1981 NAIA men's basketball tournament

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. 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.

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

	First Round					Second Round					Elite Eight					NAIA National Semifinals					NAIA National Championship
	1	Briar Cliff (Iowa)	76
	-	Fairmont State (W. Virginia)	67
						1	Briar Cliff	46
						16	Hillsdale	53
	-	Dominican (N.Y.)	64
	16	Hillsdale (Mich.)	70
											16	Hillsdale	65
	TOP TIER
											-	Midwestern State	64
	9	Western New Mexico	55
	-	Midwestern State (Texas)	56
						-	Midwestern State	104
						-	Lincoln Memorial	87
	-	Lincoln Memorial (Tenn.)	71
	8	Rockhurst (Mo.)	68
																16	Hillsdale	60
																5	Alabama-Huntsville	65
	5	Alabama-Huntsville	105
	-	Norfolk State (Virginia)	75
						5	Alabama-Huntsville	67
						12	Oregon College	62
	-	Xavier (La.)	66
	12	Oregon College	98
											5	Alabama-Huntsville	94
	TOP TIER
											-	Hanover	74
	13	Henderson State (Ark.)	50
	-	South Carolina-Spartanburg	61
						-	South Carolina-Spartanburg	60
						-	Hanover	72
	-	Hanover (Ind.)	66
	4	Fort Hays State (Kan.)	64
																					5	Alabama-Huntsville	85*
																					6	Bethany Nazarene	86
	3	Augsburg (Minn.)	56
	-	Drury (Mo.)	54
						3	Augsburg	81
						14	Kearney State	77
	-	Campbellsville (Ky.)	96
	14	Kearney State (Neb.)	108
											3	Augsburg	69
	BOTTOM TIER
											6	Bethany Nazarene	84
	11	Southern Tech (Ga.)	82
	-	Franklin Pierce (N.H.)	75
						-	Southern Tech	58
						6	Bethany Nazarene	88
	-	Chicago State (Ill.)	63
	6	Bethany Nazarene (Okla.)	69
																6	Bethany Nazarene	62
																2	Wisconsin–Eau Claire	54
	7	Huron (S.D.)	59
	-	Gardner–Webb (N. C.)	52
						7	Huron	52
						10	Biola	50
	-	Central Washington	42
	10	Biola (California)	57
											7	Huron	29
	BOTTOM TIER
											2	Wisconsin–Eau Claire	35
	15	Cedarville (Ohio)	57
	-	Waynesburg (Pa.)	60
						-	Waynesburg	21
						2	Wisconsin–Eau Claire	22
	-	St. Mary's (Texas)	59
	2	Wisconsin–Eau Claire	61

•  * 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.

	NAIA Third Place Game
	16	Hillsdale	60
	2	Wisconsin–Eau Claire	90