2003–04 Syracuse Orangemen basketball team
{{Short description|American college basketball season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox NCAA team season
|mode=Basketball
|year=2003–04
|team=Syracuse Orange
|image= Syracuse Orange logo.svg
|image_size=100px
|conference=Big East Conference
|division=
|short_conf=Big East
|CoachRank=19
|APRank=20
|record=23–8
|conf_record=11–5
|head_coach=Jim Boeheim
|hc_year=28th
|asst_coach1=Bernie Fine
|ac1_year=28th
|asst_coach2=Mike Hopkins
|ac2_year=9th
|asst_coach3=Troy Weaver
|ac3_year=4th
|stadium=Carrier Dome
|champion=
|bowl= NCAA tournament
|bowl_result= Sweet Sixteen
}}
{{2003–04 Big East men's basketball standings}}
The 2003–04 Syracuse Orangemen men's basketball team represented Syracuse University in NCAA men's basketball competition in the 2003–04 Division I season. The head coach was Jim Boeheim, serving for his 28th year. The team played its home games at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, New York. The team finished with a 23–8 (11–5) record, while making it to the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA tournament. The team was led by junior Hakim Warrick and sophomore Gerry McNamara. Senior Jeremy McNeil, juniors Craig Forth and Josh Pace and sophomore Billy Edelin were also major contributors.
This was the last season for Syracuse men's basketball under the Orangemen nickname. (At that time, women's teams and athletes were known as "Orangewomen".) Effective with the 2004–05 academic year, the school nickname became "Orange" for both men and women.
Roster
- Hakim Warrick (19.8 ppg, 8.7 rpg)
- Gerry McNamara (17.2 ppg, 3.8 apg)
- Billy Edelin (13.8 ppg, 5.2 apg)
- Josh Pace (9.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg)
- Craig Forth (5.7 ppg, 5.8 rpg)
- Demetris Nichols (4.2 ppg, 2.2 rpg)
- Louie McCroskey (3.9 ppg, 2.2 rpg)
- Jeremy McNeil (3.0 ppg, 2.7 rpg)
- Terrence Roberts (2.1 ppg, 2.0 rpg)
Developments
- Syracuse would eventually lose in the Sweet 16 round to Alabama.{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-mar-26-sp-bamasyracuse26-story.html|title = Archives|website = Los Angeles Times| date=26 March 2004 }}
- McNamara scored 43 points on 11-of-17 shooting from the floor, as Syracuse topped Brigham Young, 80–75, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.Vicki Michaelis. (March 18, 2004). [https://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/mensbasketball/tourney04/2004-03-18-byu-syracuse_x.htm McNamara's nine treys save Syracuse, rebuff BYU] USA Today
- Syracuse handed Pittsburgh its first ever loss at the Peterson Center, 49–46 (OT), on a buzzer-beater in overtime by McNamara,{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/boxscore?gameId=240600221|title = Syracuse vs. Pittsburgh - Box Score - February 29, 2004 - ESPN}} and also concluded its regular season by topping Connecticut, 67–56, which would go on to win the National Championship.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=240670183|title = UConn vs. Syracuse - Game Recap - March 7, 2004 - ESPN}}{{dead link|date=July 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
- Billy Edelin played just 17 games and left the team for undisclosed reasons in January.{{Cite web |url=http://www.local10.com/sports/2808896/detail.html |title = Syracuse Guard Edelin Sidelined Indefinitely - Sports News Story - WPLG Miami |access-date=2008-11-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605162427/http://www.local10.com/sports/2808896/detail.html |archive-date=2011-06-05 |url-status=dead }}
- Syracuse lost would-be sophomore Carmelo Anthony to the NBA Draft (3rd to the Denver Nuggets) and Kueth Duany to graduation.[http://media.www.arbiteronline.com/media/storage/paper890/news/2003/04/28/Sports/Anthony.Declares.For.Nba.Draft-2215301.shtml Anthony declares for NBA draft] {{Dead link|date=April 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Syracuse Orange men's basketball navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:2003-04 Syracuse Orangemen basketball team}}