2004 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship Game

Last updated
2004 NCAA Tournament Championship Game
National Championship Game
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Connecticut Huskies
(28-9)(32-6)
7382
Head coach:
Paul Hewitt 		Head coach:
Jim Calhoun
12Total
Georgia Tech264773
Connecticut414182
DateApril 5, 2004
Arena Alamodome
Location San Antonio, Texas
MVP Emeka Okafor, Connecticut
Favorite Connecticut by 6.5
Referee(s)Dick Cartmell, Randy McCall, Verne Harris
Attendance44,468
United States TV coverage
Network CBS
Announcers Jim Nantz (play-by-play)
Billy Packer (color)
Bonnie Bernstein and Armen Keteyian (sideline)
Nielsen Ratings11.0
←  2003
2005  →

The 2004 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship Game was the finals of the 2004 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament and it determined the national champion for the 2003-04 NCAA Division I men's basketball season The 2004 National Title Game was played on April 5, 2004 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, The 2004 National Title Game was played between the 2004 Phoenix Regional Champions, #2-seeded Connecticut and the 2004 St. Louis Regional Champions, #3-seeded Georgia Tech.

Contents

Connecticut and Georgia Tech met in the semifinals of the 2003 NIT Season Tip-Off and Georgia Tech upset #1-ranked Connecticut with a 77–61 win on their way to winning the 2003 NIT Season Tip-Off. [1]

Participants

Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech entered the 2004 NCAA tournament as the #3 seed in the St. Louis regional. In the 1st round of the 2004 NCAA Tournament, Georgia Tech survived a scare against Northern Iowa when Ben Jacobson missed a game-tying 3-pointer as Georgia Tech was able to pull away with a 65–60 win. [2] In the 2nd round of the 2004 NCAA Tournament, Jarrett Jack made a breakaway dunk with less than six seconds left to hold off Boston College with a 57–54 victory. [3] In the Sweet 16, Marvin Lewis scored 23 points to lead Georgia Tech to a 72–67 victory over Nevada to advance to the Elite Eight. [4] In the Elite Eight, Jarrett Jack scored 29 points to lead Georgia Tech to a 79–71 overtime victory over Kansas to advance to the 2004 Final Four. [5] In the 2004 Final Four, Will Bynum made a last second shot to give Georgia Tech a 67–65 victory over Oklahoma State and a trip to the 2004 National Title Game. [6]

Connecticut

Connecticut entered the 2004 NCAA tournament as the #2 seed in the Phoenix Regional. In the 1st round of the 2004 NCAA Tournament, Emeka Okafor had a double double with 15 points and 14 rebounds and he was able to limit the nations third-leading scorer Taylor Coppenrath to 12 points as Connecticut beat Vermont 70–53. [7] In the 2nd round of the 2004 NCAA Tournament, Connecticut was able to beat DePaul 72-55 despite their coach Jim Calhoun having an upset stomach. [8] In the Sweet 16, Ben Gordon scored 20 points to lead Connecticut to a 73–53 victory over Vanderbilt. [9] In the Elite Eight, Emeka Okafor only scored two points due to a tweaked shoulder but Ben Gordon's 36 points and Rashad Anderson's 28 points led Connecticut to an 87–71 victory over Alabama for a trip to the 2004 Final Four. [10] In the 2004 Final Four, Emeka Okafor scored all 18 of his points in the 2nd half as he led Connecticut to a 12–0 run, down 75–67 with less than three minuted remaining, to beat Duke 79-78 and advance to the 2004 National Title Game making their 1st title game appearance since 1999. [11]

Game summary

CBS
April 5
9:21 pm
#2 Connecticut Huskies82, #3 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 73
Pts: E. Okafor 24
Rebs: E. Okafor 15
Asts: T. Brown 4		Pts: W. Bynum 17
Rebs: L.Schenscher 11
Asts: W. Bynum 5
Halftime Score: Connecticut, 41-26
Alamodome - San Antonio, TX
Attendance: 44,468
Referees: Dick Cartmell, Randy McCall, Verne Harris

Emeka Okafor and Ben Gordon go hot in the 1st half. Ben Gordon hit three three-pointers in the 1st ten minutes while Emeka Okafor dominated Georgia Tech center Luke Schenscher in the lane. Emeka Okafor and Ben Gordon nearly outscored Georgia Tech in the 1st half scoring 24 points combined in the 1st half while Georgia Tech scored 26 points in the 1st half as Connecticut was ahead 41–26 at halftime. Georgia Tech could not take advantage of Ben Gordon being on the bench after his 2nd foul. In fact, Connecticut was able to extend their lead with Ben Gordon on the bench. Connecticut was able to build a 25-point lead at one point. When Connecticut backed off and slowed the game down, Georgia Tech was able to make a furious rally to cut it to a seven-point deficit. Connecticut was able to hold off Georgia Tech and with 24 points and 15 rebounds from Emeka Okafor and 21 points from Ben Gordon, as Connecticut beat Georgia Tech 82–73. [12] [13]

