The 1981 Ohio Valley Conference men's basketball tournament was the postseason men's basketball tournament of the Ohio Valley Conference during the 1980–81 NCAA Division I men's basketball season.
The semifinals and finals took place at E. A. Diddle Arena in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
Top seed Western Kentucky won the tournament, defeating Murray State in the championship game, and received the Ohio Valley's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
The top four eligible men's basketball teams in the Ohio Valley Conference received a berth in the conference tournament.
The bottom four teams in the standings did not participate.