The BIAH Advent Calendar: Day 1

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. 25:

2008: Drake vs. Western Kentucky: Drake was the mid-major darling of the 2007-2008 season, using a 21 game winning streak to go from the bottom of the MVC to a No. 15 ranking. But with eight minutes left in their first round game with the Hilltoppers, the Bulldogs found themselves down 15. But the Bulldogs would catch fire, using a 29-14 run at the end of regulation, capped by a Jonathon Cox three with 35 seconds left to tie the game at 88 and force OT.

In the overtime, Drake's Josh Young hit back-to-back threes to open up a 96-92 lead, but a Ty Rogers free throw and a Tyrone Brazelton three would tie the game up with just 1:12 left. After two Boris Slakam free throws with 21 seconds left gave WKU a 98-97 lead, Jonathon Cox drew a foul on Orlando Mendez-Valdez with six seconds left. He would make both free throws, setting up this final play:




Wayne Simien, Kansas: Simien was never a flashy player. A strong, 6'9" forward, Simien was a third-team AP all-american as a junior before earning first-team honors as well as winning the Big XII player of the year award as a senior. Simien's individual numbers are as good, if not better, than some of the players above him on this list (17.8 ppg and 9.3 rpg as a junior, 20.3 ppg and 11.0 rpg as a senior). Simien would probably be higher on this list if his teams had more success in March. As a sophomore, Kansas lost to Syracuse in the title game after Simien had suffered a season-ending shoulder injury. His junior season, Simien struggled through a 4-14 night as the Jayhawks lost to Georgia Tech in the Elite 8. His senior year, third-seeded Kansas was upset in the first round by Bucknell, ending Simien's excellent four year career.

Wayne Simien because a fan favorite in his four stellar years in Lawrence.
(photo credit: ESPN)

2009 Louisville Cardinals: There are quite a few people that consider the 2008-2009 Big East the best conference in college basketball history. Three one seeds, five Sweet 16 teams, two Final Four teams, and at one point during the year, nine member schools in the top 25. And Louisville won both the Big East regular season and tournament titles. The 2009 Cardinals were led by Terrence Williams and Earl Clark, two dynamic, play-making forwards that would go on to be selected in the first round of the 2009 NBA Draft. After struggling through non-conference play, Louisville's season turned around thanks to a 26 foot game winner from Edgar Sosa to beat arch-rival Kentucky. Louisville would go on to win 22 of their next 24 games, before eventually falling to national runner-up Michigan State in the Elite 8.

Louisville won both the regular season and tournament titles of what many believe was the toughest conference ever.
(photo credit: Hell in the Hall)