1981 National Invitation Tournament

The 1981 National Invitation Tournament was the 1981 edition of the annual NCAA college basketball competition.

1981 National Invitation Tournament

Season	1980–81
Teams	32
Finals site	Madison Square Garden New York City
Champions	Tulsa Golden Hurricane (1st title)
Runner-up	Syracuse Orange (1st title game)
Semifinalists	Purdue Boilermakers (3rd semifinal) West Virginia Mountaineers (4th semifinal)
Winning coach	Nolan Richardson (1st title)
MVP	Greg Stewart (Tulsa)
National Invitation Tournaments «1980 1982»

Selected teams

Below is a list of the 32 teams selected for the tournament.^[1]

• Alabama
• American
• Clemson
• Connecticut
• Dayton
• Drake
• Duke
• Duquesne
• Fordham
• Georgia
• Holy Cross
• Marquette
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• North Carolina A&T
• Old Dominion
• Pan American
• Penn
• Purdue
• Rhode Island
• St. John's
• San Jose State
• South Alabama
• South Florida
• Southern Miss
• Syracuse
• Temple
• Texas–Arlington
• Toledo
• Tulsa
• UTEP
• West Virginia

Bracket

Duke's Kenny Dennard surrounded by Alabama players in a Second Round game.

Below are the four first round brackets, along with the four-team championship bracket.^[1]

	First Round					Second Round					Quarterfinals
	Syracuse		88
	Marquette		81
						Syracuse		77
						Holy Cross		57
	Holy Cross		56
	Southern Miss		54
											Syracuse		91
											Michigan		76
	Michigan		74
	Duquesne		58
						Michigan		80
						Toledo		68
	Toledo		91
	American		83

	First Round					Second Round					Quarterfinals
	Purdue		84
	Rhode Island		58
						Purdue		50
						Dayton		46
	Dayton		66
	Fordham		65
											Purdue		81
											Duke		69
	Duke		79
	North Carolina A&T		69
						Duke		75
						Alabama		70
	Alabama		73
	St. John's		69

	First Round					Second Round					Quarterfinals
	Connecticut		65
	South Florida		55
						Connecticut		66
						Minnesota		84
	Minnesota		90
	Drake		77
											Minnesota		69
											West Virginia		80
	West Virginia		67
	Penn		64
						West Virginia		77
						Temple		76
	Temple		90
	Clemson		82

	First Round					Second Round					Quarterfinals
	Tulsa		81
	Pan American		71
						Tulsa		76
						UTEP		72
	UTEP		57
	San Jose State		53
											Tulsa		69
											South Alabama		68
	Georgia		74
	Old Dominion		60
						Georgia		72
						South Alabama		73
	South Alabama		74
	Texas–Arlington		71

Semifinals & finals

	Semifinals					Finals
	Syracuse		70
	Purdue		63
						Syracuse		84
						Tulsa		86
	West Virginia		87
	Tulsa		89

	Third place game
	Purdue		75
	West Virginia		72

See also

• 1981 NCAA Division I basketball tournament
• 1981 NCAA Division II basketball tournament
• 1981 NCAA Division III basketball tournament
• 1981 NAIA Division I men's basketball tournament
• 1981 NAIA Division I women's basketball tournament
• 1981 National Women's Invitational Tournament

References

1. Tournament Results (1980's) at nit.org, URL accessed November 7, 2009. Archived 11/7/09