1980–81 Oregon State Beavers men's basketball team
{{short description|American college basketball season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
|year=1980–81
|team=Oregon State Beavers
|sport=Basketball
|image=
|image_size=
|conference= Pac-10 Conference
|short_conf = Pac-10
|CoachRank= 2
|APRank= 2
|record = 26–2
|conf_record = 17–1
|head_coach=Ralph Miller
|hc_year = 11th
|stadium= Gill Coliseum
|mvp=Steve Johnson
|champion= Pac-10 champions
|tourney= NCAA tournament
|tourney_result=Second round
}}
{{1980–81 Pacific-10 Conference men's basketball standings}}
The 1980–81 Oregon State Beavers men's basketball team represented the Oregon State University as a member of the Pacific 10 Conference during the 1980–81 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. They were led by 11th-year head coach Ralph Miller and played their home games on campus at Gill Coliseum in Corvallis, Oregon.
After winning their first 26 games of the season, Oregon State fell to No. 5 Arizona State in the regular season finale to finish at 26–1 (17–1 Pac-10), repeating as conference champion, and were ranked second in both polls. Despite dropping the regular season finale, they did not drop in the rankings, and were seeded No. 1 in the West region of the NCAA tournament.
The Beavers received an opening round bye, and were shocked by No. 8 seed Kansas State, 50–48,{{cite news |title=Kansas State Wins By 50-48 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/03/15/sports/kansas-state-wins-by-50-48.html |newspaper=The New York Times |date=March 15, 1981 |access-date=September 11, 2022}} at Pauley Pavilion. The Wildcats would reach the Elite Eight before falling to eventual runner-up North Carolina. Oregon State finished the season at 26–2.
Roster
{{CBB roster/Header|year=1980|team=Oregon State Beavers|teamcolors=y|high_school=}}
{{CBB roster/Player|first=Lester |last=Conner |num=32 |pos=G |ft=6 |in=4 |lbs=180 |class=Jr |cur_rs= |rs= |high_school= |home=Oakland, California |link=y |dab= }}
{{CBB roster/Player|first=Charlie |last=Sitton |num=52 |pos=F |ft=6 |in=8 |lbs=205 |class=Fr |cur_rs= |rs= |high_school=McMinnville, Oregon |home= |link=y |dab= }}
{{CBB roster/Player|first=Steve |last=Johnson |num=55 |pos=FC |ft=6 |in=10 |lbs=230 |class=Sr |cur_rs= |rs= |high_school= |home=San Bernardino, California |link=y |dab=basketball }}
{{CBB roster/Footer
|head_coach=
|asst_coach=
|roster_url=
|accessdate=
}}
:{{small|Source:}}{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/oregon-state/1981.html|title=1980–81 Oregon State Beavers Roster and Stats|website=Sports Reference |access-date=September 11, 2022}}
Schedule and results
{{CBB schedule start|rank=|gamehighs=|attend=}}
|-
!colspan=9 style={{CollegePrimaryStyle|Oregon State Beavers}}| Regular Season
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Nov 29, 1980
| time =
| nonconf = yes
| away =
| neutral =
| rank = 7
| opponent = Brigham Young
| opprank = 18
| site_stadium = Gill Coliseum
| site_cityst = Corvallis, Oregon
| gamename =
| score = 75–68
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 1–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Dec 4, 1980
| time =
| nonconf =
| away =
| neutral =
| rank = 6
| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1980|sex=men|team=Cal State Northridge Matadors|title=Cal State Northridge}}
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Gill Coliseum
| site_cityst = Corvallis, Oregon
| gamename =
| score = 78–47
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 2–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Dec 6, 1980
| time =
| nonconf = yes
| away = yes
| neutral =
| rank = 6
| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1980|sex=men|team=Pepperdine Waves|title=Pepperdine}}
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Firestone Fieldhouse
| site_cityst = Malibu, California
| gamename =
| score = 82–76
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 3–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Dec 8, 1980
| time =
| nonconf = yes
| away = yes
| neutral =
| rank = 5
| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1980|sex=men|team=Portland State Vikings|title=Portland State}}
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Peter W. Stott Center
| site_cityst = Portland, Oregon
| gamename =
| score = 102–58
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 4–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Dec 13, 1980
| time =
| nonconf = yes
| away =
| neutral =
| rank = 5
| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1980|sex=men|team=Portland Pilots |title=Portland}}
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Gill Coliseum
| site_cityst = Corvallis, Oregon
| gamename =
| score = 92–57
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 5–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Dec 26, 1980
| time =
| nonconf = yes
| away =
