Indiana University Athletics
’81 National Champions To Reunite And Be Honored Wednesday Night
11/28/2016 9:30:00 AM | Men's Basketball
BLOOMINGTON, Indiana - Members of the 1981 NCAA Men's Basketball Championship team will hold a reunion this Wednesday night and will be honored at halftime of Wednesday night's game which features the Hoosiers hosting North Carolina in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. The game tips off at 9:15 p.m. in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
The group captured the second of Coach Bob Knight's three NCAA titles with a 63-50 victory over UNC on March 30, 1981. The team finished 26-9 and won the Big Ten title with a 14-4 record.
The team finished non-conference play with a 7-5 record and then closed the Big Ten season winning seven of its last eight. In the NCAA Tournament, the Hoosiers beat Maryland, 99-64; UAB. 97-72; St. Joseph's, 78-46; LSU, 67-49 and then the Tar Heels in the title game.
Trainer: Bob Young
Ray Tolbert and Glen Grunwald were team captains. Ray Tolbert was named Big Ten Player of the Year and Isiah Thomas was named the NCAA Tournament's Most Outstanding Player. Coach Knight was named Big Ten Coach of the Year.
Coach Knight, Landon Turner, Ray Tolbert, Ted Kitchel, Randy Wittman and Isiah Thomas are all inducted in the IU Athletics Hall of Fame.
The group captured the second of Coach Bob Knight's three NCAA titles with a 63-50 victory over UNC on March 30, 1981. The team finished 26-9 and won the Big Ten title with a 14-4 record.
The team finished non-conference play with a 7-5 record and then closed the Big Ten season winning seven of its last eight. In the NCAA Tournament, the Hoosiers beat Maryland, 99-64; UAB. 97-72; St. Joseph's, 78-46; LSU, 67-49 and then the Tar Heels in the title game.
| 1981 Indiana Roster | ||
| 11 | Isiah Thomas | SO |
| 20 | Jim Thomas | SO |
| 23 | Chuck Franz | SO |
| 24 | Randy Wittman | SO |
| 30 | Ted Kitchel | SO |
| 31 | Tony Brown | SO |
| 32 | Landon Turner | JR |
| 33 | Eric Kirchner | SR |
| 34 | Steve Risley | SR |
| 40 | Glen Grunwald | SR |
| 43 | Mike LaFave | FR |
| 44 | Phil Isenbarger | SR |
| 45 | Ray Tolbert | SR |
| 54 | Steve Bouchie | SO |
Head Coach: Bob Knight
Assistant Coaches: Jim Crews, Jene Davis, Gerry Gimelstob Trainer: Bob Young
Ray Tolbert and Glen Grunwald were team captains. Ray Tolbert was named Big Ten Player of the Year and Isiah Thomas was named the NCAA Tournament's Most Outstanding Player. Coach Knight was named Big Ten Coach of the Year.
Coach Knight, Landon Turner, Ray Tolbert, Ted Kitchel, Randy Wittman and Isiah Thomas are all inducted in the IU Athletics Hall of Fame.
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