Girish Mahajan (Editor)

2002–03 NCAA Division I men's basketball season

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Preseason AP #1
  
Arizona Wildcats

NCAA Champions
  
Syracuse Orange

National championship
  
Mercedes-Benz Superdome

NCAA Tournament
  
2003

Start date
  
November 10, 2002

Regular season
  
November 10, 2002– March 16, 2003

Tournament dates
  
March 17 – April 7, 2003

Other champions
  
St. John's Red Storm (NIT)

Champion
  
Syracuse Orange men's basketball

Similar
  
2004–05 NCAA Division I, 2005–06 NCAA Division I, 1999–2000 NCAA Division I, 2007–08 NCAA Division I, 2008–09 NCAA Division I

The 2002–03 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 10, 2002, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 2003 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Championship Game on April 7, 2003 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Syracuse Orange and coach Jim Boeheim won their first NCAA national championship with an 81–78 victory over the Kansas Jayhawks.

Contents

Season headlines

  • The preseason AP All-American team was named on November 12. David West of Xavier was the leading vote-getter (43 of 72 votes). The rest of the team included Luke Walton (42 votes) and Jason Gardner (39) of Arizona, Kirk Hinrich of Kansas (35) and Erwin Dudley of Alabama (32).

    • Major rule changes

    Beginning in 2002–03, the following rules changes were implemented:

  • Two free-throw lane spaces closest to the free-thrower would remain unoccupied.
  • No free throws were awarded to the offended team in bonus for personal fouls committed by a team while in team control or in possession of the ball during a throw-in (team-control foul).

    • Pre-season polls

    The top 25 from the AP and ESPN/USA Today Coaches Polls November 13, 2002.

    Semifinals & Finals

  • Third Place – Texas Tech 71, Minnesota 61

    • Major player of the year awards

  • Wooden Award: T. J. Ford, Texas
  • Naismith Award: T. J. Ford, Texas
  • Associated Press Player of the Year: David West, Xavier
  • NABC Player of the Year: Nick Collison, Kansas
  • Oscar Robertson Trophy (USBWA): David West, Xavier
  • Adolph Rupp Trophy: David West, Xavier
  • Sporting News Player of the Year: T. J. Ford, Texas

    • Major freshman of the year awards

  • USBWA Freshman of the Year: Carmelo Anthony, Syracuse
  • Sporting News Freshman of the Year: Carmelo Anthony, Syracuse

    • Major coach of the year awards

  • Associated Press Coach of the Year: Tubby Smith, Kentucky
  • Henry Iba Award (USBWA): Tubby Smith, Kentucky
  • NABC Coach of the Year: Tubby Smith, Kentucky
  • Naismith College Coach of the Year: Tubby Smith, Kentucky
  • CBS/Chevrolet Coach of the Year: Tubby Smith, Kentucky
  • Sporting News Coach of the Year: Tubby Smith, Kentucky

    • Other major awards

  • Pete Newell Big Man Award (Best big man): David West, Xavier
  • NABC Defensive Player of the Year: Emeka Okafor, Connecticut
  • Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award (Best player under 6'0): Jason Gardner, Arizona
  • Lowe's Senior CLASS Award (top senior): David West, Xavier
  • Robert V. Geasey Trophy (Top player in Philadelphia Big 5): Jameer Nelson, St. Joseph's
  • NIT/Haggerty Award (Top player in NYC): Luis Flores, Manhattan

    • Coaching changes

    A number of teams changed coaches throughout the season and after the season ended.

    References

    2002–03 NCAA Division I men's basketball season Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA