NCAA Tournament 1980 | ||
Tournament dates March 6, 1980 –March 24, 1980 Similar 2004–05 NCAA Division I, 1999–2000 NCAA Division I, 2005–06 NCAA Division I, 2008–09 NCAA Division I, 2009–10 NCAA Division I |
The 1979–80 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 17, 1979, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 1980 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Championship Game on March 24, 1980, at the Market Square Arena in Indianapolis. The Louisville Cardinals won their first NCAA national championship with a 59–54 victory over the UCLA Bruins.
Contents
Rule changes
Pre-season polls
The top 20 from the AP and UPI polls during the pre-season.
Conference winners and tournaments
Note: From 1975 to 1982, the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC), a loosely organized sports federation of Northeastern colleges and universities, organized Division I ECAC regional tournaments for those of its members that were independents in basketball. Each 1980 tournament winner received an automatic bid to the 1980 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament in the same way that the tournament champions of conventional athletic conferences did. The ECAC North was a separate, conventional conference.
NCAA tournament
Louisville's "doctors of dunk" brought Denny Crum his first NCAA title with a 59–54 win over surprise finalist UCLA and coach Larry Brown. Wooden Award winner Darrell Griffith was named Final Four Most Outstanding Player.
Final Four
Played at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis, Indiana
National Invitation Tournament
The first year of the Ralph Sampson era ended with a Virginia Cavaliers NIT Championship – a 58–55 win over Minnesota. 7'4 freshman Sampson was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.
NIT semifinals and final
Played at Madison Square Garden in New York City
Major player of the year awards
Major coach of the year awards
Other major awards
Coaching changes
A number of teams changed coaches throughout the season and after the season ended.