The Hill's Eleven | 2003 Men's Basketball Championship

Of the many events and occurrences that highlighted Kenneth "Buzz" Shaw's time as chancellor, one event remains fresh in the minds of Syracuse University students and fans alike - the Orangemen's National Men's Basketball Championship in the 2003 NCAA Tournament.

"It was a wonderful experience, to have thousands of people rooting for us," said Shaw, fondly looking back on the event.

It was obvious head coach Jim Boeheim liked the players, making it easier to coach them, he said.

"The sad part was that I had a pass, so I went on the floor so I could be there, and I couldn't see much on the floor," Shaw said.

After the tournament, the Carrier Dome was crowded with fans, and the players came out to great them. Freshman Carmelo Anthony said he would soon announce if he would return for the following year.

What was unknown to the crowd was that Shaw had been scheduled to announce his stepping down the Friday before the tournament's Final Four.

"I got up and said, 'I just want you to know I'm coming back next year,' which was true because I was coming for one more year," Shaw said. "But I had a lot of fun with that because there's obviously a lot more meaning than people were picking up at the time."

It was a fantastic time for the university, where everyone was "pumped up" and strangers were talking to each other as if they'd been lifelong friends, Shaw said. It was a fantastic time for the university, he said.

"To me that's the story of life," Shaw said. "It isn't the result. It's the process, it's preparation for the game, it's during the game, it's after the game, and maybe you won or you lost."