2000s: Memorable College Basketball Performances

Author:
SI Staff
Publish date:
Dec 17, 2009

2000s: Memorable College Basketball Performances

Dwyane Wade | March 29, 2003

Wade was already an All-America but he really made a name for himself when he almost single-handedly ended Kentucky's 26-game winning streak by posting the fifth triple-double in NCAA tournament history: 29 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds in the Midwest Regional final to lead Marquette to its first Final Four in 26 years.

Lester Hudson | Nov. 15, 2007

Tennessee-Martin's Hudson became the first player in Division I history to post a quadruple-double when he went off on D-II's Central Baptist College for 25 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 steals.

Eddie House | Jan. 8, 2000

It took just eight days into the decade for House to establish a single-game scoring mark that no major college player has surpassed in the 2000s. The Arizona State guard torched Cal for a Pac-10-record-tying 61 points on 18-of-30 shooting from the field, including 7-of-10 threes, and 18-of-19 at the line in a 111-108 double overtime win in which the next-highest-scoring Sun Devil had 15 points.

Jodie Meeks | Jan. 13, 2009

Jamal Mashburn never did it. Neither did Antoine Walker, Ron Mercer, Tayshaun Prince nor any other Kentucky legend. No Wildcat ever had a performance like that of Meeks, who lit up Tennessee for a school record 54 points in a 90-72 victory. It was the highest point total in a regulation game in the decade. Along the way, Meeks made 10 three-pointers -- another record -- and all 14 of his free throws.

Gerry McNamara | 2006 Big East tournament

Perhaps the only way Syracuse was making the NCAA tournament was by winning its conference title, and the only way it did that was because of McNamara's heroics. Derided as "overrated" by some media outlets before the tournament began, the senior guard won Syracuse's first-round game against Cincinnati with a three-pointer with less than a second to go, hit the game-tying three to force overtime against top-ranked UConn in the quarterfinals, passed off for the game-winning assist with 1.5 seconds left against Georgetown in the semifinals, and had 14 points and six assists in the title game win over Pittsburgh.

Stephen Curry | March 21, 2008

Curry began his star-making run in the NCAA tournament by scorching Gonzaga for 40 points, making 6-of-8 from three-point range and adding five steals in the first of three upset wins for Davidson in the Big Dance.

Carmelo Anthony | 2003 Final Four

Anthony finished his remarkable freshman season in storybook fashion, scoring a career-high 33 points and grabbing 14 rebounds, one off his personal best, in a national semifinal win over Texas. Two nights later, he had 20 points and 10 rebounds for his 22nd double-double of the season as the Orange edged Kansas to win their first national championship.

Kevin Durant | Jan. 31, 2007

En route to becoming the first freshman to win National Player of the Year, Durant had a slew of monster games, but none was bigger or better than when he burned Texas Tech for 37 points and 23 rebounds, the latter tying the Big 12 record at the time. Durant finished the year ranked fourth nationally in both categories, with 25.8 points and 11.1 rebounds.

Blake Griffin | Feb. 14, 2009

Griffin may have had National Player of the Year honors long since wrapped up by the time his Sooners faced Texas Tech, but after his one-man Valentine's Day massacre, there was no longer any doubt. He posted season bests of 40 points and 23 rebounds, the first 40-20 game in Big 12 history, in a win over the Red Raiders.

Michael Beasley | Nov. 9, 2007

The only thing more impressive than Beasley's 32-point, 24-rebound effort against Sacramento State is that it came in his first collegiate game. His 24 boards set a Big 12 record, and it was only the second 30-point, 20-rebound game in Kansas State history.

Larry Abney | Feb. 17, 2000

Fresno State's Abney set a school and WAC record with 35 rebounds against Southern Methodist. It was the highest single-game rebounding total by a Division I player in almost 35 years.

John Goldsberry | March 21, 2003

In the first round of the NCAA tournament, UNC-Wilmington's Goldsberry made all eight of his three-point attempts against the defending national champion Terrapins, the most this decade in a perfect shooting performance from beyond the arc. The freshman guard's outburst was almost enough for a stunning upset, but the Terrapins' Drew Nicholas made a running three-pointer at the buzzer.

Adam Morrison and J.J. Redick | Dec. 10, 2005

Throughout the 2005-06 season, Redick and Morrison battled to see who would lead the nation in scoring and who would win National Player of the Year. Their duel really began on this December day, when Redick had career highs of 41 points and nine three-pointers to lead No. 1 Duke to a blowout win over No. 2 Texas in the afternoon, and Morrison followed that evening by finishing with 25 points, including a banked-in three-pointer to beat Oklahoma State. Morrison eventually finished first in scoring while Redick was second, and the two men shared the Wooden Award.

Sean May | March 6, 2005

In the midst of a stellar finish to his junior year that ended with his being named Most Outstanding Player of Carolina's run to the national title, May posted 26 points and 24 rebounds in his last home game as North Carolina rallied to beat Duke and win the ACC regular-season title. Afterward, Blue Devils coach Mike Krzyewski said, "Twenty-six and 24 in a Duke-Carolina game? I mean, come on. Just sensational."

Nick Collison | 2003 NCAA tournament

No player this decade had 20 points and 20 rebounds in an NCAA tournament game, but Collison almost did it twice just four games apart. Against Duke in the Sweet 16 he had 33 points and 19 rebounds, and against Syracuse in the title game he had 19 points and 21 rebounds, but made just 3-of-10 free throws in a game the Jayhawks lost by three. He finished the tournament with 81 rebounds, the most in any season this decade.

Cole Aldrich | March 22, 2009

The Jayhawks held Dayton to just 43 points in a second-round win in the NCAA tournament, and the biggest reason was their 6-foot-11 center, who had 20 rebounds and 10 blocks (the most in the tournament this decade) to go with 13 points. Aldrich joined Dwyane Wade as the only players with triple-doubles in the Big Dance over the past 10 years.

Earl Watson | March 18, 2000

In a flawless point guard performance, Watson posted a UCLA-record 16 assists and, just as remarkably, zero turnovers to lead the Bruins to an upset win over Maryland in the second round of the NCAA tournament. For good measure, Watson added four steals and made six of his seven shots from the floor, finishing with 17 points.

Mike Singletary | March 11, 2009

The Texas Tech sophomore forward scored 29 consecutive second-half points for his team as the Red Raiders rallied from a 21-point deficit to stun Texas A&M 88-83 in the first round of the Big 12 tournament. Singletary finished with 43 points, 18 more than his previous career high.

Roburt Sallie | March 19, 2009

Only one No. 2 seed lost a first round game in the NCAAs in the 2000s, but it was almost two when Cal State-Northridge hung around with Memphis deep into the second half. But Sallie made 10 three-pointers, the most in a first-round game, and finished with 35 points to help the Tigers overcome a six-point deficit with 10 minutes left. Not bad for a guy who averaged only 4.5 points during the regular season.

2000s: Memorable College Basketball Performances