2002–03 Syracuse Orangemen basketball team
American college basketball season
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The 2002–03 Syracuse Orangemen basketball team represented Syracuse University in NCAA men's basketball competition in the 2002–03 Division I season. 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.
| 2002–03 Syracuse Orangemen men's basketball | |
|---|---|
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NCAA tournament National Champions Big East regular season co-champions | |
| Conference | Big East Conference |
| Ranking | |
| Coaches | No. 1 |
| AP | No. 13 |
| Record | 30–5 (13–3 Big East) |
| Head coach |
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| Assistant coaches |
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| Home arena | Carrier Dome |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | PCT | W | L | PCT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| East | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Boston College | 10 | – | 6 | .625 | 19 | – | 12 | .613 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 23 Connecticut | 10 | – | 6 | .625 | 23 | – | 10 | .697 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Providence | 8 | – | 8 | .500 | 18 | – | 14 | .563 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Villanova | 8 | – | 8 | .500 | 15 | – | 16 | .484 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| St. John's# | 7 | – | 9 | .438 | 1 | – | 13 | .071 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Miami | 4 | – | 12 | .250 | 11 | – | 17 | .393 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Virginia Tech* | 4 | – | 12 | .250 | 11 | – | 18 | .379 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| West | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 13 Syracuse | 13 | – | 3 | .813 | 30 | – | 5 | .857 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 4 Pittsburgh† | 13 | – | 3 | .813 | 28 | – | 5 | .848 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Seton Hall | 10 | – | 6 | .625 | 17 | – | 13 | .567 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 22 Notre Dame | 10 | – | 6 | .625 | 24 | – | 10 | .706 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Georgetown | 6 | – | 10 | .375 | 19 | – | 15 | .559 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| West Virginia | 5 | – | 11 | .313 | 14 | – | 15 | .483 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rutgers* | 4 | – | 12 | .250 | 12 | – | 16 | .429 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| † 2003 Big East tournament winner As of March 31, 2003[1] Rankings from AP Poll #St. John's had 20 regular-season games vacated due to sanctions against the program; the school′s disputed record was 7–9, 21–13. *Did not qualify for 2003 Big East tournament. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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).
Season recap
Things did not start well for Syracuse. Guards DeShaun Williams[2] and James Thues[3] both left the team. Williams transferred to Iona 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.[4]
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.[5] 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.[6]
The Orangemen would play five Big 12 teams throughout the year, including games against Missouri[7] in the regular season, and against Oklahoma (Elite Eight), Oklahoma State (second round), Texas (National Semifinal) and then Kansas (National Championship game).[8]
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.[9]
Coincidentally, the game was played in the Superdome in New Orleans, where Syracuse had lost the National Championship to Indiana in 1987 on a last-second shot by Keith Smart.[10]
Schedule
| Date time, TV |
Rank# | Opponent# | Result | Record | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Site (attendance) city, state | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-conference regular season | |||||||||||
