1981 NAIA men's basketball tournament

College basketball tournament August 2023October 2023 NAIA 1981 150px 1981 NAIA Men's National Basketball Tournament 32 Kemper Arena Kansas City, Missouri Bethany Nazarene (Okla.) 1st 1st 1st Alabama – Huntsville 1st 1st Wisconsin–Eau Claire 3rd Hillsdale (Mich.) 1st Ken Anderson Wisconsin–Eau Claire George Torres Bethany Nazarene James Mundie Alabama-Huntsville unknown Todd Thurman Bethany Nazarene George Torres Bethany Nazarene 104 The 1981 NAIA men's basketball tournament was held in March at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri. The 44th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format.http://naia.cstv.com/ NAIA.org 2020-05-17 https://web.archive.org/web/20090501033134/http://naia.cstv.com/ 2009-05-01 dead The championship game featured Bethany Nazarene College and the University of Alabama in Huntsville. It was the first time that the championship game went into overtime. Bethany Nazarene edged out Alabama-Huntsville with the final score of 86-85 (OT). 1981 was also the first year the NAIA held a women's national basketball championship tournament. For the second time since 1963, the year the award was established, there was a tie for the leading scorer. Todd Thurman and George Torres both scored 104 over the course of the 1981 tournament. There have been no ties since. And for the first time since the Coach of the Year Award was established, Ken Anderson, won Coach of the Year for the second time. No other coach has won the award twice. Awards and honors Leading scorers; tie: Todd Thurman, Bethany Nazarene (Okla.); 5 games, 42 field goals, 20 free throws, totaling 104 points (averaging 20.8 points per game); George Torres, Bethany Nazarene (Okla.); 5 games, 33 field goals, 38 free throws, totaling 104 points (averaging 20.8 points per game) Leading rebounder: Ricky Knight, Alabama-Huntsville. In 5 games, 62 total rebounds (averaging 12.4 rebounds per game) Player of the Year: est. 1994 All-time leading scorer; second appearance: Tony Carr 13th, Wisconsin–Eau Claire (1979,80,81,82); 15 games, 114 field goals, 45 free throws, totaling 273 points (18.2 average points per game).NAIA Championship History https://web.archive.org/web/20110523103053/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/naia/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/MBBDIChampionshipHistory1223.pdf 2011-05-23 1981 NAIA bracket First round Second round Elite Eight NAIA national semifinals NAIA national championship TOP TIER TOP TIER BOTTOM TIER BOTTOM TIER 1 Briar Cliff (Iowa) 76 - Fairmont State (W. Virginia) 67 - Dominican (N.Y.) 64 16 Hillsdale (Mich.) 70 9 Western New Mexico 55 - Midwestern State (Texas) 56 - Lincoln Memorial (Tenn.) 71 8 Rockhurst (Mo.) 68 5 Alabama-Huntsville 105 - Norfolk State (Virginia) 75 - Xavier (La.) 66 12 Oregon College 98 13 Henderson State (Ark.) 50 - South Carolina-Spartanburg 61 - Hanover (Ind.) 66 4 Fort Hays State (Kan.) 64 3 Augsburg (Minn.) 56 - Drury (Mo.) 54 - Campbellsville (Ky.) 96 14 Kearney State (Neb.) 108 11 Southern Tech (Ga.) 82 - Franklin Pierce (N.H.) 75 - Chicago State (Ill.) 63 6 Bethany Nazarene (Okla.) 69 7 Huron (S.D.) 59 - Gardner–Webb (N. C.) 52 - Central Washington 42 10 Biola (California) 57 15 Cedarville (Ohio) 57 - Waynesburg (Pa.) 60 - St. Mary's (Texas) 59 2 Wisconsin–Eau Claire 61 1 Briar Cliff 46 16 Hillsdale 53 - Midwestern State 104 - Lincoln Memorial 87 5 Alabama-Huntsville 67 12 Oregon College 62 - South Carolina-Spartanburg 60 - Hanover 72 3 Augsburg 81 14 Kearney State 77 - Southern Tech 58 6 Bethany Nazarene 88 7 Huron 52 10 Biola 50 - Waynesburg 21 2 Wisconsin–Eau Claire 22 16 Hillsdale 65 - Midwestern State 64 5 Alabama-Huntsville 94 - Hanover 74 3 Augsburg 69 6 Bethany Nazarene 84 7 Huron 29 2 Wisconsin–Eau Claire 35 16 Hillsdale 60 5 Alabama-Huntsville 65 6 Bethany Nazarene 62 2 Wisconsin–Eau Claire 54 5 Alabama-Huntsville 85* 6 Bethany Nazarene 86  * denotes overtime. Third-place game The third-place game featured the losing teams from the national semifinalist to determine 3rd and 4th places in the tournament. This game was played until 1988. NAIA third-place game 16 Hillsdale 60 2 Wisconsin–Eau Claire 90 See also 1981 NCAA Division I basketball tournament 1981 NCAA Division II basketball tournament 1981 NCAA Division III basketball tournament 1981 NAIA women's basketball tournament References Category:NAIA men's basketball championship Tournament men's basketball tournament NAIA men's basketball tournament NAIA men's basketball tournament Category:College basketball tournaments in Missouri Category:Basketball competitions in Kansas City, Missouri