The 2003 NCAA Tournament was the third NCAA tournament with a 65-team bracket, prior to the introduction of the 68-team bracket that featured the First Four in 2011. Syracuse, led by freshman Carmelo Anthony, won its first national championship in its third national championship appearance after beating Kansas.
The two double-digit seeds that made the Sweet 16, No. 10 seed Auburn and No. 12 seed Butler, were both in the East Regional, while the South Regional featured No. 5 seed UConn, No. 6 seed Maryland and No. 7 seed Michigan State in the second weekend.
2003 NCAA Tournament: Bracket
Click or tap here for printable bracket.
2003 NCAA Tournament: Scores
- First Round (Round of 64)
- East Regional
- No. 1 Oklahoma 71, No. 16 South Carolina State 54
- No. 8 California 76, No. 9 N.C. State 74
- No. 12 Butler 47, No. 5 Mississippi State 46
- No. 4 Louisville 86, No. 13 Austin Peay 64
- No. 6 Oklahoma State 77, No. 11 Penn 63
- No. 3 Syracuse 76, No. 14 Manhattan 65
- No. 10 Auburn 65, No. 7 Saint Joseph's 63
- No. 2 Wake Forest 76, No. 15 East Tennessee State 73
- Midwest Regional
- No. 1 Kentucky 95, No. 16 IUPUI 64
- No. 9 Utah 60, No. 8 Oregon 58
- No. 5 Wisconsin 81, No. 12 Weber State 74
- No. 13 Tulsa 84, No. 4 Dayton 71
- No. 6 Missouri 72, No. 11 Southern Illinois 71
- No. 3 Marquette 72, No. 14 Holy Cross 68
- No. 7 Indiana 67, No. 10 Alabama 62
- No. 2 Pittsburgh, No. 15 Wagner 61
- South Regional
- No. 1 Texas 82, No. 16 UNC Asheville 61
- No. 9 Purdue 80, No. 8 LSU 56
- No. 5 UConn 58, No. 12 BYU 53
- No. 4 Stanford 77, No. 13 San Diego 69
- No. 6 Maryland 75, No. 11 UNC Wilmington 73
- No. 3 Xavier 71, No. 14 Troy State 59
- No. 7 Michigan State 79, No. 10 Colorado 64
- No. 2 Florida 85, No. 15 Sam Houston State 55
- West Regional
- No. 1 Arizona 80, No. 16 Vermont 51
- No. 9 Gonzaga 74, No. 8 Cincinnati 69
- No. 5 Notre Dame 70, No. 12 Milwaukee 69
- No. 4 Illinois 65, No. 13 Western Kentucky 60
- No. 11 Central Michigan 79, No. 6 Creighton 73
- No. 3 Duke 67, No. 14 Colorado State 57
- No. 10 Arizona State 84, No. 7 Memphis 71
- No. 2 Kansas 64, No. 15 Utah State 61
- East Regional
- Second Round (Round of 32)
- East Regional
- No. 1 Oklahoma 74, No. 8 California 65
- No. 12 Butler 79, No. 4 Louisville 71
- No. 3 Syracuse 68, No. 6 Oklahoma State 56
- No. 10 Auburn 68, No. 2 Wake Forest 62
- Midwest Regional
- No. 1 Kentucky 74, No. 9 Utah 54
- No. 5 Wisconsin 61, No. 13 Tulsa 60
- No. 3 Marquette 101, No. 6 Missouri 92
- No. 2 Pittsburgh 74, No. 7 Indiana 52
- South Regional
- No. 1 Texas 77, No. 9 Purdue 67
- No. 5 UConn 85, No. 4 Stanford 74
- No. 6 Maryland 77, No. 3 Xavier 64
- No. 7 Michigan State 68, No. 2 Florida 46
- West Regional
- No. 1 Arizona 96, No. 9 Gonzaga 95
- No. 5 Notre Dame 68, No. 4 Illinois 60
- No. 3 Duke 86, No. 11 Central Michigan 60
- No. 2 Kansas 108, No. 10 Arizona State 76
- East Regional
- Sweet 16
- East Regional
- No. 1 Oklahoma 65, No. 12 Butler 54
- No. 3 Syracuse 79, No. 10 Auburn 78
- Midwest Regional
- No. 1 Kentucky 63, No. 5 Wisconsin 57
- No. 3 Marquette 77, No. 2 Pittsburgh 74
- South Regional
- No. 1 Texas 82, No. 5 UConn 78
- No. 7 Michigan State 60, No. 6 Maryland 58
- West Regional
- No. 1 Arizona 88, No. 5 Notre Dame 71
- No. 2 Kansas 69, No. 3 Duke 65
- East Regional
- Elite Eight
- East Regional
- No. 3 Syracuse 63, No. 1 Oklahoma 47
- Midwest Regional
- No. 3 Marquette 83, No. 1 Kentucky 69 |
- South Regional
- No. 1 Texas 85, No. 7 Michigan State 76
- West Regional
- No. 2 Kansas 78, No. 1 Arizona 75
- East Regional
- Final Four (New Orleans, Louisiana)
- National semifinals
- No. 3 Syracuse 95, No. 1 Texas 84
- No. 2 Kansas 94, No. 3 Marquette 61
- National championship
- No. 3 Syracuse 81, No. 2 Kansas 78 |
- National semifinals
2003 NCAA Tournament: Upsets
The following double-digit seeds won games:
Team | Score | Opponent |
---|---|---|
FIRST ROUND (Round of 64) | ||
No. 10 Arizona State | 84-71 | No. 7 Memphis |
No. 10 Auburn | 65-63 | No. 7 Saint Joseph's |
No. 11 Central Michigan | 79-73 | No. 6 Creighton |
No. 12 Butler | 47-46 | No. 5 Mississippi State |
No. 13 Tulsa | 84-71 | No. 4 Dayton |
SECOND ROUND (Round of 32) | ||
No. 10 Auburn | 68-62 | No. 2 Wake Forest |
No. 12 Butler | 79-71 | No. 4 Louisville |
2003 NCAA Tournament: Stats, records
Here are the 2003 NCAA Tournament leaders (number of games in parentheses):
Individual scoring
- Dahntay Jones (3): 24.7 points per game
Individual rebounding
- Nick Collison (6): 13.5 rebounds per game