24, 1981 yes 1980 men Samford Bulldogs Samford Seibert Hall Birmingham, Alabama 90–79 8–7 2–2 Jan 28, 1981 yes Arkansas State Hawkins Arena Macon, Georgia 91–69 9–7 Jan 31, 1981 yes 1980 men Stetson Hatters Stetson Hawkins Arena Macon, Georgia 62–63 OT 9–8 Feb 5, 1981 yes 1980 men Charleston Southern Buccaneers Charleston Southern Hawkins Arena Macon, Georgia 74–64 10–8 Feb 7, 1981 1980 men Georgia Southern Eagles Georgia Southern Hawkins Arena Macon, Georgia 105–70 11–8 3–2 Feb 12, 1981 yes yes Stetson Edmunds Center DeLand, Florida 71–76 11–9 Feb 14, 1981 yes Georgia Southern Hanner Fieldhouse Statesboro, Georgia 60–58 OT 12–9 4–2 Feb 16, 1981 Samford Hawkins Arena Macon, Georgia 60–61 12–10 4–3 Feb 19, 1981 1980 men Northwestern State Demons Northwestern State Hawkins Arena Macon, Georgia 94–66 13–10 5–3 Feb 21, 1981 1980 men Hardin-Simmons Cowboys Hardin-Simmons Hawkins Arena Macon, Georgia 93–78 14–10 6–3 Feb 26, 1981 yes 1980 men Northeast Louisiana Indians Northeast Louisiana Fant–Ewing Coliseum Monroe, Louisiana 75–66 15–10 7–3 Feb 28, 1981 yes 1980 men Houston Baptist Huskies Houston Baptist Sharp Gymnasium Houston, Texas 67–69 15–11 7–4 |- !colspan=9 style=Mercer Bears| TAAC tournament Mar 5, 1981 yes yes Arkansas–Little Rock Hirsch Memorial Coliseum Shreveport, Louisiana Quarterfinals 78–69 16–11 Mar 6, 1981 yes yes Northeast Louisiana Hirsch Memorial Coliseum Shreveport, Louisiana Semifinals 59–55 17–11 Mar 8, 1981 yes yes Houston Baptist Hirsch Memorial Coliseum Shreveport, Louisiana Championship game 72–67 18–11 |- !colspan=9 style=Mercer Bears| NCAA tournament Mar 12, 1981 yes yes 12 MW Arkansas 20 5 MW Frank Erwin Center Austin, Texas First round 67–73 18–12 AP Poll, (#) during NCAA Tournament is seed within region MW=Midwest Eastern Time https://mercerbears.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedule/1980-81 1980-81 Men's Basketball Schedule Mercer University Athletics April 30, 2023 References Category:Mercer Bears men's basketball seasons Mercer Mercer Mercer Bears Mercer Bears