| Year: | 1981 |
| Conference: | MAC |
| Division: | I |
| Gender: | Men's |
| Teams: | 7 |
| 1Stroundarena: | Campus Arenas |
| 1Stroundcity: | Campus Sites |
| Finalarena: | Crisler Arena |
| Finalcity: | Ann Arbor, MI |
| Champions: | Ball State |
| Titlecount: | 1st |
| Coach: | Steve Yoder |
| Coachcount: | 1st |
| Mvp: | Ray McCallum |
| Mvpteam: | Ball State |
The 1981 MAC men's basketball tournament was held March 3–5 at Crisler Arena in Ann Arbor, Michigan.[1] Ball State defeated in the championship game by the score of 79–66 to win their first MAC men's basketball tournament and a bid to the NCAA tournament. There they lost to Boston College in the first round.[2] [3] Ray McCallum of Central Michigan was named the tournament MVP.[4]
Seven of the ten MAC teams participated. First Round games were played in the home arena of the higher seeded team. The semi-finals and final were played at Crisler Arena in Ann Arbor, Michigan.