2002–03 Holy Cross Crusaders men's basketball team

The 2002–03 Holy Cross Crusaders men's basketball team represented the College of the Holy Cross during the 2002–03 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Crusaders, led by 4th-year head coach Ralph Willard, played their home games at the Hart Center and were members of the Patriot League. They finished the season 26–5, 13–1 in Patriot League play to win the regular season league title. As the #1 seed, they defeated Army, Bucknell, and American to be champions of the Patriot League tournament and earn the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Playing as the No. 14 seed in the Midwest region, they were beaten by No. 3 seed and eventual Final Four participant Marquette, 72–68.[1]

2002–03 Holy Cross Crusaders men's basketball
Patriot League regular season and tournament champions
NCAA tournament, First round
ConferencePatriot League
Record26–5 (13–1 Patriot)
Head coach
Home arenaHart Center
Seasons
2003–04 →
2002–03 Patriot League men's basketball standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L PCTW L PCT
Holy Cross131 .929265 .839
American95 .6431614 .533
Colgate95 .6431414 .500
Lehigh86 .5711612 .571
Bucknell77 .5001415 .483
Lafayette68 .4291316 .448
Navy410 .286820 .286
Army014 .000522 .185
2003 Patriot League tournament winner

Roster

2002–03 Holy Cross Crusaders men's basketball team
PlayersCoaches
Pos.#NameHeightWeightYearPrevious schoolHometown
G14Kevin Hamilton6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)190 lb (86 kg)FrArchbishop MolloyQueens Village, New York
F35Tim Szatko6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)220 lb (100 kg)SrNaperville CentralNaperville, Illinois
C45Patrick Whearty6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)245 lb (111 kg)SrOur Lady of LourdesPoughkeepsie, New York
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • (W) Walk-on

Roster

[2]

Schedule and results

Date
time, TV
Rank#Opponent#ResultRecordSite (attendance)
city, state
Non-conference regular season
Nov 19, 2002*
 ESPN
at No. 2 Kansas
Preseason NIT
L 57–81 0–1
Allen Fieldhouse (16,300)
Lawrence, Kansas
Nov 23, 2002*
at DowlingW 101–61 1–1
Hart Center (1,023)
Worcester, Massachusetts
Nov 26, 2002*
at HarvardW 71–66 2–1
Lavietes Pavilion (1,306)
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Dec 1, 2002*
Boston CollegeW 71–70 3–1
Worcester Centrum (3,620)
Worcester, Massachusetts
Dec 7, 2002*
at BrownW 72–56 4–1
Pizzitola Sports Center (1,571)
Providence, Rhode Island
Dec 11, 2002*
vs. Yale
Phoenix Classic
L 66–70 4–2
XL Center (4,182)
Hartford, Connecticut
Dec 12, 2002*
vs. Hartford
Phoenix Classic
W 79–53 5–2
XL Center (NA)
Hartford, Connecticut
Dec 22, 2002*
UNC AshevilleW 84–53 6–2
Hart Center (2,389)
Worcester, Massachusetts
Dec 28, 2002*
at MaristL 63–66 6–3
McCann Arena (2,678)
Poughkeepsie, New York
Dec 31, 2002*
at FordhamW 87–54 7–3
Rose Hill Gymnasium (1,926)
Bronx, New York
Jan 3, 2003*
PrincetonW 55–54 8–3
Hart Center (1,046)
Worcester, Massachusetts
Jan 7, 2003*
at QuinnipiacW 83–75 9–3
Burt Kahn Court (1,344)
Hamden, Connecticut
Patriot League regular season
Jan 11, 2003
ArmyW 61–45 10–3
(1–0)
Hart Center (3,128)
Worcester, Massachusetts
Jan 15, 2003
ColgateW 86–43 11–3
(2–0)
Hart Center (2,839)
Worcester, Massachusetts
Jan 18, 2003
at LafayetteW 76–70 12–3
(3–0)
Kirby Sports Center (2,945)
Easton, Pennsylvania
Jan 21, 2003*
DartmouthW 63–43 13–3
Hart Center (2,024)
Worcester, Massachusetts
Jan 24, 2003
at NavyW 76–61 14–3
(4–0)
Alumni Hall (2,203)
Annapolis, Maryland
Jan 26, 2003
at AmericanL 49–72 14–4
(4–1)
Bender Arena (1,823)
Washington D.C.
Jan 31, 2003
LehighW 63–39 15–4
(5–1)
Hart Center (3,215)
Worcester, Massachusetts
Feb 2, 2003
BucknellW 69–47 16–4
(6–1)
Hart Center (4,000)
Worcester, Massachusetts
Feb 8, 2003
at ArmyW 53–45 17–4
(7–1)
Christl Arena (1,537)
West Point, New York
Feb 12, 2003
at ColgateW 92–91 OT18–4
(8–1)
Cotterell Court (562)
Hamilton, New York
Feb 15, 2003
LafayetteW 73–65 19–4
(9–1)
Hart Center (4,000)
Worcester, Massachusetts
Feb 21, 2003
AmericanW 68–66 20–4
(10–1)
Hart Center (3,847)
Worcester, Massachusetts
Feb 23, 2003
NavyW 63–42 21–4
(11–1)
Hart Center (4,000)
Worcester, Massachusetts
Feb 28, 2003
at BucknellW 54–43 22–4
(12–1)
Davis Gym (2,182)
Lewisburg, Pennsylvania
Mar 2, 2003
at LehighW 72–64 23–4
(13–1)
Stabler Arena (3,273)
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Patriot League Tournament
Mar 8, 2003*
vs. Army
Quarterfinals
W 58–40 24–4
The Show Place Arena (2,523)
Upper Marlboro, Maryland
Mar 9, 2003*
vs. Bucknell
Semifinals
W 75–50 25–4
The Show Place Arena (3,356)
Upper Marlboro, Maryland
Mar 14, 2003*
American
Championship game
W 72–64 26–4
Hart Center (4,000)
Worcester, Massachusetts
NCAA Tournament
Mar 20, 2003*
(14 MW) vs. (3 MW) No. 9 Marquette
First round
L 68–72 26–5
RCA Dome (25,000)
Indianapolis, Indiana
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
MW=Midwest Region.
All times are in Eastern Time..

[3][4][5]

References