Aftermath

Thousands of people in Connecticut celebrated after Connecticut's victory in the men's National Championship Game, which finished about two hours after the UConn women's team defeated archrival Tennessee for the women's national title. Fans were dancing, cheering, and waving pom poms. However, 35 people were arrested by the police for starting fires and overturning cars in celebration of Connecticut's second men's and fifth women's national championships. The university police reported that a dozen of fires were set outside and two cars were overturned at the Celeron Square apartment complex about a mile month of campus following Connecticut's victory over Georgia Tech. [14]

Connecticut became the first school ever in Division I to win NCAA titles in men's and women's basketball in the same season. [15] The Huskies would repeat this feat in 2014. [15]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pat Summitt</span> American basketball player and coach (1952–2016)

Patricia Susan Summitt was an American women's college basketball head coach who accrued 1,098 career wins, the most in college basketball history at the time of her retirement. She served as the head coach of the University of Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team from 1974 to 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emeka Okafor</span> American basketball player

Chukwuemeka Ndubuisi "Emeka" Okafor is an American former professional basketball player. Okafor attended Bellaire High School in Bellaire, Texas and the University of Connecticut, where in 2004 he won a national championship. In his first season in the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 2004–05, Okafor was named Rookie of the Year. He was traded to the New Orleans Hornets in 2009 and was then dealt to the Washington Wizards in 2012. However, a herniated disc in his neck caused Okafor to miss four consecutive seasons from 2013 to 2017 before being medically cleared to play.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ben Gordon</span> British-born American basketball player

Benjamin Ashenafi Gordon is a British-born American former professional basketball player. Gordon played for 11 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA), and he played college basketball for the University of Connecticut, where he won a national championship in 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Calhoun</span> American basketball player and coach

James A. Calhoun is a longtime college basketball coach. He is best known for his tenure as head coach of the University of Connecticut (UConn) men's basketball team. His teams won three NCAA national championships, played in four Final Fours, won the 1988 NIT title, and won seven Big East tournament championships. With his team's 2011 NCAA title win, the 68-year-old Calhoun became the oldest coach to win a Division I men's basketball title. He won his 800th game in 2009 and finished his NCAA Division I career with 873 victories, ranking 11th all-time as of February 2019. From 2018–21, he served as head coach of the St. Joseph's University men's basketball team. Calhoun is one of only six coaches in NCAA Division I history to win three or more championships, and he is widely considered one of the greatest coaches of all time. In 2005, he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2004 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament</span> United States top collegiate-level basketball tournament for 2004

The 2004 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 16, 2004, and ended with the championship game on April 5 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. A total of 64 games were played.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2009 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament</span>

The 2009 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament commenced 21 March 2009 and concluded 7 April 2009 when the University of Connecticut Huskies defeated the Louisville Cardinals 76–54.

The 2003 Big East men's basketball tournament, a part of the 2002–03 NCAA Division I men's basketball season, took place from March 12 – March 15, 2003 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Its winner will receive the Big East Conference's automatic bid to the 2003 NCAA Tournament. It was a single-elimination tournament with four rounds and the four highest seeds receive byes in the first round. The 6 Big East teams with the best conference records from both the East and West Divisions of the Big East Conference were invited to participate. Boston College, who had an identical 10–6 record as Connecticut, received the #1 seed from the East Division due to a tie breaker. Likewise, Syracuse, who had an identical 13–3 conference record to Pitt, received the #1 seed from West Division due to tiebreakers. Virginia Tech from the East Division and Rutgers from the West Division failed to make the tournament.
Pittsburgh defeated Connecticut, 74–56, in the finals to earn its first Big East Tournament Championship.

The UConn Huskies men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball team of the University of Connecticut, in Storrs, Connecticut. They currently play in the Big East Conference and are coached by Dan Hurley.

The UConn Huskies women's basketball team is the college basketball program representing the University of Connecticut in Storrs, Connecticut, in NCAA Division I women's basketball competition. They completed a seven-season tenure in the American Athletic Conference in 2019–20, and came back to the Big East Conference for the 2020–21 season.

The 2003–2004 Connecticut Huskies men's basketball team represented the University of Connecticut in the 2003–2004 NCAA Division I basketball season. Coached by Jim Calhoun, the Huskies played their home games at the Hartford Civic Center in Hartford, Connecticut, and on campus at the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Connecticut, and were a member of the Big East Conference. They won their record-tying sixth Big East tournament. On April 6, 2004, they claimed their second national championship by defeating Georgia Tech, 82–73.

