1981 NCAA Division II Basketball Tournament
The 1981 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 1980–81 NCAA Division II men's basketball season. It was won by Florida Southern College and Florida Southern's John Ebeling was the Most Outstanding Player.
| Teams | 32 | 
|---|---|
| Finals site | Springfield, Massachusetts | 
| Champions | Florida Southern Moccasins (1st title) | 
| Runner-up | Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers (2nd title game) | 
| Semifinalists | 
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| Winning coach | Hal Wissel (1st title) | 
| MOP | John Ebeling (Florida Southern) | 
| Attendance | 64,659 | 
Regional participants
    
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*denotes tie
Regionals
    
    South Atlantic - Emmitsburg, Maryland
    
Location: Memorial Gym Host: Mount Saint Mary's College and Seminary
| Regional Semifinals Round of 32 March 6  | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7  | ||||||||
| Mount St. Mary's | 81 | ||||||||
| Cheyney | 75 | ||||||||
| Mount St. Mary's | 78 | ||||||||
| Elizabeth City State | 76 | ||||||||
| Elizabeth City State | 54 | ||||||||
| Randolph–Macon | 53 | ||||||||
- Third Place - Cheyney 76, Randolph-Macon 67
 
Great Lakes - Macomb, Illinois
    
Location: Western Hall Host: Western Illinois University
| Regional Semifinals Round of 32 March 6  | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7  | ||||||||
| Western Illinois | 80 | ||||||||
| Indiana State–Evansville | 73 | ||||||||
| Western Illinois | 87 | ||||||||
| Northern Michigan | 93 | ||||||||
| Northern Michigan | 70 | ||||||||
| Wright State | 69 | ||||||||
- Third Place - Wright State 96, Indiana State–Evansville 89
 
North Central - Green Bay, Wisconsin
    
Location: Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena Host: University of Wisconsin at Green Bay
| Regional Semifinals Round of 32 March 6  | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7  | ||||||||
| Green Bay | 82 | ||||||||
| North Dakota State | 76 | ||||||||
| Green Bay | 72 | ||||||||
| North Dakota | 60 | ||||||||
| North Dakota | 87 | ||||||||
| Central Missouri State | 80 | ||||||||
- Third Place - North Dakota State 95, Central Missouri State 87
 
South Central - Florence, Alabama
    
Location: Flowers Hall Host: University of North Alabama
| Regional Semifinals Round of 32 March 5  | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 6  | ||||||||
| North Alabama | 67 | ||||||||
| Lincoln | 53 | ||||||||
| North Alabama | 63 | ||||||||
| NE Missouri State | 59 | ||||||||
| NE Missouri State | 82 | ||||||||
| Jacksonville State | 78 | ||||||||
- Third Place - Jacksonville State 84, Lincoln 66
 
West - Billings, Montana
    
Location: Alterowitz Gym Host: Eastern Montana College
| Regional Semifinals Round of 32 March 6  | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7  | ||||||||
| Puget Sound | 62 | ||||||||
| Chico State | 60 | ||||||||
| Puget Sound | 72 | ||||||||
| Cal State Dominguez Hills | 54 | ||||||||
| Cal State Dominguez Hills | 61 | ||||||||
| Eastern Montana | 52 | ||||||||
- Third Place - Eastern Montana 54, Chico State 49
 
South - Orlando, Florida
    
Location: UCF Fieldhouse Host: University of Central Florida
| Regional Semifinals Round of 32 March 6  | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7  | ||||||||
| UCF | 94 | ||||||||
| Morehouse | 77 | ||||||||
| UCF | 71 | ||||||||
| Florida Southern | 73 | ||||||||
| Florida Southern | 70 | ||||||||
| West Georgia | 59 | ||||||||
- Third Place - West Georgia 102, Morehouse 76
 
East - West Long Branch, New Jersey
    
Location: William T. Boylan Gymnasium Host: Monmouth College
| Regional Semifinals Round of 32 March 6  | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7  | ||||||||
| Clarion | 80 | ||||||||
| Monmouth | 78 | ||||||||
| Clarion | 61 | ||||||||
| Cal Poly | 84 | ||||||||
| Cal Poly | 71 | ||||||||
| Bloomsburg | 43 | ||||||||
- Third Place - Monmouth 79, Bloomsburg 64
 
New England - Manchester, New Hampshire
    
Location: NHC Fieldhouse Host: New Hampshire College
| Regional Semifinals Round of 32 March 6  | Regional Final Sweet 16 March 7  | ||||||||
| New Hampshire College | 76 | ||||||||
| Springfield | 75 | ||||||||
| New Hampshire College | 81 | ||||||||
| Sacred Heart | 80 | ||||||||
| Sacred Heart | 89 | ||||||||
| Stonehill | 86 | ||||||||
- Third Place - Stonehill 79, Springfield 78
 
*denotes each overtime played
National Quarterfinals
    
| Quarterfinal - Emmitsburg, MD Elite Eight March 14  | ||||
| Mount St. Mary's | 88 | |||
| Northern Michigan | 74 | |||
| Quarterfinal - Green Bay, WI Elite Eight March 14  | ||||
| North Alabama | 39 | |||
| Wisconsin-Green Bay | 65 | |||
| Quarterfinal - San Luis Obispo, CA Elite Eight March 14  | ||||
| New Hampshire College | 73 | |||
| Cal Poly-SLO | 77 | |||
| Quarterfinal - Tacoma, WA Elite Eight March 14  | ||||
| Florida Southern | 56 | |||
| Puget Sound | 55 | |||
National Finals - Springfield, Massachusetts
    
Location: Springfield Civic Center Hosts: American International College and Springfield College
| National Semifinals Final Four March 20  | National Championship March 21  | ||||||||
| Mount St. Mary's | 76 | ||||||||
| Green Bay | 60 | ||||||||
| Mount St. Mary's | 68 | ||||||||
| Florida Southern | 73 | ||||||||
| Florida Southern | 54 | ||||||||
| Cal Poly | 51 | ||||||||
- Third Place - Cal Poly 62, Green Bay 61**
 
*denotes each overtime played
All-tournament team
    
- Jay Bruchak (Mount Saint Mary's)
 - John Ebeling (Florida Southern)
 - Mike Hayes (Florida Southern)
 - Durelle Lewis (Mount Saint Mary's)
 - Jim Rowe (Mount Saint Mary's)