Over the years, there have been several seasons that have been special in NCAA basketball. Let’s take a look back at the 2003-04 season.
Entering the 2003-04 season, the Connecticut Huskies were the preseason AP #1 team in the country. Although rankings shifted throughout the year and upsets occurred, the Huskies were the ones who ended the season on top in the NCAA Tournament.
The year was ruled by miraculous moments and plenty of surprises during the Big Dance. In fact, twp of the #1 seeds during the 2004 NCAA Tournament were knocked before the Sweet 16. The other two #1 seeds were Saint Joseph’s, who lost in the Elite Eight, and Duke, who made the Final Four.
When it was all said and done, we saw a Final Four of Duke, Connecticut, Georgia Tech, and Oklahoma State. It was Duke’s 14th appearance in the Final Four and the sixth for Oklahoma State. It was Georgia Tech and Connecticut’s second trip to the final weekend and they faced off against each other in the National Championship, with the Huskies coming out on top.
The season introduced several incredible freshmen talents, even though many high school players decided to forgo college and immediately enter the NBA. Upperclassmen were the ones who ruled this season, most notably Saint Joseph’s senior Jameer Nelson and Connecticut junior Emeka Okafor. Nelson was the consensus National Player of the Year while Okafor was the Defensive Player of the Year and a National Champion.
Looking back at the season, let’s first take a look at the incoming youngsters and their college career before taking a glance at the top teams in the country and the awards that were handed out.
Top 10 recruits
All rankings were found through 247Sports.
1. SF LeBron James – Directly to the NBA
2003-04 season: James did not play in college, as he immediately declared for the NBA Draft out of high school (selected #1 overall).
2. SF Luol Deng – Committed to Duke
2003-04 season: Committed and played at Duke for one season. Teaming up with sophomore guard J.J. Redick, Deng helped guide the Blue Devils to the 2004 Final Four as a freshman. Deng averaged 15.1 points per game (second on the team) and declared for the NBA Draft after the season.
3. PF Ndudi Ebi – Directly to the NBA
2003-04 season: Ebi initially committed to play for Arizona, but declared for the NBA Draft instead, where he was picked 26th overall.
4. SG Shannon Brown – Committed to Michigan State
2003-04 season: Playing for the Spartans, Shannon Brown was an impactful freshman. He averaged 7.9 points per game and shot a respectable 45.1% from the field. Although it was a somewhat down year for Michigan State, Brown helped the Spartans reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament as a #7 seed.
5. C David Padgett – Committed to Kansas
2003-04 season: Padgett originally committed to play at Kansas, but only spent one season there before transferring and playing his last three seasons with Louisville. With Kansas, he was an effective 53.1% from the field and dropped in 6.5 points per game. He averaged 6.8 points in four NCAA Tournament games while Kansas made the Elite Eight.
6. C Kendrick Perkins – Directly to the NBA
2003-04 season: Perkins initially committed to play at Memphis, but instead declared for the NBA Draft, where he was selected 27th overall.
7. PF Charlie Villanueva – Blairstown, New Jersey
2003-04 season: After committing to play at Connecticut, Villanueva spent two seasons with the Huskies. He had a solid freshman campaign with the team, averaging 8.9 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. On a team that also included Ben Gordon and Emeka Okafor, Villanueva won the National Championship with UCONN.
8. PF Leon Powe – Oakland, California
2003-04 season: Powe signed with California and played for two seasons. He jumped onto the scene as a freshman with a very solid campaign, tallying 15.1 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. These accomplishments netted him the Freshman of the Year Award in the Pac-10 as well as an appearance on the First Team All-Pac-10. Cal, however, had a disappointing season and missed the NCAA Tournament.
9. C Brian Butch – Appleton, Wisconsin
2003-04 season: After committing to play under Bo Ryan at Wisconsin, Butch played all four years with the Badgers. Slowly progressing in his time, Butch played on some of the best defensive teams in the country for Wisconsin. Yet, he flashed his offensive ability as a big man who could play both inside and outside. Butch did not play during the 2003-04 season, though, as he elected to redshirt.
