2000–01 NCAA Division I men's basketball season

The 2000–01 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 8, 2000, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 2001 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Championship Game on April 2, 2001, at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Duke Blue Devils won their third NCAA national championship with an 82–72 victory over the Arizona Wildcats.

Season headlines

• The preseason AP All-American team was named on November 13. Shane Battier of Duke was the leading vote-getter (71 of 72 votes). The rest of the team included Troy Murphy of Notre Dame (62 votes), Loren Woods of Arizona (46), Joseph Forte of North Carolina (39) and Jamaal Tinsley of Iowa State (39).
• On January 27, 2001, a plane carrying two Oklahoma State players, six other people (coaches and broadcasters) associated with the Oklahoma State men's basketball program, and a crew of two crashed in a field near Strasburg, Colorado, during a snowstorm, killing all ten people on board.
• The NCAA tournament expanded from 64 to 65 teams.
• The Trans America Athletic Conference competed under that name for the last time. After the season, it was renamed the Atlantic Sun Conference.

Major rule changes

Beginning in 2000–01, the following rules changes were implemented:

• Technical fouls divided into direct (two-shot penalty) and indirect (one shot penalty) with ball returned to point of interruption.

Season outlook

Pre-season polls

The top 25 from the AP and ESPN/USA Today Coaches Polls November 9, 2000.

Conference membership changes

These schools joined new conferences for the 2000–01 season.

Regular season

Conferences

Conference winners and tournaments

Conference standings

Division I independents

Five schools played as Division I independents.

Informal championships

Villanova finished with a 4–0 record in head-to-head competition among the Philadelphia Big 5.

Statistical leaders

Source for additional stats categories

Post-season tournaments

NCAA tournament

Final Four – Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota

National Invitation tournament

Semifinals & finals

Award winners

Consensus All-American teams

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Major player of the year awards

• Wooden Award: Shane Battier, Duke
• Naismith Award: Shane Battier, Duke
• Associated Press Player of the Year: Shane Battier, Duke
• NABC Player of the Year: Jason Williams, Duke
• Oscar Robertson Trophy (USBWA): Shane Battier, Duke
• Adolph Rupp Trophy: Shane Battier, Duke
• Sporting News Player of the Year: Shane Battier, Duke

Major freshman of the year awards

• USBWA Freshman of the Year: Eddie Griffin, Seton Hall
• Sporting News Freshman of the Year: Eddie Griffin, Seton Hall

Major coach of the year awards

• Associated Press Coach of the Year: Matt Doherty, North Carolina
• Henry Iba Award (USBWA): Al Skinner, Boston College
• NABC Coach of the Year: Tom Izzo, Michigan State
• Naismith College Coach of the Year: Rod Barnes, Mississippi
• CBS/Chevrolet Coach of the Year: Al Skinner, Boston College
• Sporting News Coach of the Year: Al Skinner, Boston College

Other major awards

• Pete Newell Big Man Award (Best big man): Jason Collins, Stanford
• NABC Defensive Player of the Year: Shane Battier, Duke
• Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award (Best player under 6'0): Rashad Phillips, Detroit
• Lowe's Senior CLASS Award (top senior): Shane Battier, Duke
• Robert V. Geasey Trophy (Top player in Philadelphia Big 5): Michael Bradley, Villanova & Marvin O'Connor, St. Joseph's
• NIT/Haggerty Award (Top player in New York City metro area): Norman Richardson, Hofstra
• Chip Hilton Player of the Year Award (Strong personal character): Shane Battier, Duke

Coaching changes

A number of teams changed coaches during the season and after it ended.

References