2002-03 Syracuse Orange men's basketball team
Encyclopedia
The 2002–03 Syracuse Orangemen basketball team represented Syracuse University
in NCAA men's basketball competition in the 2002–03 Division I season. (At that time, "Orangemen" was exclusively used to refer to Syracuse men's teams; women's teams were known as "Orangewomen".) The Head Coach was Jim Boeheim
, serving for his 27th year. The team played its home games at the Carrier Dome
in Syracuse, New York
. The team finished with a 30–5 (13–3) record, while capturing its first modern-era NCAA Championship
.
The team had just one senior, guard Kueth Duany
. He was joined in the starting lineup by forwards Hakim Warrick
(sophomore), Carmelo Anthony
(freshman), center Craig Forth
(sophomore) and guard Gerry McNamara
(freshman). Other key contributors included guards Josh Pace
(sophomore) and Billy Edelin (freshman), and center Jeremy McNeil
(junior).
while Thues left for Detroit. Freshman point guard Billy Edelin was suspended for 12 games for participating in a non-sanctioned basketball league. Syracuse then started its season with a loss against Memphis, despite Carmelo Anthony's 27 points, a then-high for a Syracuse freshman debut.
But things turned around, as Syracuse went 13–3 in the Big East, with several memorable wins. McNamara would establish himself as a clutch player, nailing a game-winning 3-pointer as then-No. 17 Syracuse notched an 82–80 win over then-No. 10 Notre Dame in February. In an upset of then-No. 24 Syracuse over then-No. 2 Pittsburgh, McNeil, a career 49.1% free throw shooter, hit two key free throws, and added a game-winning tip in a 67–65 upset.
The Orangemen would play five Big 12 teams throughout the year, including games against Missouri
in the regular season, and against Oklahoma
(Elite Eight), Oklahoma State
(second round), Texas (National Semifinal) and then Kansas
(National Championship game).
In the championship game against Kansas, with Syracuse leading by three with under 15 seconds left, Warrick missed two free throws that would've sealed the game with Syracuse hanging on to a three-point lead, 81–78. With 1.5 seconds left and the score still the same, Kansas' Michael Lee was open on the baseline for a potential game-tying 3-pointer. But Warrick used his long arms to block Lee's attempt and Syracuse captured its first ever national championship.
Coincidentally, the game was played in Super Dome in New Orleans, where Syracuse had lost the National Championship to Indiana
in 1987 on a last second shot by Keith Smart
.
|-
| colspan="7" style="text-align:center; background:#CCCCCC; font:#000000" | 2002–03 Big East men's basketball final standings
|-
! align="left" | !!colspan=3| Conf !!colspan=3| Overall
|-
! align="left" | Team !! W !! L !! PCT !! W !! L !! PCT
|-
| colspan=7 align="left"|
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
in NCAA men's basketball competition in the 2002–03 Division I season. (At that time, "Orangemen" was exclusively used to refer to Syracuse men's teams; women's teams were known as "Orangewomen".) The Head Coach was Jim Boeheim
Jim Boeheim
James Arthur "Jim" Boeheim is the head coach of the men's basketball team at Syracuse University. Boeheim has guided the Orange to eight Big East regular season championships, five Big East Tournament championships, and 28 NCAA Tournament appearances, including three appearances in the national...
, serving for his 27th year. The team played its home games at the Carrier Dome
Carrier Dome
The Carrier Dome is a 49,250-seat domed sports stadium located on the campus of Syracuse University in the University Hill neighborhood of Syracuse, New York, USA. It is home to the Syracuse Orange football, basketball, and lacrosse teams. High school football championships are also held in "The...
in Syracuse, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. The team finished with a 30–5 (13–3) record, while capturing its first modern-era NCAA Championship
2003 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2003 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 18, 2003, and ended with the championship game on April 7 in New Orleans, Louisiana...
.
The team had just one senior, guard Kueth Duany
Kueth Duany
Kueth Duany is a Sudanese former college basketball player for the Syracuse Orange who was the captain and lone senior on Syracuse's 2003 NCAA National Championship team.-Early years:...
. He was joined in the starting lineup by forwards Hakim Warrick
Hakim Warrick
Hakim Hanif Warrick is an American professional basketball player in the NBA who is currently with the Phoenix Suns. Commonly nicknamed "Helicopter" and "Skinny", the 6'9", 219 lb forward was a major part the Syracuse Orange's run to the 2003 National Championship, often being most remembered...
(sophomore), Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Kiyan Anthony , nicknamed "Melo", is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association...
