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Syracuse went into the 2002-2003 season without anyone expecting a national title run. Then Carmelo Anthony showed up. The freshman averaged 22 points and 10 rebounds a night, though he had plenty of help: Gerry McNamara and Billy Edelin joined the freshman class, while Hakim Warrick and senior Kueth Duany anchored the returning core.
Coach Boeheim's 2-3 matchup zone made the Orange hard to crack, and the roster had both length and depth. That combination produced a 24-5 record, a share of the Big East West championship and a #3 seed in the East Region.
Manhattan and Oklahoma State fell in the opening rounds, sending Syracuse to the Sweet 16. Josh Pace came off the bench for 14 points to survive Auburn 79-78. The zone swallowed Oklahoma in the Elite 8, and the Orange headed to New Orleans for the 2003 Final Four.
A 95-84 win over T.J. Ford and Texas put Syracuse in the national championship game for the third time in school history. Waiting there were Roy Williams, Kirk Hinrich, Nick Collison and the #2 seed Kansas Jayhawks.
Anthony scored 20 and McNamara caught fire, yet the lead sat at just three in the closing seconds. With 3 seconds left, Hinrich hit Michael Lee in the corner for what looked like an open tying three. Warrick came out of the post to block it, and Syracuse had its first national championship.
"I'm happy, but I'm happy for all those fans. They packed the Carrier Dome and they follow us all over the country. I'm just glad we won for (Derrick) Coleman, Rony Seikaly, Sherman Douglas - all those guys." -Jim Boeheim, Head Coach
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