| neutral = yes
| rank = 4
| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1980|sex=men|team=Northwestern Wildcats|title=Northwestern}}
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Memorial Coliseum
| site_cityst = Portland, Oregon
| gamename =
| score = 90–70
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 6–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Dec 27, 1980
| time =
| nonconf = yes
| away =
| neutral = yes
| rank = 4
| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1980|sex=men|team=Rhode Island Rams|title=Rhode Island}}
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Memorial Coliseum
| site_cityst = Portland, Oregon
| gamename =
| score = 103–55
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 7–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Dec 28, 1980
| time =
| nonconf = yes
| away =
| neutral = yes
| rank = 4
| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1980|sex=men|team=Oregon Ducks|title=Oregon}}
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Memorial Coliseum
| site_cityst = Portland, Oregon
| gamename =
| score = 67–57
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 8–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Jan 3, 1981
| time =
| nonconf =
| away = yes
| neutral =
| rank = 2
| opponent = Arizona State
| opprank = 13
| site_stadium = Gill Coliseum
| site_cityst = Tempe, Arizona
| gamename =
| score = 71–67
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 9–0
| conference = 1–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Jan 5, 1981
| time =
| nonconf =
| away = yes
| neutral =
| rank = 2
| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1980|sex=men|team=Arizona Wildcats|title=Arizona}}
| opprank =
| site_stadium = McKale Center
| site_cityst = Tucson, Arizona
| gamename =
| score = 61–49
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 10–0
| conference = 2–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Jan 9, 1981
| time =
| nonconf =
| away =
| neutral =
| rank = 2
| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1980|sex=men|team=Stanford Cardinal|title=Stanford}}
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Gill Coliseum
| site_cityst = Corvallis, Oregon
| gamename =
| score = 76–62
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 11–0
| conference = 3–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Jan 10, 1981
| time =
| nonconf =
| away =
| neutral =
| rank = 2
| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1980|sex=men|team=California Golden Bears|title=California}}
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Gill Coliseum
| site_cityst = Corvallis, Oregon
| gamename =
| score = 80–53
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 12–0
| conference = 4–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Jan 17, 1981
| time =
| nonconf =
| away =
| neutral =
| rank = 1
| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1980|sex=men|team=Oregon Ducks|title=Oregon}}
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Gill Coliseum
| site_cityst = Corvallis, Oregon
| gamename =
| score = 82–55
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 13–0
| conference = 5–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Jan 22, 1981
| time =
| nonconf =
| away = yes
| neutral =
| rank = 1
| opponent = Washington State
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Friel Court
| site_cityst = Pullman, Washington
| gamename =
| score = 66–53
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 14–0
| conference = 6–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Jan 24, 1981
| time =
| nonconf =
| away = yes
| neutral =
| rank = 1
| opponent = Washington
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Bank of America Arena
| site_cityst = Seattle, Washington
| gamename =
| score = 97–91
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 15–0
| conference = 7–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Jan 29, 1981
| time =
| nonconf =
| away =
| neutral =
| rank = 1
| opponent = UCLA
| opprank = 10
| site_stadium = Gill Coliseum
| site_cityst = Corvallis, Oregon
| gamename =
| score = 81–67
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 16–0
| conference = 8–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Jan 31, 1981
| time =
| nonconf =
| away =
| neutral =
| rank = 1
| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1980|sex=men|team=USC Trojans|title=Southern California}}
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Gill Coliseum
| site_cityst = Corvallis, Oregon
| gamename =
| score = 55–48
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 17–0
| conference = 9–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Feb 6, 1981
| time =
| nonconf =
| away = yes
| neutral =
| rank = 2
| opponent = California
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Harmon Gym
| site_cityst = Berkeley, California
