Two decades ago, UNCW basketball's best era ever ended in NCAA heartbreak
When one of the most heart-wrenching moments of Brett Blizzard’s basketball career shows up on television this week – and there’s no doubt it will happen – he won’t shy away from it.
No changing the channel, even halfway around the world as he watches this year’s NCAA Tournament from Italy.
Because when Drew Nicholas’ buzzer beater that sent defending national champion Maryland over UNCW in the first round of the 2003 tournament comes on, a proud but emotional Blizzard also knows it remains one of the best moments of his career, too.
“You’re really stirring some things up,” he said recently from Trask Coliseum before heading overseas. “It’s great. When people ask, I think I kind of deflect it, laugh it off. But when you really dive in and think about it – we had a great team, and we deserved to win.”
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UNCW's second upset falls a second short
The Seahawks entered the NCAA Tournament as the 11 seed in the South Regional on a nine-game winning streak and had name cachet. After all, they had upset Southern California a year prior. But sixth-seeded Maryland was coming off a national championship.
Blizzard and Craig Callahan were the only seniors, and freshman John Goldsberry started 27 of 31 games. Blizzard said the 2002 team might have had more talent, but this younger team played as a collective at all times.
“Everyone on that team knew exactly what each other was going to do. We were in sync like crazy,” Blizzard said. “When the other guys on your team know what you’re going to do, it’s so much easier to play, instead of trying to read guys: ‘Is he going to pass, is he going to shoot, should I be ready?’ Same as some of the best teams I played with in Europe.”
It was a back-and-forth game before UNCW grabbed a late lead, thanks to an NCAA Tournament-record 8-for-8 shooting performance from 3-point range by Goldsberry.
“And not 8-for-8, just easy transition 3s, these were tough, against a zone. Deep,” Blizzard said. “If he misses we go down five. Time and score on these shots were what was important.”
Then Maryland rallied to lead by one with 23 seconds to go. UNCW center Aaron Coombs was fouled with 5 seconds to play, and the 46% free-throw shooter had to go to the line.
“He was going to the free throw line and I told him, you’re going to make these,” Blizzard said. “The look on his face, I can still see it. His eyes were (big), he’s looking at me, and he knocked them down. After that, I remember in slow motion.”
On the inbounds pass, Maryland got the ball to Drew Nicholas with a running start. Blizzard was with him step for step just past half-court, where teammate Anthony Terrell joined the chase and created a double team. Nicholas dribbled diagonally toward his own bench, away from the basket and his pursuers, turned at the last possible moment and fired off a leaning 24-footer, just over Terrell’s hand.
The ball hit nothing but net as Nicholas took off in elation down the tunnel at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.
Maryland 75, UNCW 73.
The End of an Era
That loss marked the end of a run of five postseason appearances in six seasons (1998, 2001 NIT; 2000, 2002, 2003 NCAA). The Seahawks returned to the NCAA in 2006, then had a CIT and two NCAA appearances again from 2015-17 with Kevin Keatts as coach. When he left, things fizzled again before Takayo Siddle’s team won the CBI a season ago.
“It was a shame, because the worst part was, I knew we were going to beat Xavier in the next game,” Blizzard said. “And now we’re in the Sweet 16, playing Michigan State. And you never know. … Could UNCW have been the next Gonzaga after that? Could UNCW continue to grow? Maybe coaches don’t leave? You know what I mean? Now the trajectory of UNCW is different.”
Blizzard led the Seahawks to three NCAA bids in four years. They've only returned three times in the 20 years since. In this day and age of basketball, the question is asked often: Can UNCW ever replicate that level of consistent success?
Blizzard said it’s possible, but that can't be a realistic expectation. Teams today are rarely built the way coaches Jerry Wainwright and Brad Brownell did in that era. Those UNCW teams had balanced classes across the board. The transfer portal and roster turnover in today’s game are too unpredictable.
"It’s not fair (to current players and coaches) to hope that we win all those in a row,” Blizzard said looking up at the banners of Trask Coliseum. “You could win one, and the next year you have a whole different team. But the expectation is that you have to win again.”
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: UNCW basketball's best era ended 20 years ago on Maryland buzzerbeater
