Bilas tweet about '86 team

Laettner

All-Conference
Mar 11, 2002
6,249
1,390
0
Saw this squad beat SJU in '85 pre-season NIT when Big East acted like they ruled college basketball. Alarie was my fav, just a tough player.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dukehokie

Devilinside

All-Conference
Dec 30, 2010
2,214
2,166
0
Did Bilas give up decisive offensive rebound to Purvis Ellison in NC loss to Louisville?
 

dukiejay

Heisman
Mar 2, 2005
11,293
16,311
0
If you're not, follow Duke Men's Basketball on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Lots of cool pictures and videos that are happening on all three this week.
 
  • Like
Reactions: smashmouth5

christophero

Heisman
May 2, 2017
16,640
20,005
113
That 86 team was great; the start of it all. I am watching the 2001 title game. We beat a REALLY good Arizona team, with Jefferson, Arenas, Walton and Woods. Dunleavy really stepped up that game when J Will struggled and Battier was great.
 

bullettoothtony

All-Conference
Mar 29, 2010
1,196
1,405
0
That 86 team was great; the start of it all. I am watching the 2001 title game. We beat a REALLY good Arizona team, with Jefferson, Arenas, Walton and Woods. Dunleavy really stepped up that game when J Will struggled and Battier was great.


2001... loved that team. Good lord what a squad... so elite offensively.

I'll never forget in the ACC Tournament championship... it was tight early and Dan Bonner had just made a comment about how he thought we (the fans) were going to be in for a heckuva game. And then we proceeded to absolutely blow their doors off. We went up 20 in the first half so quickly, and Bonner and the crowd were unequivocally stunned. Well, other than the Duke fans, who were just howling with enthusiasm. It was almost like a combination of cheering and laughter, which just added to Cheat fans' humiliation.

Damn that was a glorious beatdown.

Anyway, IIRC, we won all our NCAA Tournament games by double digits.

I actually think that team has often been underrated when I see lists of the best championship teams of the last 20 years, 30 years, etc.
 
Last edited:

christophero

Heisman
May 2, 2017
16,640
20,005
113
Agreed. Jason Williams, who I love, struggled mightily. But Duhon, Dunleavy and James and Boozer stepped up in the title game. That team was amazing.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bullettoothtony

bullettoothtony

All-Conference
Mar 29, 2010
1,196
1,405
0
Agreed. Jason Williams, who I love, struggled mightily. But Duhon, Dunleavy and James and Boozer stepped up in the title game. That team was amazing.


That sequence with Dunleavy hitting the 3's and the Battier block and save... astonishing.

Gardner was really able to get up in Williams and bother him from what I remember. He was so quick. But K's confidence never wavered, and he signaled Jay to take that late three, and he hit it. Glorious.
 
  • Like
Reactions: christophero

df64

All-Conference
Feb 2, 2006
2,702
1,934
0
That 85 preseason tourney is what got me hooked on Duke basketball. Loved that team.
 
Dec 24, 2003
11
11
0
I am a Tar Heel but I for some reason absolutely loved this group/team. Watched them take absolute beatings as freshman to superior teams but just a tough, tough TEAM the likes of which unfortunately we no longer see in college basketball any more. After we got bounced in sweet 16 by Louisville I was with Duke all the way that year heavily in Dallas. They seemed like they had Louisville on the ropes in the title game. I don't think I have ever rooted more for a Duke team than these guys.
 
Jan 19, 2014
916
653
0
Incredible collection of high IQ and successful post basketball men



I was too young for the 1986 Final. But the general consensus is that with the lead late, Duke went conservative and ended up playing themselves into a scoring drought. By the time Dawkins finally scored again, without a 3-point-line the game was out of reach

 
Jan 19, 2014
916
653
0
That 86 team was great; the start of it all. I am watching the 2001 title game. We beat a REALLY good Arizona team, with Jefferson, Arenas, Walton and Woods. Dunleavy really stepped up that game when J Will struggled and Battier was great.
2001 Arizona was deserving of a Title. Duke was their third consecutive #1 seed opponent. The Wildcats really had it all except outside shooters and as noted Dunleavy's shooting was a major factor in the outcome


1991 Kansas
1992 Michigan
2001 Arizona
2010 Butler
2015 Wisconsin

I rank Arizona near if not the top