10. PG Mustafa Shakur – Philadelphia, PA
2003-04 season: Like Butch, Shakur played all four years in college. He played for the Arizona Wildcats. While in college, Shakur was a well-balanced player. He scored the ball with efficiency and was a unique playmaker. During his freshman campaign, Shakur put up 9.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game. Arizona had the top scoring offense in the country during 2003-04, but lost in the first round of the Big Dance.
Final AP Top 10 (Prior to NCAA Tournament play)
1. Stanford Cardinals: Ending the regular season as the top ranked team in the country, Stanford had an incredible year. They went 30-2 overall with a staggering 17-1 record in the Pac-10. The Cardinals won both the Pac-10 regular season and the conference tournament. Yet, after receiving a #1 seed in the Big Dance, they fell to the Alabama Crimson Tide, a #8 seed, in just the second round. They were led by junior forward Josh Childress.
2. Kentucky Wildcats: Under the coaching of Tubby Smith, Kentucky went 27-5 (13-3 SEC) and were the SEC regular season and conference tournament champions. Like Stanford, Kentucky was awarded a #1 seed, but lost in the second round to UAB. Five Wildcats averaged in double figures in 2003-04, led by 16.2 per game from Gerald Fitch.
3. Gonzaga Bulldogs: Even though Gonzaga started their season with a loss to Saint Joseph’s, they ended the season with a remarkable total record of 28-3. Coach Mark Few took the team to the NCAA Tournament, where they were a #2 seed and lost in the second round to the #10 seed Nevada. Ronny Turiaf was their leading scorer while freshman Adam Morrison chipped in an impressive 11.4 points per game.
4. Oklahoma State Cowboys: The regular season and conference tournament champions in the Big 12, Oklahoma State went 31-4 (14-2 Big 12) during this season. They were led by star Tony Allen and made it all the way to the Final Four. They eventually lost to Georgia Tech, but it was a great run for the #2 seed.
5. Saint Joseph’s Hawks: Led by National Player of the Year Jameer Nelson and fellow star Delonte West, Saint Joseph’s secured one of their best seasons in program history. Along with an undefeated 16-0 record in Atlantic 10 play, the team went an overall 30-2 and was awarded a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. After making a deep run, the Hawks were eliminated by Oklahoma State in the Elite Eight, thanks to this shot by John Lucas.
6. Duke Blue Devils: A staple at the top of AP rankings, Duke had no trouble doing the same in 2003-04. J.J. Redick and Luol Deng led this team to a 31-6 (13-3 ACC) record and a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. After cruising through their first games against Alabama State and Seton Hall, the Blue Devils took care of Illinois and Xavier to reach the Final Four. It was there, however, that the team’s run was halted by the Connecticut Huskies, 79-78.
7. **Connecticut Huskies**: The NCAA Tournament Champions in this year, the Huskies were led by a combination of Ben Gordon and Emeka Okafor. The team went 33-6 (12-4 Big East) and were awarded a #2 seed in the Big Dance. To close their regular season, the Huskies lost on the road against Syracuse but bounced back quickly. After that loss, Connecticut won their next nine games to come away with a Big East Tournament title and the NCAA Championship.
8. Mississippi State Bulldogs: Three double digit scorers in Lawrence Roberts, Timmy Bowers, and Winsome Frazier led the way for the Bulldogs. Mississippi State ended their year at 26-4 and was the #2 seed in the region headlined by Duke. After casually taking their first game of the tournament, the Bulldogs lost by 15 points to the #7 seed Xavier. A tough end to a great season.
9. Pittsburgh Panthers: Much like Connecticut, Pittsburgh dominated Big East play. For the season, they were 31-5 (13-3 Big East). While giving up just 56.4 points per game, this was the 2nd-best scoring defense in the entire country. They were given a #3 seed in the Big Dance and lost in the Sweet 16 to Oklahoma State.
