The 1980–81 Howard Bison men's basketball team represented Howard University during the 1980–81 NCAA Division I men's basketball season.
The Bison, led by fifth-year head coach A.
B. Williamson, played their home games at Burr Gymnasium in Washington, D.C., as members of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
Howard followed by winning the MEAC tournament to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament – the first appearance in program history.
12 seed in the Midwest Region, the Bison were defeated by No.