| November 14, 2002* 7:00 pm, ESPN2 |
vs. Memphis Coaches vs. Cancer Classic |
L 63–70 | 0–1 |
27 – Anthony | 11 – Tied | 3 – McNamara | Madison Square Garden (8,826) New York, New York | ||||
| November 24, 2002* |
Valparaiso | W 81–66 | 1–1 |
28 – Anthony | 10 – Tied | 6 – Pace | Carrier Dome (18,874) Syracuse, New York | ||||
| December 03, 2002* |
Colgate | W 98–68 | 2–1 |
27 – Anthony | 11 – Anthony | 7 – Pace | Carrier Dome (15,615) Syracuse, New York | ||||
| December 06, 2002* |
Cornell | W 85–62 | 3–1 |
21 – Anthony | 10 – Tied | 5 – Tied | Carrier Dome (16,384) Syracuse, New York | ||||
| December 10, 2003* |
UNC Greensboro | W 92–65 | 4–1 |
23 – Warrick | 8 – Forth | 4 – Anthony | Carrier Dome (16,941) Syracuse, New York | ||||
| December 14, 2002* |
Binghamton | W 94–58 | 5–1 |
24 – Anthony | 11 – Anthony | 5 – Anthony | Carrier Dome (19,770) Syracuse, New York | ||||
| December 21, 2002* 12:00 pm, ESPN |
Georgia Tech | W 92–65 | 6–1 |
25 – McNamara | 11 – Tied | 10 – McNamara | Carrier Dome (18,804) Syracuse, New York | ||||
| December 28, 2002* |
Albany | W 109–79 | 7–1 |
28 – Anthony | 9 – Tied | 9 – McNamara | Carrier Dome (18,683) Syracuse, New York | ||||
| December 30, 2002* |
Canisius | W 87–69 | 8–1 |
25 – Warrick | 14 – Anthony | 3 – Tied | Carrier Dome (17,305) Syracuse, New York | ||||
| Big East Regular Season | |||||||||||
| January 08, 2003 7:30 pm, ESPN Plus |
at Seton Hall | W 70–66 | 9–1 (1–0) |
20 – Duany | 7 – Warrick | 5 – McNamara | Continental Airlines Arena (8,415) East Rutherford, New Jersey | ||||
| January 11, 2003 |
Boston College | W 82–74 | 10–1 (2–0) |
24 – Tied | 15 – Warrick | 5 – Tied | Carrier Dome (20,692) Syracuse, New York | ||||
| January 13, 2003* 7:00 pm, ESPN |
No. 11 Missouri | W 76–69 | 11–1 |
20 – Warrick | 10 – Anthony | 7 – McNamara | Carrier Dome (18,756) Syracuse, New York | ||||
| January 18, 2003 12:00 pm, ESPN |
at No. 3 Pittsburgh | L 60–73 | 11–2 (2–1) |
19 – McNamara | 10 – Warrick | 3 – McNamara | Petersen Events Center (12,508) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | ||||
| January 22, 2003 7:00 pm, ESPN Plus |
Seton Hall | W 83–65 | 12–2 (3–1) |
22 – Warrick | 10 – Warrick | 6 – Tied | Carrier Dome (17,119) Syracuse, New York | ||||
| January 26, 2003 1:00 pm, CBS |
at Miami (FL) | W 54–49 | 13–2 (4–1) |
18 – Warrick | 14 – Anthony | 4 – Tied | Miami Convocation Center (5,789) Coral Gables, Florida | ||||
| January 29, 2003 7:30 pm, ESPN Plus |
at Rutgers | L 65–68 | 13–3 (4–2) |
17 – Anthony | 11 – Warrick | 4 – Edelin | Louis Brown Athletic Center (8,007) Piscataway, New Jersey | ||||
| February 01, 2003 7:00 pm, ESPN Plus |
No. 2 Pittsburgh | W 67–65 | 14–3 (5–2) |
20 – Warrick | 13 – Anthony | 4 – McNamara | Carrier Dome (30,303) Syracuse, New York | ||||
| February 03, 2003 7:00 pm, ESPN |
No. 21 | Georgetown Rivalry |
W 88–80 | 15–3 (6–2) |
22 – Tied | 7 – Tied | 3 – Tied | Carrier Dome (20,702) Syracuse, New York | |||
| February 08, 2003 4:00 pm, ESPN Plus |
No. 21 | at West Virginia | W 94–80 | 16–3 (7–2) |
29 – Anthony | 12 – Anthony | 12 – McNamara | WVU Coliseum (13,092) Morgantown, West Virginia | |||
| February 10, 2003 7:00 pm, ESPN |
No. 18 | at No. 19 Connecticut | L 61–75 | 16–4 (7–3) |
29 – Anthony | 11 – Anthony | 4 – McNamara | Hartford Civic Center (16,294) Hartford, Connecticut | |||
| February 15, 2003 1:00 pm, ESPN |
No. 18 | No. 9 Notre Dame | W 82–80 | 17–4 (8–3) |
26 – Anthony | 12 – Warrick | 6 – McNamara | Carrier Dome (32,116) Syracuse, New York | |||
| February 18, 2003 7:00 pm, ESPN2 |
No. 17 | St. John's | W 66–60 | 18–4 (9–3) |
21 – Anthony | 13 – Anthony | 5 – McNamara | Carrier Dome (21,044) Syracuse, New York | |||
| February 23, 2003* 2:00 pm, CBS |
No. 17 | at Michigan State | W 76–75 | 19–4 |
25 – Anthony | 8 – Warrick | 4 – Anthony | Breslin Center (14,759) East Lansing, Michigan | |||
