.jpg&height=300&type=webp)
Defending Champs Open With BYU in Second Game of Afternoon Session
3/14/2004 7:49:22 PM | Men's Basketball
Coach Boeheim Quotes
Syracuse Player Quotes
NCAA Bracket (.pdf)
SYRACUSE, NY -- The Syracuse University men's basketball team begins defense of its 2003 NCAA Championship with a first-round matchup against Brigham Young in Denver, Colo., on Thursday, March 18. SU and BYU will face off in the second game of the afternoon session in Denver. The first game, No. 4 seeded Maryland against No. 13 seed UTEP, will tip off at 10:40 a.m. (MT). The Orangemen and Cougars will take the floor 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first game. Syracuse (21-7) earned a fifth seed while BYU (21-8) is seeded 12th.
The Orangemen enter the tournament having won five of their last six outings, including victories over nationally-ranked Pittsburgh (49-46 in overtime) and Connecticut (67-56). Syracuse, seeded fourth in last week's BIG EAST Tournament, was bounced in its opener with Boston College, 57-54.
Syracuse also saw NCAA Tournament action in Denver in 1996 when the city hosted the West Region Semifinal and final. Syracuse defeated Georgia, 83-81 in overtime, and Kansas, 60-57, to advance to the Final Four.
SU has a 46-28 record in NCAA Tournament play, a record that covers 28 appearances dating back to 1957. Coach Jim Boeheim, who has taken 23 of his 28 teams into the NCAAs, owns a 38-21 record in NCAA postseason games. He ranks seventh on the all-time NCAA Division I Tournament win ledger.
Syracuse has three starters back from last year's championship club - junior forward Hakim Warrick (19.6 ppg., 8.8 rpg.), junior center Craig Forth (5.8 ppg., 5.4 rpg.), and sophomore guard Gerry McNamara (16.2 ppg., 2.6 rpg.). Junior guard Josh Pace (9.9 ppg., 5.5 rpg.), a valuable reserve last season, is another regular in the starting lineup. Freshman forward Demetris Nichols (3.8 ppg., 2.1 rpg.) has started SU's last 12 games.
Gone from the title team is Carmelo Anthony, last year's Final Four MVP, and captain Kueth Duany. Anthony is currently a member of the Denver Nuggets. Duany is playing professional basketball in Isreal.
