The BIAH Advent Calendar: Day 6

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. 20:


2009: Pitt vs. Villanova: In a year where the Big East was considered the best conference in college basketball, and maybe even the strongest conference ever, it was only fitting that two Big East teams would play the best game of the 2009 Tournament for the right to go to the Final Four. Villanova would jump out to leas of 10-3 and 22-12, but Pitt would make a run, capped by a Levance Fields step back three to tie the game at 30 with a 1:50 left in the first half. Sam Young hit two free throws at the end of the half, and Pitt went into the break up 34-32.

But the excitement was far from over, as a back and forth second half was capped by a final six minutes that saw six lead changes. Pitt was up 67-63 with three minutes left, but an and-1 bucket from Dwayne Anderson followed by a lay-up off of a steal by Corey Fisher gave Villanova the lead back. After two Levance Fields free throws put Pitt ahead, Anderson would bury a three and Corey Fisher would make two free throws to give Nova a 73-69 lead with 47 seconds left. Three Villanova free throws, and a three and a lay-up from Sam Young and DeJuan Blair, respectively, made it 76-74 with 10 seconds left, setting the stage for a dramatic finish:




Michael Beasley, Kansas State: I'll be honest, I had a tough time figuring out where to rank the one-and-done guys on this list. On the one hand, Beasley had one easily one of the best individual seasons of the decade, averaging 26.2 ppg and 12.4 rpg in the Big XII. But his collegiate career consisted of a season, singular.

Beasley was loved in his one season in Manhattan.
(photo credit: Rush the Court)

His one season was just too impressive to pass up. Let me take you through some of the records: He led the nation with 28 double-doubles, three 40 points games, 13 30-10 games, and 22 20-10 games; he set the Big XII single-game scoring record with 44 points in a loss to Baylor; his per game averages of 26.2 points and 12.4 rebounds were Big XII records; he helped K-State beat Kansas in Manhattan since 1983; overall, he set 30 K-State and 17 Big XII single-season and career records.

And he wasn't one of the top 25 players of the decade?


2004 Duke Blue Devils: The 2004 version of the Blue Devils was probably the best of the "JJ Redick era". No matter how you slice it, this team was loaded. JJ Redick, Luol Deng, Shelden Williams, Chris Duhon, Daniel Ewing, Sean Dockery, Shavlik Randolph. It was no coincidence that this team won 31 games, brought home another ACC regular season title, and reached the Final Four.

Whether you hate Duke or love Duke, you cannot argue with facts in this case. If this team hadn't blown a late eight point lead to UConn in the national semifinals and had gone on the win the national title, this group would be in this discussion as one of the best Blue Devil teams of Coach K's career.


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.