It’s April seventh, 2003. We’re in New Orleans, Louisiana, for the 2003 NCAA Men’s Basketball Final. The Syracuse Orangemen lead the Kansas Jayhawks by three within the closing seconds, however the Jayhawks are in place to remain alive and pressure time beyond regulation. This is an evening of magic, crammed with main names and icons within the sport — however there’s nonetheless loads of room for an unsuspecting hero to emerge.
No matter what occurs, there’s one huge reality to this night: one coach goes to win his first, long-awaited title. Kansas’s Roy Williams has constructed a deep, senior-led group to carry the Jayhawks again to the precipice of glory. Jim Boeheim has lastly gotten Syracuse again to the Superdome thanks primarily to one of many biggest freshmen ever: Carmelo Anthony.
But ultimately, all of it got here all the way down to the little issues: missed free throws, a kick-out to the nook, and one frantic, last-second close-out for the win.
Welcome to a second in historical past.