1981 NAIA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
Encyclopedia
The 1981 NAIA Men's Division I 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 . The championship game featured Bethany Nazarene College
and the University of Alabama in Huntsville
. It was the first time the championship game that 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 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.
Kemper Arena
Kemper Arena is a 19,500 seat indoor arena, in Kansas City, Missouri.It is named for R. Crosby Kemper Sr., a member of the powerful Kemper financial clan and who donated $3.2 million, from his estate for the arena...
in Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
. The 44th annual NAIA
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...
basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format . The championship game featured Bethany Nazarene College
Southern Nazarene Crimson Storm
Southern Nazarene Crimson Storm features 17 men's and women's varsity sports teams at Southern Nazarene University. In 1999, the Crimson Storm athletic nickname replaced the "Redskins", and the "Thundercat" was debuted as the mascot in 2003. The Crimson Storm participates in the NAIA's Division I,...
and the University of Alabama in Huntsville
University of Alabama in Huntsville
The University of Alabama in Huntsville is a state-supported, public, coeducational research university, located in Huntsville, Alabama, United States, is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award baccalaureate, master's and doctoral degrees, and is organized in five...
. It was the first time the championship game that 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
1961 NAIA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1961 NAIA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 24th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format . The championship game featured the 13th seeded Grambling and the 3rd seeded...
, the year the award was established, there was a tie for the leading scorer. Todd Thurman, and George Torres both scored 104 over 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).
1981 NAIA bracket
- * denotes overtime.
3rd 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.See also
- 1981 NAIA Women’s Division I Basketball TournamentNAIA national women's basketball championshipThe National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Women's Basketball National Championship has been held annually since 1981. It was established one year before the NCAA Women's Basketball tournament. It was created to crown a women's national title for smaller colleges and universities. Since...
- 1981 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament1981 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball TournamentThe 1981 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 48 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 12, 1981, and ended with the championship game on March 30 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
- 1980 NCAA Men's Division II Basketball Tournament1980 NCAA Men's Division II Basketball TournamentThe 1980 NCAA Men's Division II Basketball Tournament involved 32 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division II college basketball as a culmination of the 1979-80 NCAA Division II men's basketball season...
- 1980 NCAA Men's Division III Basketball Tournament
- 1981 National Invitation Tournament1981 National Invitation Tournament-Semifinals & Finals:*Third Place - Purdue 75, West Virginia 72...