The 2008–09 Connecticut Huskies women's basketball team represented the University of Connecticut in the 2008–09 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. Coached by Geno Auriemma, the Huskies played their home games at the Hartford Civic Center in Hartford, Connecticut, and on campus at the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Connecticut, and are a member of the Big East Conference. They enjoyed an undefeated season and won their sixth NCAA championship by defeating the Louisville Cardinals, 76–54.

The 2009–10 Connecticut Huskies women's basketball team represented the University of Connecticut in the 2009–2010 NCAA Division I basketball season. The Huskies were coached by Geno Auriemma, as the Huskies played their home games at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in the XL Center located in Hartford, Connecticut, and on campus at the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Connecticut. The Huskies are a member of the Big East Conference and won their seventh NCAA championship against Stanford on April 6, 2010.

The 2003–04 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 10, 2003, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 2004 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Championship Game on April 5, 2004, at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. The Connecticut Huskies won their second NCAA national championship with an 82–73 victory over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament</span>

The 2012 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament began March 17 and concluded April 3, 2012. The Final Four was played at Pepsi Center in Denver. For only the second time in history, and the first time since 1989, all four of the number one seeds made it to the Final Four. Baylor won its second national championship, defeating Notre Dame 80–61 in the championship game. They were the only team to win 40 straight games in a season until Connecticut matched it in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010–11 Big East Conference men's basketball season</span> Sports season

The 2010–11 Big East Conference men's basketball season was the 32nd season of competitive basketball played by the Big East Conference, since its inception in 1979, and involved its 16 full-time member schools. The season officially opened on December 27, 2010, when Pittsburgh defeated Connecticut, 78–63, and ended on March 5, 2011, with a 72–56 victory for St. John's over South Florida.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010–11 Connecticut Huskies men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 2010–11 Connecticut Huskies men's basketball team represented the University of Connecticut in the 2010–2011 NCAA Division I basketball season. The Huskies were coached by Jim Calhoun and played their home games at the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut, and on campus at the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Connecticut. The Huskies are a member of the Big East Conference.

This is a list of notable winning streaks in basketball.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014–15 Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 2014–15 Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team represented Duke University during the 2014–15 NCAA Division I men's basketball season as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The team played its home games in Durham, North Carolina at Cameron Indoor Stadium, celebrating the arena's 75th anniversary. Mike Krzyzewski led the team as head coach in his 35th season with the Blue Devils. During the season, Krzyzewski became the first head coach in Division I men's basketball history to win 1,000 games. On the court, the team featured All-ACC players Jahlil Okafor, Quinn Cook, and Tyus Jones, with Okafor being named ACC Player of the Year and National Freshman of the Year.

The 2014 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship Game was the final game of the 2014 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament and determined the national champion for the 2013–14 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The game was played on April 7, 2014, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, between the East Regional Champions, seventh-seeded Connecticut, and the Midwest Regional Champions, eighth-seeded Kentucky.

The 2008 Paradise Jam was an early-season men's and women's college basketball tournament. The tournament, which began in 2000, was part of the 2008-09 NCAA Division I men's basketball season and 2008-09 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The tournament was played at the Sports and Fitness Center in Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. Connecticut won the men's tournament, in the women's tournament Wisconsin won Island Division, and California won the women's Reef Division.

References

  1. ↑ "Sub-par Okafor struggles for UConn". ESPN.com. 26 November 2003. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  2. ↑ "Panthers miss game-tying 3 in final seconds". ESPN.com. 19 March 2004. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  3. ↑ "Yellow Jackets fend off Boston College". ESPN.com. 21 March 2004. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  4. ↑ "Lewis leads Tech into Elite Eight". ESPN.com. 26 March 2004. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  5. ↑ "Jack's 29 pace Jackets past Jayhawks". ESPN.com. 28 March 2004. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  6. ↑ "Bynum's drive sends Jackets to finals". ESPN.com. 3 April 2004. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  7. ↑ "Okafor has 15 and 14, stymies Coppenrath". ESPN.com. 18 March 2004. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  8. ↑ "Calhoun, DePaul can't stomach UConn's rout". ESPN.com. 20 March 2004. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  9. ↑ "Gordon paces Huskies' rout". ESPN.com. 25 March 2004. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  10. ↑ "Okafor tweaks shoulder, plays sparingly". ESPN.com. 27 March 2004. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  11. ↑ "Okafor: All 18 points after halftime". ESPN.com. 3 April 2004. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  12. ↑ "Huskies dominant inside and out". ESPN.com. 5 April 2004. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  13. ↑ "Gordon, Okafor too much for Georgia Tech". Dick Vitale. 5 April 2004. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  14. ↑ "Thousand celebrate, 35 arrested in Storrs". ESPN.com. 6 April 2004. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  15. 1 2 Feinberg, Doug (April 8, 2014). "UConn Women's Basketball Team Routs Notre Dame To Finish 40-0 Season, Win Historic 9th Title". Huffington Post. Retrieved April 11, 2014.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.