(freshman), center Craig Forth
Craig Forth
Craig Forth is a former college basketball player for the Syracuse Orange from East Greenbush, New York who was a member of Syracuse's 2003 NCAA National Championship team...
(sophomore) and guard Gerry McNamara
Gerry McNamara
Gerry McNamara Sucks because he did not get drafted into the NBA.Gerry McNamara is a former American basketball player and current graduate assistant coach. He is a former guard for the Syracuse University men's team, from 2002 to 2006...
(freshman). Other key contributors included guards Josh Pace
Josh Pace
Josh Pace is an American professional basketball player. A former college basketball player for the Syracuse Orange, he playes for the Hawke's Bay Hawks in the New Zealand National Basketball League.-High school:...
(sophomore) and Billy Edelin (freshman), and center Jeremy McNeil
Jeremy McNeil
Jeremy McNeil is an American basketball player who played college basketball for Syracuse University during their first National Championship in 2003. He played 135 games spanning from 1999–2004, which included 21 starts...
(junior).
Season Recap
Things did not start well for Syracuse. Guards DeShaun Williams and James Thues both left the team. Williams transferred to IonaIona College (New York)
Iona College is located in New Rochelle, New York, 20 miles north of Manhattan in suburban Westchester County. The college occupies 35 acres on North Ave. The college also operates a Graduate Center in Pearl River, Rockland County, New York....
while Thues left for Detroit. Freshman point guard Billy Edelin was suspended for 12 games for participating in a non-sanctioned basketball league. Syracuse then started its season with a loss against Memphis, despite Carmelo Anthony's 27 points, a then-high for a Syracuse freshman debut.
But things turned around, as Syracuse went 13–3 in the Big East, with several memorable wins. McNamara would establish himself as a clutch player, nailing a game-winning 3-pointer as then-No. 17 Syracuse notched an 82–80 win over then-No. 10 Notre Dame in February. In an upset of then-No. 24 Syracuse over then-No. 2 Pittsburgh, McNeil, a career 49.1% free throw shooter, hit two key free throws, and added a game-winning tip in a 67–65 upset.
The Orangemen would play five Big 12 teams throughout the year, including games against Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
in the regular season, and against Oklahoma
Oklahoma Sooners
The University of Oklahoma features 19 varsity sports teams. Both men's and women's teams are called the Sooners, a nickname given to the early participants in the land rushes which initially opened the Oklahoma Indian Territory to non-native settlement. They participate in the NCAA's Division I-A,...
(Elite Eight), Oklahoma State
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Oklahoma State Cowboys are the athletic teams that represent Oklahoma State University. Their mascot is a cowboy named Pistol Pete. Oklahoma State participates in the NCAA's Division I-A and in the Big 12 Conference's South Division. The university's current athletic director is Mike Holder...
(second round), Texas (National Semifinal) and then Kansas
Kansas Jayhawks
The sports teams at the University of Kansas are known as the Jayhawks. They are one of three schools in the state of Kansas that participate in NCAA Division I. The Jayhawks are also a member of the Big 12 Conference...
(National Championship game).
In the championship game against Kansas, with Syracuse leading by three with under 15 seconds left, Warrick missed two free throws that would've sealed the game with Syracuse hanging on to a three-point lead, 81–78. With 1.5 seconds left and the score still the same, Kansas' Michael Lee was open on the baseline for a potential game-tying 3-pointer. But Warrick used his long arms to block Lee's attempt and Syracuse captured its first ever national championship.
Coincidentally, the game was played in Super Dome in New Orleans, where Syracuse had lost the National Championship to Indiana
Indiana Hoosiers
The Indiana Hoosiers are the athletic teams for the Bloomington campus of Indiana University . Athletic teams sponsored by IU Bloomington include cross country, track, baseball, golf, tennis, rowing, volleyball, soccer, football and basketball...
in 1987 on a last second shot by Keith Smart
Keith Smart
Jonathan Keith Smart is a retired American basketball player and current assistant coach for the Sacramento Kings of the NBA. He is best remembered for hitting the game-winning shot in the 1987 NCAA championship game. The shot gave the Indiana Hoosiers a 74–73 victory over the Syracuse Orangemen...
.
