6 replies to this topic

[BSLChrisStoner]

Balt Sun: Bill Wagner: Remembering the 2002 Maryland men’s basketball national championship team

[BSLChrisStoner]

[BSLChrisStoner]

Lots of things I remember... 

 

- The mission that team had coming off of the F4 loss to Duke

- Losing to Arizona in the opener... getting whooped at Oklahoma... 

- How awesome it was having Randle, Holden, and Drew off the bench...
- Mouton - who had been a scorer at Tulane - being a grinder / glue guy for MD

- The growth of Wilcox, and how he dominated people with his athleticism..

- Obviously Juan, Lonny, Steve... 

- The intensity of MD / Duke...  Blake steals the ball...
- Last game at Cole vs. UVA (was there)
- Gary

 

- How great the UConn and Kanas games were...

- How horrible the Championship was vs. Indiana lol...

[Pedro Cerrano]

I was a sophomore in college. Great times.

[Mackus]

Blake probably had the two biggest moments that stick out in my memory, the steal is my favorite play in program history and his three against UConn is perhaps the play that stands out the most from the tournament run.  

 

Wilcox had a dunk against I believe Wake Forest where he recovered a loose ball around midcourt, took like three dribbles and then had dunked the ball.  It was ridiculous.  He was so athletic.

 

Dixon and Baxter by that season had both become so good that it almost became a Mike Trout like phenomenon where you get complacent of the greatness.  Both guys were just incredible.  Dixon in the consistency and Baxter in how some games he would just completely dominate.  His run leading up to the Final Four certainly made him deserving of the regional MVP award even on a team with Dixon having an All-America level season.

 

Mouton was the energy and the personality.  He was very fun to watch in person, little things that probably didn't show up on TV where he'd be interacting with refs or teammates or opponents or fans.

[BSLMikeLowe]

I remember the big moments, but reading this thread brought back one memory I had mostly forgotten, and that was how much better the team played when Wilcox replaced Holden in the starting lineup. His athleticism and ability to guard multiple positions was the difference maker. In fact I think the switch occurred right after the blowout loss at Oklahoma, or very shortly thereafter.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Wilcox in the semi final vs Kansas after the Jayhawks started hot.

Also him vs Duke.