The BIAH Advent Calendar: Day 19

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. 7:


2007 Oklahoma State vs. Texas: Two top 25 conference foes. Three overtimes. 208 points. Two stars going head to head. One of the best shots you will ever see. This game had it all.

Kevin Durant started the drama by hitting a three with under a minute left to cut the Oklahoma State lead to 70-68. After JamesOn Fleming hit 1-2 free throws, another freshman by the name of DJ Augustin hit a three to send the game into overtime. The first overtime ended in a flurry. After Kevin Durant scored to tie the game with 24 seconds left, OSU scored on an alley-oop finish by David Monds before DJ Augustin went the length of the floor to tie the game at 83.

The end of the second OT was just as exciting, as Durant hit a three to tie the game with a minute left. After walk-on Tyler Hatch scored to give the Pokes the lead, it looked like the Horns were in trouble after Boggan corralled a rebound, but an ill advised three from Monds and a dunk by Durant at the other end forced the third OT.

The third OT was much of the same. Durant finished an and-one layup to give the Horns a 103-102 with 10 seconds left, just the Horns second lead in the overtimes, but Boggans, who was 6-37 from three on the season coming in, buried a triple for the final score. AJ Abrams traveled and the Pokes won.



How many big shots were there in this game? How great was that atmosphere? How hard were those kids playing? That right there is why college basketball is so great. Keep in mind, this game was played in early January.


Carmelo Anthony, Syracuse: I know that Melo was a one-and-done kid, but the simple fact that he led the Orange to their first national title under Jim Boeheim is enough to get him into the top 10 of our list.

Melo was fantastic in his one season at Syracuse. He was a freshman that was the focal point offensively for a team that won a national title. How often to you see that happen? Melo averaged 22.1 ppg and 10.0 rpg en route to being named a second team all-american and first team all-Big East.

Melo won a title in his only season in Syracuse.
(photo credit: Puerto Rico Herald)

We expect to get some criticism for having Melo rated this high after having played just one season, but think about this: Syracuse was a team that had just one junior and one senior on their roster, was led by two freshman and a sophomore, started the season out unranked, and was carried to a Big East regular season title and a national title by Anthony. How many other players, regardless of the number of seasons that they played, can make that claim.


2000 Michigan State: Michigan State in 2000 was a team loaded with back court stars. Led by the gutty Mateen Cleaves, who was arguably the best leader of the decade, the Spartans had three NBA players in their back court to surround him - Charlie Bell, Morris Peterson, and Jason Richardson coming off the bench.

The Spartans prided themselves on outphysicaling teams on the defensive end. They didn't have a front court full of big names, but the guys they did have could push you around, established position as well as anyone in the country, and hit the glass hard. They finished the season with a plus 11.7 rebounding margin.

Michigan State won both Big Ten titles before beating Florida for a national title.
(photo credit: MSU)

Michigan State went 32-7 on the season, winning both the Big Ten regular season and tournament titles before winning a national championship.


No. 8: UCLA v. Gonzaga, Jameer Nelson, Maryland's 2002 team
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.