The 2001–02 Mid-American Conference men's basketball season began with practices in October 2001, followed by the start of the

2001–02 NCAA Division I men's basketball season 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 ...

in November. Conference play began in January 2002 and concluded in March 2002. Ball State was the runner-up in the 2001 Maui Invitational Tournament. They opened their season by beating #4

Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...

and #3

UCLA The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California St ...

before losing to #1

Duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ran ...

in the final.

Kent State Kent State University (KSU) is a public research university in Kent, Ohio. The university also includes seven regional campuses in Northeast Ohio and additional facilities in the region and internationally. Regional campuses are located in Ash ...

won the regular season title with a conference record of 17–1 by five games over second-place Ball State and Bowling Green. Kent State defeated Bowling Green in the MAC tournament final and represented the MAC in the NCAA tournament. There they defeated

Oklahoma State Oklahoma (; Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, New M ...

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...

, and

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

before losing to then eventual national runner-up

Indiana Hoosiers The Indiana Hoosiers are the intercollegiate sports teams and players of Indiana University Bloomington, named after the colloquial term for people from the state of Indiana. The Hoosiers participate in NCAA Division I, Division I of the Nationa ...

in the

Elite Eight In the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship or the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship, the "Elite Eight" comprises the final eight teams, representing the regional finals, or national quarterfinals. In Division I and Divis ...

Preseason awards

The preseason poll was announced by the league office on October 25, 2001.

Preseason men's basketball poll

''(First place votes in parentheses)''

East Division

(31) 313 # (7) 261 #

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

(5) 231 # (6) 218 # # 107 # 52

West Division

# (30) 270 # (17) 248 # (2) 210 # 126 # 103 # Eastern Michigan 74

Honors

Postseason

Mid–American Tournament

NCAA tournament

Postseason awards

#Coach of the Year:

Stan Heath Stanley Heath III (born December 17, 1964) is an American basketball coach currently serving as the head coach for Eastern Michigan. Heath formerly served as head coach at the University of South Florida, the University of Arkansas and Kent State ...

, Kent State #Player of the Year:

Keith McLeod Keith McLeod (born November 5, 1979) is an American former professional basketball player and current varsity boys basketball head coach at East Canton High School in Canton, Ohio. He is tall. He has also played in the NBA for the Minnesota Timbe ...

, Bowling Green #Freshman of the Year: Ben Reed, Western Michigan #Defensive Player of the Year: Demetric Shaw, Kent State

Honors

References

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