The BIAH Advent Calendar: Day 10

Yup, it is December. And as the temperatures outside drop, the heat is rising on college campuses across the country as basketball season kicks into full swing. But December is also a time to reflect on the past year. This December is special, because as we draw closer to the new year, we get closer to the end of the aughts. In the spirit of the holidays, we are going to celebrate the decade past by counting down the top 25 games, players, and teams of the last 10 years with the BIAH advent calender. Each day, we will be unveiling the next on each of our lists, culminating with our gift to you on Christmas Day: the best game, the best player, and the best team of the 2000's.

Here is No. 16:


2005: Gonzaga vs. Oklahoma State: Oklahoma State scored early in the second half to open up a 12 point lead, their largest of the game. But Gonzaga would start chipping away, even with their leading scorer Adam Morrison struggling. With 2:40 left in the game, Morrison drilled a three to cut the lead to 60-59, his first made basket since the six minute mark of the first half (his only other field goal in the second half came on a goaltend).

That would set up a fantastic finish. Two possessions later, JP Batista would score in the post to give the Gonzaga a 61-60 lead. Two free throws from Jamaal Brown would give OK State the lead back, setting up this (which doubles as my favorite all-time Gus Johnson call - and Bill Raftery is there too; see if you can count how many random words are yelled, assuming you can discern them):



Morrison, for the record, says he was trying to bank it in.


Ty Lawson, UNC: Tyler Hansbrough got all the media love, but Ty Lawson was the engine that made a UNC team that reached two Final Fours, and won a national title, go. As a freshman, Lawson immediately was thrust into Roy Williams starting line-up as he was the perfect fit for UNC's uptempo system and averaged 10.2 ppg and 5.6 apg. You see, Lawson is as fast as anyone from end-to-end, and his ability to dribble through defenses in transition was a huge reason why UNC was a nearly unstoppable offensive machine.

Ty Lawson was the catalyst for a powerful UNC offense.
(photo credit: MixtapeMonster)

As a sophomore, Lawson battled a sprained ankle late in the season, but still managed to average 12.7 ppg and 5.8 apg as UNC won the ACC regular season and tournament titles while advancing to the Final Four. In the Final Four, UNC was run off the court by Kansas, who built a 28 point first half lead. That, combined with some legal trouble, helped get not only Lawson, but Wayne Ellington, Tyler Hansbrough, and Danny Green to return to the Heels for the '08-'09 season. UNC was the consensus favorite in '09 from day one, and proved that in the Tournament, as they won every game by double digits en route to a title. Lawson was named ACC Player of the Year (over Hansbrough, among others) and was a second team all-american after averaging 16.6 ppg and 6.6 apg.


2003 Kentucky Wildcats: In the 100th season of Wildcat basketball, Kentucky did not look like they were destined for great things. A 6-3 start to the season will do that, and many questioned whether this would be the second coming of "Team Turmoil". But midway through the season, the Cats started to gel and by into the defensive system that Tubby Smith was preaching.

Kentucky would end up rolling through the SEC, going undefeated and winning the conference tournament. A #1 seed heading into the dance, Kentucky and Arizona were overwhelming favorites to win. But the breakdown of the brackets would have had the two teams playing in the national semifinal, which was a large reason that #1 seeds are now ranked. Kentucky would eventually lose in the Elite 8 to Marquette and Dwyane Wade, who went for a triple-double, ending their 26 game winning streak.

Kentucky's 2003 team was truly a team.
(photo credit: Big Blue History)

Keith Bogans led the Cats with an average of 15.7 ppg, while Gerald Fitch and Marquis Estill also scored in double figures. But as much as any team on this list, Kentucky was successful not because of their stars, but because they truly were a "team".


No. 17: Duke v. Maryland in the 2001 Final Four, Deron Williams, and Gonzaga's 2006 team

No. 18: Duke v. Indiana, Mateen Cleaves, Gonzaga
No. 19: Syracuse v. Kansas, Dwyane Wade, UCLA's 2006 team
No. 20: Pitt v. Villanova, Michael Beasley, and Duke's 2004 team
No. 21: Duke vs. Maryland in the 2001 ACC Semis, Josh Howard, Arizona's 2001 team
No. 22: Marquette v. Kentucky, Tayshaun Prince, UConn's 2009 team
No. 23: Vermont v. Syracuse, Andrew Bogut, and Memphis's 2008 team.
No. 24: UConn v. Miami, Luke Harangody, and Kansas's 2003 team
No. 25: Drake v. Western Kentucky, Wayne Simien, and Louisville's 2009 team.