2002–03 Roster
| Name | Number | Position | Height | Weight | Year | Hometown | PPG | APG | RPG |
| Hakim Warrick Hakim Warrick Hakim Hanif Warrick is an American professional basketball player in the NBA who is currently with the Phoenix Suns. Commonly nicknamed "Helicopter" and "Skinny", the 6'9", 219 lb forward was a major part the Syracuse Orange's run to the 2003 National Championship, often being most remembered... |
1 | F | 6–9 | 219 | Sophomore | Philadelphia, PA | 14.8 | 1.6 | 8.5 |
| Gerry McNamara Gerry McNamara Gerry McNamara Sucks because he did not get drafted into the NBA.Gerry McNamara is a former American basketball player and current graduate assistant coach. He is a former guard for the Syracuse University men's team, from 2002 to 2006... |
3 | G | 6–2 | 182 | Freshman | Scranton, PA Scranton, Pennsylvania Scranton is a city in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, United States. It is the county seat of Lackawanna County and the largest principal city in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area. Scranton had a population of 76,089 in 2010, according to the U.S... |
13.3 | 4.4 | 2.3 |
| Josh Pace Josh Pace Josh Pace is an American professional basketball player. A former college basketball player for the Syracuse Orange, he playes for the Hawke's Bay Hawks in the New Zealand National Basketball League.-High school:... |
5 | G/F | 6–5 | 190 | Sophomore | Griffin, GA Griffin, Georgia Griffin is a city in and the county seat of Spalding County in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 23,643.-Geography:Griffin is located at .... |
4.3 | 1.9 | 2.7 |
| Kueth Duany Kueth Duany Kueth Duany is a Sudanese former college basketball player for the Syracuse Orange who was the captain and lone senior on Syracuse's 2003 NCAA National Championship team.-Early years:... |
13 | G/F | 6–6 | 190 | Senior | Sudan Sudan Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the... /Bloomington, IN Bloomington, Indiana Bloomington is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County in the southern region of the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 80,405 at the 2010 census.... |
11.0 | 2.0 | 3.7 |
| Billy Edelin | 14 | G | 6–4 | 195 | Freshman | Silver Spring, MD Silver Spring, Maryland Silver Spring is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It had a population of 71,452 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth most populous place in Maryland, after Baltimore, Columbia, and Germantown.The urbanized, oldest, and... |
9.0 | 2.5 | 3.4 |
| Carmelo Anthony Carmelo Anthony Carmelo Kiyan Anthony , nicknamed "Melo", is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association... |
15 | F | 6–8 | 230 | Freshman | Brooklyn, NY Brooklyn Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated... |
22.2 | 2.2 | 10.0 |
| Matt Gorman Matt Gorman Matt Gorman was a professional basketball player for the Sheffield Sharks. He played college basketball for Syracuse University during their first National Championship in 2003. He is now a director of the Watertown Teen Center, which is operated by the Children's Home of Jefferson County... |
24 | F/C | 6–9 | 235 | Freshman | Watertown, NY | 2.3 | 0.1 | 2.1 |
| Jeremy McNeil Jeremy McNeil Jeremy McNeil is an American basketball player who played college basketball for Syracuse University during their first National Championship in 2003. He played 135 games spanning from 1999–2004, which included 21 starts... |
34 | C | 6–8 | 257 | Junior | San Antonio, TX | 3.3 | 0.2 | 4.2 |
| Craig Forth Craig Forth Craig Forth is a former college basketball player for the Syracuse Orange from East Greenbush, New York who was a member of Syracuse's 2003 NCAA National Championship team... |
51 | C | 7–1 | 255 | Sophomore | Albany, NY Albany, New York Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River... |
3.8 | 0.9 | 3.3 |
Regular season standings
{| class="wikitable" style="width:25em; text-align:center; font-size:95%;"|-
| colspan="7" style="text-align:center; background:#CCCCCC; font:#000000" | 2002–03 Big East men's basketball final standings
|-
! align="left" | !!colspan=3| Conf !!colspan=3| Overall
|-
! align="left" | Team !! W !! L !! PCT !! W !! L !! PCT
|-
| colspan=7 align="left"|
See also
- Syracuse Orange men's basketballSyracuse Orange men's basketballThe Syracuse Orange men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball team representing Syracuse University. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big East Conference...
- 2003 Big East Men's Basketball Tournament2003 Big East Men's Basketball Tournament-Championship Game:On March 15, Pittsburgh won their first-ever Big East Tournament, defeating Connecticut 74–56. They led by one at half-time, but quickly extended their lead in the second half. Jaron Brown led the Panthers with a career-high 19 points. Brown converted all six of his free throw...
- 2003 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament2003 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball TournamentThe 2003 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 18, 2003, and ended with the championship game on April 7 in New Orleans, Louisiana...