1982 Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball tournament

The 1982 Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball tournament was played after the conclusion of the 1981–1982 regular season. The quarterfinal and semifinal rounds were played on campus sites with the final contested at the Tulsa Convention Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

1982 Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball tournament
Classification	Division I
Season	1981–82
Teams	8
Site	Campus sites
Finals site	Tulsa Convention Center Tulsa, Oklahoma
Champions	Tulsa (1st title)
Winning coach	Nolan Richardson (1st title)
Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball tournaments

1981–82 Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball standings

	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		PCT			W		L		PCT
Bradley	13	–	3		.813			26	–	10		.722
No. 10 Tulsa †	12	–	4		.750			24	–	6		.800
Wichita State	12	–	4		.750			23	–	6		.793
New Mexico State	10	–	6		.625			17	–	11		.607
Illinois State	9	–	7		.563			17	–	12		.586
Drake	7	–	9		.438			12	–	15		.444
Southern Illinois	7	–	9		.438			11	–	16		.407
Creighton	4	–	12		.250			7	–	20		.259
Indiana State	3	–	13		.188			9	–	18		.333
West Texas State	3	–	13		.188			11	–	15		.423
† 1982 MVC tournament winner Rankings from AP Poll

The tenth ranked Tulsa Golden Hurricane defeated the Illinois State Redbirds in the championship game, 90–77, and as a result won their first MVC Tournament title to earn an automatic bid to the 1982 NCAA tournament.

Bracket

	Quarterfinals March 5, 1982 Campus Sites, Higher Seed					Semifinals March 6, 1982 Campus Sites, Higher Seed					Final March 7, 1982 Tulsa Convention Center
	1	Bradley	86
	8	Indiana State	61
						1	Bradley	502OT
						4	Illinois State	55
	4	Illinois State	56
	5	Drake	43
											4	Illinois State	77
											2	No. 10 Tulsa	90
	2	No. 10 Tulsa	106
	7	Creighton	81
						2	No. 10 Tulsa	85
						3	New Mexico State	61
	3	New Mexico State	68
	6	Southern Illinois	43