Gary Williams and his players look back on Maryland’s hard-fought NCAA title and reflect on what it took to reach their ultimate goal.
Q&A With Gary Williams
Gary Williams reflects on what it took to win the 2002 national title, how his perspective of the championship has changed and more.
Five Key Moments From Terps’ 2002 Championship Run:
2001 Final Four Loss To Duke
Maryland lost, 95-84, to Duke in the Final Four in 2001 despite building a 22-point first-half lead. How did that motivate the Terps heading into the 2001-02 season?
Beating Duke At Cole In 2002
Maryland defeated Duke, 87-73, on Feb. 17, 2002, at Cole Field House, with Steve Blake’s steal of Jay Williams being the lasting image from that game. How did Blake’s steal-and-score help ensure that Maryland won that ballgame? How much confidence did that win give the Terps?
Closing Down Cole
Maryland defeated Virginia, 112-92, in the last game ever played at Cole Field House, where the Terps had played since 1955. Scores of former players returned to Cole for the game. What did that night mean to everyone?
Elite Eight Win Against UConn
Maryland defeated Connecticut, 90-82, in the Elite Eight in 2002. A 3-pointer by Juan Dixon tied the game at 77 with less than four minutes to go, and a 3-pointer by Steve Blake put the Terps up, 86-80, with less than 30 seconds to go. Just how big were those shots?
The Final Buzzer Sounds
Maryland defeated Indiana, 64-52, in the national championship game in 2002. What did it mean to hear the final buzzer sound?
Plus:
Andre Collins Giving Back To Eastern Shore Hoopsters
Andre Collins was a reserve guard for the 2001-02 Maryland men’s basketball national title team and holds a special place in Terps lore. Now, he’s focused on giving back to players who hold dreams similar to the ones he had growing up on the Eastern Shore.
Glenn Clark: Why I Have An Even Greater Appreciation For Maryland’s Title 20 Years Later
When the Maryland men’s basketball team won the national championship in 2002, Glenn Clark assumed there’d be more to come. That it hasn’t turned out that way makes him more appreciative of what the 2002 team did.