2000–01 Big East Conference men's basketball season

The 2000–01 Big East Conference men's basketball season was the 22nd in conference history, and involved its 14 full-time member schools.

Boston College was the regular-season champion of the East Division with a record of 13–3, and Notre Dame won the West Division with a record of 11–5. Boston College won the Big East tournament championship.

• The Big East expanded for the first time since the 1995–96 season, adding Virginia Tech as its 14th member.
• For the second time in its history, the Big East adopted a divisional structure, with an East Division and a West Division, each composed of seven teams.^{[note 1]} The divisional structure lasted through the 2002–03 season.
• The Big East reduced its regular-season schedule from 18 to 16 games.
• Boston College won the East Division regular-season championship with a record of 13–3. It was Boston College's fourth regular-season championship or co-championship. It also was Boston College's second division championship or co-championship and first outright division title.^{[note 2]}
• Notre Dame won the West Division regular-season championship with a record of 11–5. It was Notre Dame's first conference championship or co-championship and first division title.
• Boston College won its second Big East tournament championship.
• St. John's later had nine of its regular-season wins this season vacated due to sanctions imposed on the program for the use of an ineligible player.

Boston College, Connecticut, Georgetown, Notre Dame, St. John's, Seton Hall, and Syracuse all spent time in the Associated Press poll Top 25 during the season. Boston College finished the season ranked No. 7.

Two teams — the seventh-place finishers in each division based on conference record, after the application of tiebreakers as necessary — did not qualify for the Big East Tournament, the first time in history that some teams were excluded from the tournament. The remaining six teams in each division were seeded No. 1 through No. 6 by division based on conference record, again applying tiebreakers as necessary. Four teams — the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds in each division — received a bye into the quarterfinal round. Eight teams — the No. 3 through No. 6 seeds in each division — played in the first round. In the first round the No. 3 East seed played the No. 6 West seed, the No. 4 East seed played the No. 5 West seed, the No. 5 East seed played the No. 4 West seed, and the No. 6 East seed played the No. 3 West seed.

Seeding in the East Division was (1) Boston College, (2) Providence, (3) St. John's, (4) Miami, (5) Villanova, and (6) Connecticut. Seeding in the West Division was (1) Notre Dame, (2) Georgetown, (3) Syracuse, (4) West Virginia, (5) Pittsburgh, and (6) Seton Hall. The two seventh-place finishers that did not qualify for the tournament were Virginia Tech in the East Division and Rutgers in the West Division.

Five Big East teams received bids to the NCAA Tournament. Providence lost in the first round and Boston College, Notre Dame, and Syracuse in the second round. Georgetown was defeated in the West Region semifinals.

Six Big East teams received bids to the National Invitation Tournament, which did not yet have seeding. They played in three of the tournament's four unnamed brackets. Miami, Seton Hall, Villanova, and West Virginia all lost in the first round. Connecticut and Pittsburgh lost in the second round.

Co-Players of the Year:

• Troy Bell, Boston College, G, So.
• Troy Murphy, Notre Dame, F, Jr.

Defensive Player of the Year:

• John Linehan, Providence, G, Jr.

Rookie of the Year:

• Eddie Griffin, Seton Hall, F, Fr.

Co-Most Improved Players:

• Calvin Bowman, West Virginia, C, Sr.
• Preston Shumpert, Syracuse, F, Jr.

Coach of the Year:

• Al Skinner, Boston College (4th season)

All-Big East First Team

• Troy Bell, Boston College, G, So., 6 ft 1 in (185 cm), 180 lb (82 kg), Minneapolis, Minn.
• Troy Murphy, Notre Dame, F, Jr., 6 ft 11 in (211 cm), 245 lb (111 kg), Morristown, N.J.
• Preston Shumpert, Syracuse, F, Jr., 6 ft 6 in (198 cm), 200 lb (91 kg), Muncie, Ind.
• Michael Bradley, Villanova, C, Jr., 6 ft 10 in (208 cm), 235 lb (107 kg), Worcester, Mass.
• Calvin Bowman, West Virginia, C, Sr., 6 ft 9 in (206 cm), 220 lb (100 kg), Brooklyn, N.Y.

