1980 NCAA Division II basketball tournament

The 1980 NCAA 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. It was won by Virginia Union University and Virginia Union's Keith Valentine was the Most Outstanding Player.

Catonsville

Dayton

Smithfield

Brookings

Marquette

Erie

Richmond

Warrensburg

Florence

Tacoma

Lakeland

Springfield

1980 NCAA Division II Men's sites - regionals (cyan) Quarterfinals (orange) Final Four (red)

1980 NCAA Division II
basketball tournament

Teams	32
Finals site	, Springfield, Massachusetts
Champions	Virginia Union Panthers (1st title)
Runner-up	New York Tech Bears (1st title game)
Semifinalists	Florida Southern Moccasins (1st Final Four) North Alabama Lions (2nd Final Four)
Winning coach	Dave Robbins (1st title)
MOP	Keith Valentine (Virginia Union)
Attendance	44,815
NCAA Division II men's tournaments «1979 1981»

Regional participants

School	Outcome
Benedict	Fourth Place
Mount St. Mary's	Third Place
UMBC	Runner-up
Virginia Union	Regional Champion

School	Outcome
Bryant	Fourth Place
New Hampshire College	Regional Champion
Quinnipiac	Third Place
Springfield	Runner-up

School	Outcome
North Dakota	Fourth Place
South Dakota State	Regional Champion
Stonehill	Third Place
Western Illinois	Runner-up

School	Outcome
Bethune–Cookman	Fourth Place
Florida Southern	Regional Champion
UCF	Runner-up
West Georgia	Third Place

School	Outcome
Cal Poly	Runner-up
Puget Sound	Third Place
San Francisco State	Fourth Place
UC Riverside	Regional Champion

School	Outcome
Central Missouri State	Third Place
Jacksonville State	Fourth Place
Nicholls State	Runner-up
North Alabama	Regional Champion

School	Outcome
Cheyney	Third Place
Gannon	Fourth Place
Hartwick	Runner-up
NYIT	Regional Champion

School	Outcome
Eastern Illinois	Runner-up
Indiana State–Evansville	Fourth Place
Northern Michigan	Regional Champion
Wright State	Third Place

*denotes tie

Regionals

South Atlantic - Catonsville, Maryland

Location: UMBC Fieldhouse Host: University of Maryland, Baltimore County

	Regional semifinals Round of 32 February 29					Regional Final Sweet 16 March 1
	UMBC		86
	Benedict		69
						UMBC		65
						Virginia Union		80
	Virginia Union		72
	Mount St. Mary's		70

• Third Place - Mount St. Mary's 84, Benedict 82

New England - Smithfield, Rhode Island

Location: Bryant Gymnasium Host: Bryant College

	Regional semifinals Round of 32 February 29					Regional Final Sweet 16 March 1
	Springfield		91
	Bryant		78
						Springfield		80
						New Hampshire College		89
	New Hampshire College		98
	Quinnipiac		89

• Third Place - Quinnipiac 102, Bryant 97

North Central - Brookings, South Dakota

Location: Frost Arena Host: South Dakota State University

	Regional semifinals Round of 32 February 29					Regional Final Sweet 16 March 1
	South Dakota State		74
	Stonehill		51
						South Dakota State		98
						Western Illinois		86
	Western Illinois		102
	North Dakota		79

• Third Place - Stonehill 70, North Dakota 57

South - Lakeland, Florida

Location: Jenkins Fieldhouse Host: Florida Southern College

	Regional semifinals Round of 32 February 28					Regional Final Sweet 16 February 29
	Florida Southern		81
	Bethune–Cookman		72
						Florida Southern		71
						UCF		64
	UCF		81
	West Georgia		78

• Third Place - West Georgia 75, Bethune-Cookman 63

West - Tacoma, Washington

Location: Memorial Fieldhouse Host: University of Puget Sound

	Regional semifinals Round of 32 March 1					Regional Final Sweet 16 March 2
	UC Riverside		65
	Puget Sound		61
						UC Riverside		62
						Cal Poly		53
	Cal Poly		66
	San Francisco State		46

• Third Place - Puget Sound 93, San Francisco State 86

South Central - Warrensburg, Missouri

Location: CMSU Fieldhouse Host: Central Missouri State University

	Regional semifinals Round of 32 February 29					Regional Final Sweet 16 March 1
	North Alabama		98
	Central Missouri State		86
						North Alabama		77
						Nicholls State		68
	Nicholls State		78
	Jacksonville State		76

• Third Place - Central Missouri State 112, Jacksonville State 91

East - Erie, Pennsylvania

Location: Hammermill Center Host: Gannon University

	Regional semifinals Round of 32 February 29					Regional Final Sweet 16 March 1
	NYIT		81
	Gannon		59
						NYIT		80
						Hartwick		78
	Hartwick		67
	Cheyney		64

• Third Place - Cheyney 87, Gannon 86

Great Lakes - Dayton, Ohio

Location: Physical Education Building Host: Wright State University

	Regional semifinals Round of 32 February 29					Regional Final Sweet 16 March 1
	Eastern Illinois		74
	Wright State		63
						Eastern Illinois		56
						Northern Michigan		58
	Northern Michigan		93
	Indiana State–Evansville		82

• Third Place - Wright State 88, Indiana State–Evansville 85

*denotes each overtime played

National Quarterfinals

	Quarterfinal - Richmond, VA Elite Eight March 8
	Virginia Union		108
	New Hampshire College		91

	Quarterfinal - Lakeland, FL Elite Eight March 8
	South Dakota State		71
	Florida Southern		81

	Quarterfinal - Florence, AL Elite Eight March 8
	UC Riverside		69
	North Alabama		76

	Quarterfinal - Marquette, MI Elite Eight March 8
	NYIT		58
	Northern Michigan		57

National Finals - Springfield, Massachusetts

Location: Springfield Civic Center Hosts: American International College and Springfield College

	National semifinals Final Four March 14					National Championship March 15
	Virginia Union		78
	Florida Southern		71
						Virginia Union		80
						NYIT		74
	North Alabama		66
	NYIT		72

• Third Place - Florida Southern 68, North Alabama 67

*denotes each overtime played

All-tournament team

• Johnny Buckman (North Alabama)
• John Ebeling (Florida Southern)
• Larry Holmes (Virginia Union)
• Bobby Jones (New York Tech)
• Keith Valentine (Virginia Union)

See also

• 1980 NCAA Division I basketball tournament
• 1980 NCAA Division III basketball tournament
• 1980 NAIA Basketball Tournament