National championship Mercedes-Benz Superdome | NCAA Tournament 1982 Start date November 27, 1981 | |
Tournament dates March 11, 1982 –March 29, 1982 Ncaa champion 1981–82 North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball team 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 1981–82 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 27, 1981, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 1982 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Championship Game on March 29, 1982, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The North Carolina Tar Heels won their second NCAA national championship with a 63–62 victory over the Georgetown Hoyas.
Contents
Season headlines
Major rule changes
Beginning in 1981–1982, the following rules changes were implemented:
Pre-season polls
The top 20 from the AP Poll 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 1982 ECAC tournament winner received an automatic bid to the 1982 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament in the same way that the tournament champions of conventional athletic conferences did. After this season, all remaining Northeastern independents joined conventional conferences, and the ECAC discontinued Division I basketball tournaments. The ECAC North was a separate, conventional conference.
NCAA Tournament
North Carolina freshman Michael Jordan hit the game-winning shot as Dean Smith won his first national championship after many near-misses over his career, defeating the Georgetown Hoyas 63–62 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans. Fred Brown's errant pass to James Worthy in the closing seconds sealed the game, which featured star freshmen Jordan and the Hoyas' Patrick Ewing. Worthy was named Final Four Most Outstanding Player.
National Invitation Tournament
The Bradley Braves, led by coach Dick Versace, defeated the Purdue Boilermakers 67–58 to win their fourth National Invitation Tournament, tying them with St. John's for the most NIT championships (St. John's has since won two additional titles). Bradley's Mitchell Anderson was named NIT 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.