All-Big East Second Team:

• Kevin Braswell, Georgetown, G, Jr., 6 ft 2 in (188 cm), 190 lb (86 kg), Baltimore, Md.
• Ricardo Greer, Pittsburgh, F, Sr., 6 ft 5 in (196 cm), 200 lb (91 kg), New York, N.Y.
• John Linehan, Providence, G, Jr., 5 ft 9 in (175 cm), 165 lb (75 kg), Chester, Pa.
• Eddie Griffin, Seton Hall, F, Fr., 6 ft 10 in (208 cm), 240 lb (109 kg), Philadelphia, Pa.
• Damone Brown, Syracuse, F, Sr., 6 ft 9 in (206 cm), 212 lb (96 kg), Buffalo, N.Y.

All-Big East Third Team:

• Caron Butler, Connecticut, F, Fr., 6 ft 7 in (201 cm), 217 lb (98 kg), Racine, Wis.
• John Salmons, Miami, G, Jr., 6 ft 7 in (201 cm), 210 lb (95 kg), Plymouth Meeting, Pa.
• Ryan Humphrey, Notre Dame, F, Jr., 6 ft 8 in (203 cm), 235 lb (107 kg), Tulsa, Okla.
• Todd Billet, Rutgers, G, So., 6 ft 0 in (183 cm), 192 lb (87 kg), Middletown, N.J.
• Omar Cook, St. John's, G, Fr., 6 ft 1 in (185 cm), 190 lb (86 kg), Queens, N.Y.

Big East All-Rookie Team:

• Caron Butler, Connecticut, F, Fr., 6 ft 7 in (201 cm), 217 lb (98 kg), Racine, Wis.
• Michael Sweetney, Georgetown, F, Fr., 6 ft 8 in (203 cm), 275 lb (125 kg), Oxon Hill, Md.
• Darius Rice, Miami, F, Fr., 6 ft 10 in (208 cm), 222 lb (101 kg), Jackson, Miss.
• Eddie Griffin, Seton Hall, F, Fr., 6 ft 10 in (208 cm), 240 lb (109 kg), Philadelphia, Pa.
• Omar Cook, St. John's, G, Fr., 6 ft 1 in (185 cm), 190 lb (86 kg), Queens, N.Y.

The following players were selected to the 2001 Associated Press All-America teams.

Consensus All-America First Team:

• Troy Murphy, Notre Dame, Key Stats: 21.8 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.7 bpg, 47.1 FG%, 34.9 3P%, 653 points

Consensus All-America Second Team:

• Troy Bell, Boston College, Key Stats: 20.4 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 4.2 apg, 2.6 bpg, 45.9 FG%, 39.1 3P%, 652 points
• Michael Bradley, Villanova, Key Stats: 20.8 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 2.6 apg, 1.8 bpg, 69.2 FG%, 35.3 3P%, 645 points

First Team All-America:

• Troy Murphy, Notre Dame, Key Stats: 21.8 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.7 bpg, 47.1 FG%, 34.9 3P%, 653 points

Second Team All-America:

• Troy Bell, Boston College, Key Stats: 20.4 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 4.2 apg, 2.6 bpg, 45.9 FG%, 39.1 3P%, 652 points
• Michael Bradley, Villanova, Key Stats: 20.8 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 2.6 apg, 1.8 bpg, 69.2 FG%, 35.3 3P%, 645 points

AP Honorable Mention

• Eddie Griffin, Seton Hall
• Preston Shumpert, Syracuse

• 2000–01 NCAA Division I men's basketball season
• 2000–01 Boston College Eagles men's basketball team
• 2000–01 Connecticut Huskies men's basketball team
• 2000–01 Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team
• 2000–01 Notre Dame Fighting Irish men's basketball team
• 2000–01 Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball team
• 2000–01 Providence Friars men's basketball team
• 2000–01 St. John's Red Storm men's basketball team
• 2000–01 Syracuse Orangemen basketball team