The 2001–02 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 9, 2001, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 2002 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Championship Game on April 1, 2002, at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. The Maryland Terrapins won their first NCAA national championship with a 64–52 victory over the Indiana Hoosiers.
Season headlines The Atlantic Sun Conference competed under that name for the first time. Previously it had been known as the Trans America Athletic Conference. The preseason Associated Press All-American team was named on November 6, 2001. Jason Williams of Duke was the unanimous leading vote-getter (72 of 72 votes). The rest of the team included Kareem Rush of Missouri (47 votes), Tayshaun Prince of Kentucky (46), Casey Jacobsen of Stanford (45) and Frank Williams of Illinois (31).Jason Williams A Unanimous Preseason All-America, Duke Blue Devils. Retrieved July 29, 2010. Jason Conley of Virginia Military Institute became the first freshman ever to win the season scoring title, averaging 29.3 points per game in 28 games. Senior John Linehan of Providence became the all-time Division I steals leader with 385 for his career, while fellow senior Desmond Cambridge of Alabama A&M coincidentally finishes his career with the second highest steals total of 377. On March 1, 2002, sophomore Ronald Blackshear of Marshall tied an NCAA record by making 11 consecutive three-point shots in a game against Akron, but also makes 14 total in the second-highest single game output in NCAA history. The National Invitation Tournament expanded from 32 to 40 teams. Two teams whose head coaches were people of color met in an NCAA tournament Final Four game for the first time, when Indiana, coached by Mike Davis, defeated Oklahoma, coached by Kelvin Sampson, 73–64 in a national semifinal game on March 30, 2002.
Major rule changes Beginning in 2001–02, the following rules changes were implemented:2008–09 NCAA Record Book – Playing Rules History section Both direct and indirect technical fouls penalized by two shots and returned to point of interruption. Officials could check an official courtside monitor to determine if a try was a three- or two-point attempt, regardless of whether the try was successful.
Season outlook
Pre-season polls The top 25 from the AP and ESPN/USA Today Coaches Polls November 5, 2001. Associated PressRankingTeam1Duke (61)2Maryland (6)3Illinois (2)4Kentucky (3)5UCLA6Florida7Kansas8Missouri9Iowa10St. Joseph's11Virginia12Memphis13Stanford14Georgetown15Michigan State16Temple17Boston College18Oklahoma State19North Carolina20Southern California21Syracuse22Indiana23Texas24Alabama25Oklahoma ESPN/USA Today CoachesRankingTeam1Duke (30)2Illinois (1)3Maryland4Kentucky5Florida6UCLA7Kansas8Iowa9Missouri10St. Joseph's11Virginia12Michigan State13Memphis14Georgetown15Stanford16Boston College17Temple18Oklahoma State19North Carolina20Syracuse21Indiana22Texas23Oklahoma24Southern California25Fresno State
Conference membership changes
These schools joined new conferences for the 2001–02 season.
SchoolFormer conferenceNew conference NCAA Division I independent America East Conference Colonial Athletic Association Patriot League NCAA Division I independent Atlantic Sun Conference NCAA Division II independent America East Conference TSAC (NAIA) NCAA Division I independent Big West Conference Western Athletic Conference Big Sky Conference Big West Conference America East Conference Colonial Athletic Association America East Conference Colonial Athletic Association Colonial Athletic Association Conference USA America East Conference Colonial Athletic Association Great Lakes Valley Conference (D-II) NCAA Division I independent TSAC (NAIA) NCAA Division I independent Sun Belt Conference Western Athletic Conference NCAA Division II independent NCAA Division I independent Colonial Athletic Association Atlantic 10 Conference NCAA Division I independent America East Conference Western Athletic Conference Conference USA America East Conference Colonial Athletic Association NCAA Division II independent Big West Conference Mid-Continent Conference Horizon League
Regular season Conferences Conference winners and tournaments