| gamename =
| score = 69–54
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 18–0
| conference = 10–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Feb 7, 1981
| time =
| nonconf =
| away = yes
| neutral =
| rank = 2
| opponent = Stanford
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Maples Pavilion
| site_cityst = Stanford, California
| gamename =
| score = 62–57
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 19–0
| conference = 11–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Feb 12, 1981
| time =
| nonconf =
| away = yes
| neutral =
| rank = 2
| opponent = Oregon
| opprank =
| site_stadium = McArthur Court
| site_cityst = Eugene, Oregon
| gamename =
| score = 78–61
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 20–0
| conference = 12–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Feb 14, 1981
| time =
| nonconf = yes
| away = yes
| neutral =
| rank = 2
| opponent = St. John's
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Nassau Coliseum
| site_cityst = New York, New York
| gamename =
| score = 57–45
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 21–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Feb 21, 1981
| time =
| nonconf =
| away =
| neutral =
| rank = 2
| opponent = Washington State
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Gill Coliseum
| site_cityst = Corvallis, Oregon
| gamename =
| score = 81–53
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 22–0
| conference = 13–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Feb 23, 1981
| time =
| nonconf =
| away =
| neutral =
| rank = 2
| opponent = Washington
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Gill Coliseum
| site_cityst = Corvallis, Oregon
| gamename =
| score = 89–63
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 23–0
| conference = 14–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Feb 27, 1981
| time =
| nonconf =
| away = yes
| neutral =
| rank = 2
| opponent = USC
| opprank =
| site_stadium = L.A. Sports Arena
| site_cityst = Los Angeles, California
| gamename =
| score = 73–64
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 24–0
| conference = 15–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Mar 1, 1981
| time =
| nonconf =
| away = yes
| neutral =
| rank = 2
| opponent = UCLA
| opprank = 13
| site_stadium = Pauley Pavilion
| site_cityst = Los Angeles, California
| gamename =
| score = 82–76
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 25–0
| conference = 16–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Mar 5, 1981
| time =
| nonconf =
| away =
| neutral =
| rank = 2
| opponent = Arizona
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Gill Coliseum
| site_cityst = Corvallis, Oregon
| gamename =
| score = 80–62
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 26–0
| conference = 17–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Mar 7, 1981
| time =
| nonconf = yes
| away =
| neutral =
| rank = 2
| opponent = Arizona State
| opprank = 5
| site_stadium = Gill Coliseum
| site_cityst = Corvallis, Oregon
| gamename =
| score = 67–87
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 26–1
| conference = 17–1
}}
|-
!colspan=9 style={{CollegePrimaryStyle|Oregon State Beavers}}| 1981 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Mar 14, 1981
| time =
| nonconf = yes
| away =
| neutral = yes
| rank = 2
| seed = 1 W
| opponent = Kansas State
| opprank =
| oppseed = 8 W
| site_stadium = Pauley Pavilion
| site_cityst = Los Angeles, California
| gamename = Second round
| score = 48–50{{cite web |title=March 14, 1981: When the NCAA tournament became Madness |url=https://www.si.com/college/2012/03/14/1981-madness |publisher=Sports Illustrated |date=March 14, 2012 |access-date=September 11, 2022 |first=Tim |last=Layden}}
| overtime =
| attend =
| record = 26–2
}}
{{CBB schedule end
| rank =
| poll = AP Poll
| timezone = Pacific
| region = W
| regionname = West
| notes =
}}
:{{small|Source:}}{{cite web |title=2020-21 Oregon State Men's Basketball Media Guide |url=https://osubeavers.com/documents/2020/11/20/Full_Guide.pdf |publisher=Oregon State University Athletics |access-date=September 11, 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/oregon-state/1981-schedule.html|title=1980–81 Oregon State Beavers Schedule and Results|website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com}}
Rankings
{{main|1980–81 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings}}
Awards and honors
NBA draft
{{main|1981 NBA draft}}
| class="wikitable"
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Oregon State Beavers| Round | Pick | Player | NBA Club }} | |||
| align="center" bgcolor=""
| 1 | 7 | Steve Johnson | Kansas City Kings |
| align="center" bgcolor="" |
References
{{reflist|2}}
{{Oregon State Beavers men's basketball navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:1980-81 Oregon State Beavers men's basketball team}}