The BIAH Advent Calendar: Day 24

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. 2:


2005: Illinois vs. Arizona: Probably the greatest comeback I have ever seen live. Illinois came into this game with jut one loss, suffered in the final game of the 2005 regular season. Arizona started to pull away from the Illini midway through the second half. With the score 60-57, Arizona went on a 15-3 run that put them up 15 with four minutes left. Everyone thought that the game was over:



Illinois took the lead in the overtime thanks to a couple of Deron Williams threes, but Arizona was able to get possession down 90-89. Hassan Adams threw a three of the back board as the buzzer sounded, and Illinois advanced to the final four.


JJ Redick, Duke: Love him or hate him, you cannot deny that Redick was one of the greatest shooters and scorers in college basketball history. He still holds the record for most career three pointers made in NCAA history, and held the ACC scoring record until Tyler Hansbrough broke it late last season.

As a freshman, Redick had an immediate impact, averaging 15.0 ppg, earning third team all-ACC honors, as the second leading scorer for a team that won the ACC Tournament title and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. His sophomore season, Redick was the leading scorer for one of the most talented teams of the decade. He averaged 15.9 ppg and was named second team all-ACC as Duke won the ACC regular season title and reached the Final Four.

Looking at that picture, is it any wonder people hated JJ Redick?
(photo credit: Fantastik Sports)

But it was his final two season that solidified Redick as one of the decade's best. As a junior in 2005, Redick won the ACC player of the year award (as well as the Rupp Award for national player of the year) and Duke once again won an ACC Tournament title. But Redick couldn't lead the Devils pas Michigan State in the Sweet 16. His senior season saw Redick and Adam Morrison duel all season long for the NCAA scoring title. While Morrison won that, Redick won the Naismith and Wooden awards, averaging 26.9 ppg as he led Duke to both the ACC regular season and tournament titles. But once again, the Dukies lost in the Sweet 16, this time to LSU ending JJ's career.


2001 Duke Blue Devils: The knock on Coach K is that his Duke teams never have NBA talent on them. Looking at the 2001 roster, that would be a tough thing to believe. This Duke roster had five guys - Carlos Boozer, Mike Dunleavy Jr., Dahntay Jones, Chris Duhon, and Shane Battier - currently playing significant minutes in the NBA, and that doesn't even include Jay Williams, the most talented player on that team and 2nd overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft before having his career ended in a motorcycle accident, or Nate James.

Duke would go on to win both the ACC regular season and tournament titles, which is especially impressive when you consider that Carlos Boozer, their best inside player, was out for much of the season with a foot injury. Boozer was back by the NCAA Tournament, and he helped carry the Blue Devils to a national title.

Duke's 2001 title team had six guys reach the league.
(photo credit: Charlotte Observer)

Perhaps what this team will be most remembered for was their two unbelievable comebacks against Maryland. They played the Terps four times that season, and in the first match-up, Jay Williams scored 8 points in 13 seconds as the Blue Devils made it all the way back from down 10 with under a minute left in the game. In the Final Four, the fourth match-up between the two ACC powers, Duke found themselves down 22 in the first half before rallying to win.


No. 3: Illinois v. Arizona, JJ Redick, Duke's 2001 team
No. 4: Duke v. Maryland, Shane Battier, UNC's 2005 team
No. 5: Michigan State v. Kentucky, Jay Williams, UConn's 2004 team
No. 6: UConn v. George Mason, Emeka Okafor, Illinois's 2005 team
No. 7: Oklahoma State v. Texas, Carmelo Anthony, Michigan State's 2000 team
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.