10. Wisconsin Badgers: The lowest seeded team in the final top-10, Wisconsin was given a #6 seed in the Big Dance. They went 25-7 (12-4 Big Ten) on the season and were led by All-American Devin Harris. They lost in the second round of the tournament to the previously mentioned Pitt Panthers.
Closing out the rankings (in order): Cincinnati, Texas, Illinois, Georgia Tech, NC State, Kansas, Wake Forest, North Carolina, Maryland, Syracuse, Providence, Arizona, South Carolina, Memphis, Boston College
Award Winners
Consensus First Team All-America:
G – SR Jameer Nelson, St. Joseph’s: As a senior, Nelson averaged 20.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game for the #5 team in the country. He was an electric point guard and was named the Player of the Year in all of college basketball.
G – SR Andre Emmett, Texas Tech: Another senior, Texas Tech’s Andre Emmett was a dangerous scorer at the college level. On 52.6% shooting from the floor, Emmett scored 20.6 points and snagged 6.6 rebounds per game for the Red Raiders.
F – JR Lawrence Roberts, Mississippi State: A leader on one of the best teams in the country, Lawrence Roberts was the SEC Player of the Year. He averaged a double-double on the year with 16.9 points and 10.1 rebounds.
F – JR Ryan Gomes, Providence: Gomes had an incredibly productive career with the Providence Friars. As a junior, he came close to averaging a double-double, but still averaged an incredible 18.9 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. He helped Providence finish third in the Big East and make the NCAA Tournament.
C – JR Emeka Okafor, Connecticut: The anchor to the defense that won the National Championship, Okafor had a tremendous junior season. He was the Big East Player of the Year and averaged 17.6 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 4.1 blocks (!) per game.
Consensus Second Team All-America:
G – JR Devin Harris, Wisconsin: Harris was one of the most electric players in Wisconsin basketball history. With elite quickness and scoring ability, Harris dropped home 19.5 points per game for the #10 team in the country. He left after the 2003-04 season to pursue a career in the NBA, where he is a one-time All-Star.
G – JR Josh Childress, Stanford: The Pac-10 Player of the Year, Childress averaged 15.7 points and 7.5 rebounds per game as a junior. Despite only playing in 23 games, Childress was a nightmare for teams to defend. This was also his last season playing college basketball.
G – SR Blake Stepp, Gonzaga: This was Stepp’s second straight season as the WCC Player of the Year. Although he had a “down” season compared to his junior campaign, Stepp averaged 14.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game as one of the most well-rounded players nationwide.
F – JR Julius Hodge, NC State: The ACC Player of the Year, Hodge was the leader for the Wolfpack. A balanced offensive player, Hodge dropped in 18.2 points per game and dished out a modest 3.6 assists in each content. In addition, he was able to snag 6.4 rebounds per game, which helped keep offensive possessions alive or allow him to start a transition break for NC State.
F – SR Luke Jackson, Oregon: This was a breakout and a special season for Luke Jackson. After back-to-back seasons of 16 points per game, he upped his average to 21.2 points as a senior while also increasing his rebounds to 7.2 per game and his assists to 4.5 per game. He was a prolific 3-point shooter (44.0% on 5.4 attempts per game) and was an extremely efficient scorer.
Wooden Award: Jameer Nelson, St. Joseph’s
USCBWA Freshman of the Year: Luol Deng, Duke
Sporting News Freshman of the Year: Chris Paul, Wake Forest
AP Coach of the Year: Phil Martelli, St. Joseph’s
NABC Defensive Player of the Year: Emeka Okafor, Connecticut
Next: Best home court advantages in college hoops
The 2003-04 season was a great one to follow and featured some of the best defensive talent college basketball has recently seen. Emeka Okafor was a difference-maker on both ends of the floor and was able to lead Connecticut to their second title. This was UCONN’s second title in the span of six years. The 2004-05 season was much more centered around powerhouse programs, so stay tuned for our revisit of that season coming soon.