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.

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

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 Runner-up

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

	Regional Semifinals					Regional Final
	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

	Regional Semifinals					Regional Final
	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

	Regional Semifinals					Regional Final
	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

	Regional Semifinals					Regional Final
	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

	Regional Semifinals					Regional Final
	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

	Regional Semifinals					Regional Final
	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

	Regional Semifinals					Regional Final
	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

	Regional Semifinals					Regional Final
	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
	Virginia Union		108
	New Hampshire College		91

	Quarterfinal - Lakeland, FL
	South Dakota State		71
	Florida Southern		81

	Quarterfinal - Florence, AL
	UC Riverside		69
	North Alabama		76

	Quarterfinal - Marquette, MI
	NYIT		58
	Northern Michigan		57

National Finals - Springfield, Massachusetts

Location: Springfield Civic Center

	Semifinals					Final
	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)

References

Sources

• 2010 NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Tournament Records and Statistics: Division II men's basketball Championship
• 1980 NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Tournament jonfmorse.com