The BIAH Advent Calendar: Day 18

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. 8:


2006: UCLA vs. Gonzaga: Gonzaga controlled the first 37 minutes of this game, going up by 17 in the first half and taking a 71-62 lead into the final three minutes. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute would start the comeback with two free throws, followed with a putback with just over two minutes left. After a missed jumper by Adam Morrison, Jordan Farmar scored at the other end to cut the lead to three, setting up this ending (and arguably Gus Johnson's greatest call):



Adam Morrison would leave Gonzaga after that season, and despite being an all-american (and a national player of the year, according to some outlets), his lasting memory as a college basketball player is lying on the court in tears.


Jameer Nelson, St. Joseph's: Nelson entered St. Joe's with a bang, joining forces with all-american Marvin O'Connor to lead the Hawks to the NCAA Tournament's second round. Nelson averaged 12.5 ppg and 6.5 apg in winning national freshman of the year honors. His sophomore season, St. Joe's would fail to make the tournament, but it was as a junior that Nelson really put himself on the map.

O'Connor, who averaged 18.9 ppg in this Hawks career, graduated and Nelson was forced to carry a much bigger load in the offense. As a junior, Nelson averaged 19.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg, and 4.7 apg as the Hawks once again made the NCAA Tournament, but as a senior Nelson led St. Joe's to one of the best season's in recent memory. The Hawks, on the strength of Nelson and Delonte West in the back court, went 27-0 during the regular season before losing to Xavier in the A-10 tournament. St. Joe's would make it all the way to the Elite 8 before losing to Oklahoma State on a John Lucas three.

Nelson won the 2004 POY awards over Emeka Okafor.
(photo credit: SI)

Nelson averaged 20.6 ppg, 5.3 apg, and 2.9 spg as a senior, winning both the Wooden and Naismith awards before becoming a first round pick in the draft.


2002 Maryland: Coming off of a devastating loss in the 2001 Final Four, blowing a 22 point lead to rival Duke, Gary Williams took basically the same team and led them to an ACC regular season title. After losing in the first round of the ACC Tournament, Maryland went into the NCAA Tournament with a #1 seed and rolled through to a national title.

Maryland had quite a bit of local flavor on their 2002 title team.
(photo credit: Gamespot)

The most impressive part of this title team is that none of these guys were highly touted recruits. Instead, Williams resorted picking the right combination of role players and talented local kids. Juan Dixon (a Baltimore native) was their unquestioned leader, as he overcame a rough childhood and a slight build to become an all-american. Lonny Baxter, a DC native, was their horse on the block. Steve Blake was a good enough point guard that he made an NBA career for himself despite never averaging more than 11 ppg in college. Chris Wilcox was an athlete in the truest sense of the word, and really came on towards the end of his sophomore year. The glue that held this team together was Byron Mouton, a Tulane transfer


No. 9: Barton v. Winona State, Blake Griffin, St. Joseph's 2004 team
No. 10: West Virginia v. Wake Forest, Juan Dixon, Kansas's 2008 team
No. 11: Kansas v. Memphis, TJ Ford, Syracuse's 2003 team
No. 12: West Virginia v. Louisville, Stephen Curry, and UCLA's 2008 team
No. 13: Gonzaga v. Arizona, Kevin Durant, and Florida's 2006 Team
No. 14: UConn v. Duke, Joakim Noah, and Duke's 2002 team
No. 15: Oklahoma State v. St. Joe's, Chris Paul, and UConn's 2006 team
No. 16: Gonzaga v. Oklahoma State, Ty Lawson, and Kentucky's 2003 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.