1980–81 Louisville Cardinals men's basketball team

American college basketball season March 2026 August 2023 Basketball 1980–81 Louisville Cardinals Louisville Cardinals text logo.svg Metro Conference (1975–1995) Metro 13 12 21–9 11–1 Denny Crum 10th Game captains Freedom Hall Metro Conference ChampionsMetro Conference tournament champions NCAA Men's Division I Tournament Second Round The 1980–81 Louisville Cardinals men's basketball team represented the University of Louisville during the 1980-81 NCAA Division I men's basketball season, Louisville's 67th season of intercollegiate competition. The Cardinals competed in the Metro Conference and were coached by Denny Crum, who was in his tenth season. The team played its home games at Freedom Hall. The Cardinals won the Metro Conference tournament championship (their 3rd), defeating Cincinnati 42–31. As defending Champion Louisville was upset by a half-court shot by U.S. Reed and lost to Arkansas 74–73 in the NCAA tournament second round. The Cardinals finished with a 21–9 (11–1) record.Lousivlle Basketball Media Guide http://www.guide.provations.com/louisville/basketball2012_13#pg186 University of Louisville 21 December 2012 October 5, 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20121005005046/http://www.guide.provations.com/louisville/basketball2012_13#pg186 dead Roster 1980 Louisville Cardinals y y Lancaster Gordon y 4 G 6 3 185 Fr Jackson, Mississippi Jim Hill Jerry Eaves 5 G 6 4 180 JR Louisville, Kentucky y Ballard Greg Deuser 14 G 6 0 170 JR New Albany, Indiana Floyd Central Scooter McCray 21 F 6 8 185 JR Mount Vernon, New York USA y Mount Vernon Rodney McCray basketball 22 F-C 6 7 220 SO Mount Vernon, New York USA y Mount Vernon Roger Burkman 34 G 6 5 175 SR y Indianapolis, Indiana Franklin Central Marty Pulliam 40 C 6 9 225 JR Harrodsburg, Kentucky Mercer Country Senior Wiley Brown 41 C 6 8 220 JR Sylvester, Georgia y Worth County Derek Smith basketball 43 F 6 6 205 JR Hogansville, Georgia y Hogansville Poncho Wright 44 G-F 6 5 195 JR Indianapolis, Indiana Marshall Denny Crum Schedule November 22 l yes yes 3 DePaul 2 Springfield Civic Center Springfield, MA Hall of Fame Game TVS 80–86 8,937 0–1 December 4 l yes Tulsa Tulsa, OK 60–68 0–2 December 6 l yes yes Oklahoma State Stillwater, OK 71–72 0–3 December 13 w yes Maryland 4 Freedom Hall Louisville, KY NBC 78–67 1–3 December 20 l yes 20 Utah Freedom Hall Louisville, KY 59–78 1–4 December 22 l yes Minnesota Freedom Hall Louisville, KY 59–62 1–5 December 29 l yes yes North Carolina 6 L.A. Sports Arena Los Angeles, CA Winston Tire Classic 64–86 1–6 December 30 w yes yes USC L.A. Sports Arena Los Angeles, CA Winston Tire Classic 79–50 2–6 January 3 l yes yes Kansas State Ahearn Field House Manhattan, KS 47–64 2–7 January 5 w yes Tulane Louisiana Superdome New Orleans, LA 73–53 3–7 1–0 January 10 w yes Cincinnati Riverfront Coliseum Cincinnati, OH 83–68 4–7 2–0 January 17 w Florida State Freedom Hall Louisville, KY 98–78 5–7 3–0 January 18 w yes Missouri Freedom Hall Louisville, KY 71–49 13,386 6–7 January 22 l yes yes Memphis State Mid-South Coliseum Memphis, TN 55–60 OT 6–8 3–1 January 27 w yes Providence Freedom Hall Louisville, KY 71–55 7–8 January 29 w St. Louis Freedom Hall Louisville, KY 61–57 8–8 4–1 January 31 w Virginia Tech Freedom Hall Louisville, KY 92–70 9–8 5–1 February 2 w yes US International Freedom Hall Louisville, KY 86–68 10–8 February 4 w Tulane Freedom Hall Louisville, KY 85–58 11–8 6–1 February 7 w yes Florida State Tully Gymnasium Tallahassee, FL 82–73 OT 12–8 7–1 February 9 w yes Virginia Tech Cassell Coliseum Blacksburg, VA 71–66 13–8 8–1 February 13 w yes yes Marquette MECCA Arena Milwaukee, WI 79–60 11,052 14–8 February 16 w Memphis State Freedom Hall Louisville, KY 95–65 15–8 9–1 February 18 w yes Iona Freedom Hall Louisville, KY 91–57 16–8 February 23 w Cincinnati Freedom Hall Louisville, KY 81–67 17–8 10–1 February 25 w yes St. Louis The Checkersdome St. Louis, MO 97–85 18–8 11–1 February 28 w yes 20 Western Kentucky Freedom Hall Louisville, KY 90–75 19–8 |- !colspan=12 style=Louisville Cardinals|Metro Tournament March 7 w yes 1 Virginia Tech 4 Freedom Hall Louisville, KY Semifinals 81–68 20–8 March 8 w yes 1 Cincinnati 3 Freedom Hall Louisville, KY Final 42–31 21–8 |- !colspan=12 style=Louisville Cardinals| NCAA tournament March 14 l yes yes 12 4 MW Arkansas 20 5 MW Frank Erwin Center Austin, TX First Round NBC 73–74March 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 21–9 AP Poll Eastern Time MW Midwest 2012–13 Louisville Cardinals men's basketball media guide. https://web.archive.org/web/20121005005046/http://www.guide.provations.com/louisville/basketball2012_13#pg186 October 5, 2012 Retrieved 2013-May-08. References Category:Louisville Cardinals men's basketball seasons Louisville Louisville Louisville Cardinals men's basketball, 1980-81 Louisville Cardinals men's basketball, 1980-81 Category:1980 in Louisville, Kentucky Category:1981 in Louisville, Kentucky