The 1980–81 Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team represented the University of Michigan in intercollegiate college basketball during the 1980–81 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The team played its home games in the Crisler Arena in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and was a member of the Big Ten Conference. Under the direction of first-year head coachBill Frieder, the team finished tied for sixth in the Big Ten Conference.[1] The team earned an invitation to the 1981 National Invitation Tournament.[2] Although the team was ranked in the Associated Press Top Twenty Poll for eleven of the sixteen weeks reaching a peak at number nine, it began and finished the season unranked[3] and it also ended the season unranked in the final UPI Coaches' Poll.[4] The team was led by All-AmericanMike McGee.[5] The team set the current Big Ten conference record by playing in six overtime games.[6] That season McGee also set the current conference record for career field goals attempted (2077).[7] McGee set several other records, which have since been broken: career points (2439, broken in 1989 by Glen Rice),[7] career points (conference games only) (1503, broken in 1995),[8] single-season field goals made (309, broken in 1986)[7] and career field goals made (1010, broken in 1993).[7] Mark Bodnar became the first Michigan Wolverines player on record to total 13 assists in a game on December 13, 1980, against the Dayton Flyers, eclipsing Mark Henry's 1970 total of 12. No Wolverine would surpass 13 assists in a game until Gary Grant twice recorded 14 in December 1987.[9] The team's field goal percentage of 51.1 was a school record that lasted four years.[10] McGee's 3941 minutes and 34.3 minutes per game stood as school records until 1987 and 1984 respectively.[11] Marty Bodnar earned first team Academic All-American honors, while Mark Bodnar was a third team selection.[12] Paul Heuerman and Thad Garner served as team captains, while McGee earned team MVP.[13] McGee ended his career with a school record 112 starts. The record would last for six years.[11]
Ranking movements Legend:██ Increase in ranking. ██ Decrease in ranking. NR = Not ranked. RV = Received votes. т = Tied with team above or below. ( ) = First place votes.
