The BIAH Advent Calendar: Day 15

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. 11:


2008: Kansas vs. Memphis: For the first Final Four ever comprised of all four #1 seeds, Kansas and Memphis made sure the title game would be one to remember. The first half was a battle, and while neither team was scoring in the 80's, it was fast paced and saw the lead change hands a number of times.

In the second half, Derrick Rose took over, scoring 14 of his 18 points in the second 20 minutes. Memphis took control of the game, building up a nine point lead with 2:12 remaining. But Memphis couldn't hit their free throws down the stretch, missing four of five setting up this shot by Mario Chalmers:



Kansas would go on to score the first six points in overtime, sapping any remaining drama and winning the national title. What came out of this game was two questions. First, how important is it to be a good free throw shooting team? The knock on Memphis all season long was that they couldn't hit their free throws. And second, why doesn't Coach Cal foul when he is up three with under ten seconds left?


TJ Ford, Texas: Ford was in Austin for two seasons, but he led a Texas program, a school known more for their football team than their basketball team, to new heights. As a freshman, he won Big XII freshman of the year honors, as well as picking up national freshman of the year honors from a couple media outlets, as he averaged 14.8 ppg and 8.2 apg. He became the first freshman to lead the country in assists.

Ford was the national player of the year in 2003.
(photo credit: TexasSports)

As a sophomore, Ford was, if possible, even better. He posted 15.5 ppg and 7.7 apg, and while Texas won neither the Big XII regular season or tournament titles, the Longhorns were given their first NCAA Tournament #1 seed in school history. Ford was a consensus first team all-american and won both the Naismith and Wooden awards while leading the Longhorns to their first Final Four appearance since 1947.

The Texas basketball program has been one of the best in the country under Rick Barnes, and Ford is the guy that made Texas relevant.


2003 Syracuse Orange: The Orange are the first national title winners on this list. Led by freshmen Carmelo Anthony and Gerry McNamara and sophomore Hakim Warrick, Syracuse rolled through the Big East, winning a share of the regular season title by going 13-3 in the league.

The Orange (then the Orangemen) spent a good chunk of the season unranked, largely due to their youth. Syracuse had just one senior and one junior in their rotation, but Anthony proved to be a difference maker. Averaging 22.1 ppg and 10.0 rpg, Anthony was named NCAA freshman of the year and a 2nd team all-american before the Orange stormed through the tournament, winning Jim Boeheim his first national title. He would win the 2003 NCAA Tournament MOP award


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.