The 1981 ECAC South men's basketball tournament (now known as the Colonial Athletic Association men's basketball tournament) was held March 5–7 at the Hampton Coliseum in Hampton, Virginia.
[1] James Madison defeated Richmond in the championship game, 69–60, to win their first ECAC South men's basketball tournament.
The Dukes, therefore, earned an automatic bid to the 1981 NCAA tournament; this was JMU's first-ever bid to the NCAA tournament.