2009 Big East Men 's Basketball Tournament , a part of the 2008 – 09 NCAA Division I men 's basketball season , took place in March 2009 at Madison Square Garden in New York City . The Louisville Cardinals defeated the Syracuse Orange 76 – 66 in the tournament finals to earn the Big East Tournament championship for the first time , and received the Big East Conference 's automatic bid to the 2009 NCAA Tournament
Big East Conference
Big East Conference (1979–2013)
2009 Big East Men's Basketball Tournament