| February 26, 2003 7:00 pm, ESPN Plus |
No. 15 | West Virginia | W 89–51 | 20–4 (10–3) |
24 – Anthony | 10 – Anthony | 6 – McNamara | Carrier Dome (19,484) Syracuse, New York | |||
| March 01, 2003 1:00 pm, ABC |
No. 15 | at Georgetown Rivalry |
W 93–84 OT | 21–4 (11–3) |
30 – Anthony | 18 – Warrick | 2 – Tied | MCI Center (17,352) Washington, D.C. | |||
| March 04, 2003 7:00 pm, ESPN2 |
No. 12 | at No. 16 Notre Dame | W 92–88 | 22–4 (12–3) |
26 – Edelin | 13 – Warrick | 7 – Warrick | Joyce Center (11,450) South Bend, Indiana | |||
| March 09, 2003 |
No. 12 | Rutgers | W 83–74 | 23–4 (13–3) |
30 – Anthony | 14 – Anthony | 7 – McNamara | Carrier Dome (33,071) Syracuse, New York | |||
| Big East Tournament | |||||||||||
| March 13, 2003 7:00 pm, ESPN |
(1 W) No. 11 | vs. (5 W) Georgetown Quarterfinal/Rivalry |
W 74–69 | 24–4 |
21 – Anthony | 8 – Forth | 3 – McNamara | Madison Square Garden (19,528) New York, New York | |||
| March 14, 2003 9:00 pm, ESPN |
(1 W) No. 11 | vs. (2 E) Connecticut Semifinal |
L 67–80 | 24–5 |
29 – Anthony | 15 – Anthony | 3 – McNamara | Madison Square Garden (19,528) New York, New York | |||
| NCAA Tournament | |||||||||||
| March 21, 2003* 12:15 pm, CBS |
(3 E) No. 13 | vs. (14 E) Manhattan First Round |
W 76–65 | 25–5 |
17 – Anthony | 9 – Anthony | 4 – Tied | FleetCenter (18,141) Boston, Massachusetts | |||
| March 23, 2003* 2:40 pm, CBS |
(3 E) No. 13 | vs. (6 E) No. 23 Oklahoma State Second Round |
W 68–56 | 26–5 |
20 – Edelin | 8 – Tied | 6 – McNamara | FleetCenter (18,389) Boston, Massachusetts | |||
| March 28, 2003* 9:40 pm, CBS |
(3 E) No. 13 | vs. (10 E) Auburn Sweet Sixteen |
W 79–78 | 27–5 |
18 – Anthony | 8 – Anthony | 4 – Edelin | Pepsi Arena (15,093) Albany, New York | |||
| March 30, 2003* 2:40 pm, CBS |
(3 E) No. 13 | vs. (1 E) No. 3 Oklahoma Elite Eight |
W 63–47 | 28–5 |
20 – Anthony | 10 – Anthony | 4 – Warrick | Pepsi Arena (15,207) Albany, New York | |||
| April 05, 2003* 8:40 pm, CBS |
(3 E) No. 13 | vs. (1 S) No. 5 Texas Final Four |
W 95–84 | 29–5 |
33 – Anthony | 14 – Anthony | 4 – Tied | Louisiana Superdome (54,432) New Orleans, Louisiana | |||
| April 07, 2003* 9:20 pm, CBS |
(3 E) No. 13 | vs. (2 W) No. 6 Kansas National Championship |
W 81–78 | 30–5 |
20 – Anthony | 10 – Anthony | 7 – Anthony | Louisiana Superdome (54,524) New Orleans, Louisiana | |||
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Eastern Time. E = East, S = South, W = West. | |||||||||||
Source:[11]
Roster
| Name | Number | Position | Height | Weight | Year | Hometown | PPG | APG | RPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hakim Warrick | 1 | F | 6–9 | 219 | Sophomore | Philadelphia, PA | 14.8 | 1.6 | 8.5 |
| Gerry McNamara | 3 | G | 6–2 | 182 | Freshman | Scranton, PA | 13.3 | 4.4 | 2.3 |
| Josh Pace | 5 | G/F | 6–5 | 190 | Sophomore | Griffin, GA | 4.3 | 1.9 | 2.7 |
| Kueth Duany | 13 | G/F | 6–6 | 190 | Senior | Sudan/Bloomington, IN | 11.0 | 2.0 | 3.7 |
| Billy Edelin | 14 | G | 6–4 | 195 | Freshman | Silver Spring, MD | 9.0 | 2.5 | 3.4 |
| Carmelo Anthony | 15 | F | 6–8 | 230 | Freshman | Baltimore, MD | 22.2 | 2.2 | 10.0 |
| Matt Gorman | 24 | F/C | 6–9 | 235 | Freshman | Watertown, NY | 2.3 | 0.1 | 2.1 |
| Jeremy McNeil | 34 | C | 6–8 | 257 | Junior | San Antonio, TX | 3.3 | 0.2 | 4.2 |
| Craig Forth | 51 | C | 7–1 | 255 | Sophomore | Albany, NY | 3.8 | 0.9 | 3.3 |
| Andrew Kouwe | 10 | PG | 6–0 | 170 | Junior | Tampa, FL | 1.7 | 0.3 | 0.3 |
| Ronneil Herron | 11 | G | 5–11 | 158 | Senior | Warner Robins, GA | 1.2 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
| Tyrone Albright | 2 | G | 5–11 | 165 | Junior | Syracuse, NY | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.3 |
| Gary Hall | 23 | F | 6–6 | 230 | Junior | Tully, NY | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Josh Brooks | 21 | F | 6–5 | 180 | Junior | Saranac, NY | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 |