You’ve decided the best Syracuse men’s basketball team since 1975 is....

It’s finally Friday and now that means it’s time to reveal your choice for the best Syracuse Orange men’s basketball team since 1975.

Before we give you the results, here’s how we initially seeded the squads.

1. 2003 (30-5)

2. 2010 (30-5)

3. 1987 (31-7)

4. 2012 (34-3)

5. 1996 (29-9)

6. 2013 (30-10)

7. 1989 (30-8)

8. 1975 (27-9)

9. 2000 (26-6)

10. 2004 (23-8)

11. 1980 (26-4)

12. 1979 (26-4)

13. 1984 (23-9)

14. 2014 (28-6)

15. 2009 (28-10)

16. 2011 (27-8)

Our final match-up was the top-seed 2003 team against the #3 seed 1987 squad. By a final vote of 201-108 the 2003 National Champions win this title and once again the 1987 group falls just short of the top prize.

For this final game I ran a simulation using WhatIfSports to see this one play out, so let’s see if you made the right choice. The 87 team went on a 15-1 in the first half to build a 32-18 lead with six minutes to go. 2003 rallied behind Kueth Duany and Gerry McNamara to close the gap to 39-32 in the final two minutes of the half. Howard Triche’s drive pushed the lead back to 46-35 at halftime and it looked like the 87 team might have control of this game.

In the second half it was time for a run from the 2003 squad as they trimmed the deficit to three points (60-57) with twelve minutes to go. The game was tight and with just under five minutes to go Carmelo Anthony hit a jumper to give 2003 their first lead 76-75. Anthony connected from three to make it 79-76 with 2:17 to go but Sherman Douglas and Triche scored to put 1987 in front with 1:37 left on the clock.

This title game was heading towards a dramatic finish inside the New Orleans Superdome and Kueth Duany’s 3-pointer swung the game back to 2003. After a missed shot, Duany drove the lane and hit the basket while getting fouled by Rodney Walker. Duany hit the free throw to make it 85-80 and after a free throws in the final minute the 2003 team had rallied with 54 second-half points to secure a 89-80 victory.

Anthony’s 22 points and 11 rebounds were enough to earn game MVP honors. McNamara (19), Warrick (17) and Duany (15) paced a balanced 2003 attack. Howard Triche was the high scorer for 1987 with 17 points while Douglas (16), Coleman (10 pts and 13 rebounds) and Seikaly (12 points and 11 rebounds) led the 1987 team.

The difference in this game was outside shooting as 2003 went 8 for 21 from beyond the arc while 1987 was only 3 for 8. 1987 Head Coach Jim Boeheim said after the game that “we just needed to make shots down the stretch”. His comments were echoed by 2003 Head Coach Jim Boeheim who told Jim Nantz “Our guys just made more shots at the end and that was the difference tonight. It was a great game and the team with the better looking coach got the win”.

Thanks to all who voted this week!