Favorite Game rarely discussed

[timo0402]

As with nearly every off-season the boards die down on hoops talk and there isn't much traction. It's also normally when i'll start venturing over to RR or THR to see what they're discussing. Rupp had an interesting topic about which was around- what game that is not usually discussed or talked about, remembered etc. do you still hold as a great memory.

I'll give an example. 2006 home game against FSU. Game went to OT and JJ really put the team on his back (as he did most of that year). I can still see him in the corner in OT nailing a 3 and running down the court banging his chest with both arms. Cameron was going nuts and we pulled it out in OT.

Just an example of a game that you dont ever hear about but is a great Duke memory for me as a fan.

 

[LetsGoDuke301]

2009 at home vs Maryland. Vasquez ran his flapper about Cameron Indoor being like home to him and how overrated the crazies were. He went on to score an incredible FOUR points in his "home away from home" game and Duke beat Maryland 85-44. That game (to me) was the beginning of Duke returning back to the team that we were used to seeing after almost four years of less than great teams. The loss to Villanova in the SS was gut wrenching that year, though.

 

[2 skerz 3_rivals208847]

vs Texas when JJ put on a clinic!

 

[dukehokie]

2009 at home vs Maryland. Vasquez ran his flapper about Cameron Indoor being like home to him and how overrated the crazies were. He went on to score an incredible FOUR points in his "home away from home" game and Duke beat Maryland 85-44. That game (to me) was the beginning of Duke returning back to the team that we were used to seeing after almost four years of less than great teams. The loss to Villanova in the SS was gut wrenching that year, though.

The fast break where four of five guys touched the ball and it never hit the floor was brilliant.

I'll go with the Duke/Temple matchup at MSG in the 2000-2001 season. That was a scrappy ball game and showed that a team that was being chastised for not being "tough" enough could get down and dirty and play the game how ever it needed to be played. I think that set the tone for that championship season.

 

[crazyduke3]

At Maryland when G gave us that Dunk. Very intense game.

2nd round vs Texas with the Round the back save by Jon. In 09 I believe

 

[dbav]

West Virginia and Baylor during the 2010 run. The Championship game was so good that I think a lot did not think of those too much after.

 

[2 skerz 3_rivals208847]

West Virginia and Baylor during the 2010 run. The Championship game was so good that I think a lot did not think of those too much after.

2 of my favorite games as well, good call!

 

[timo0402]

Another one for me was the game at home in the 99 season against Florida. We blew the doors off of them and Maggette had that insane dunk where he got T'd up (deservedly so). One of my all-time favorite Duke dunks and LOUDEST ROARS i'v ever heard from Cameron on a dunk. The backstory on Corey slapping the glass is great too- Elton Brand challenging him before the game.

Here's the dunk-

 

[HuffyJB]

The fast break where four of five guys touched the ball and it never hit the floor was brilliant.

I'll go with the Duke/Temple matchup at MSG in the 2000-2001 season. That was a scrappy ball game and showed that a team that was being chastised for not being "tough" enough could get down and dirty and play the game how ever it needed to be played. I think that set the tone for that championship season.

I think that game is very similar to the St. John's Coack K 1K game at the Garden in 2015 for all the reasons you mentioned (location, nature of the game, how it kind of set the tone for that specific group).

 

[dukedevilz]

Beating Wake Forest in 97 during Tim Duncan's senior year. We had previously lost 9 straight games to Wake - which, if I were a betting man, I'd say that's the longest losing streak K has against anyone, ever. Game was tied at 62 a piece with less than 3 minutes left; McLeod and Capel both hit timely hots to give us the lead for good.

Kentucky in the 2001 Jimmy V Classic. Kentucky started the 2nd half off hot and K was peeved with the starting unit - he yanked all five starters out, which wasn't unprecedented by any means, but this 2002 really only went 6 deep. Andre Buckner, Reggie Love, and Matt Christensen all got to play somewhat unexpectedly. I went back and watched that portion over again, and the second-unit actually outscored Kentucky during the three minute segment. The bench definitely fueled the starters with energy. During Duke's comeback, Duhon flipped an incredible pass over to Williams; it looked like the Kentucky guard was in the way, but the flip was the only way we could conceivably get possession of the ball. Williams scores and ties the game. Game goes into OT and it was possibly Jason's best performance of his career. He finished with 38 points.

 

[dukedevilz]

 

[Mark Gastineau]

Battle 4 Atlantis championship game against Louisville in 2012. Quinn Cook had a coming out party as we went on to beat the eventual champs.

 

[skysdad]

Another one for me was the game at home in the 99 season against Florida. We blew the doors off of them and Maggette had that insane dunk where he got T'd up (deservedly so). One of my all-time favorite Duke dunks and LOUDEST ROARS i'v ever heard from Cameron on a dunk. The backstory on Corey slapping the glass is great too- Elton Brand challenging him before the game.

Here's the dunk-

I was there at the other end of the court. Place went crazy. Corey goes right to the bench and takes a seat as far away from coach K. Coach K gets up and takes his ose and puts it about an inch from Corey's nose. Have a pair of binoculars on the scene and I could read Coach K's lips. "Don't you ever $#@^&*% do that again. "OFC

 

[LetsGoDuke301]

West Virginia and Baylor during the 2010 run. The Championship game was so good that I think a lot did not think of those too much after.

What was so great about beating the hell out of West Virginia was that it was sweet revenge from a couple years earlier. After WVU beat Duke in the tournament in 08' their players chose to bash our players instead of talking about their victory. Mocking Duke for not being able to beat them despite all of the AAs on the team. Only way it would have been sweeter revenge is if it were the following year. Still fresh enough on the memory though.

 

[LetsGoDuke301]

At Maryland when G gave us that Dunk. Very intense game.

That dunk was great. I think it was the first year I had dvr. I rewound it over and over. It was directly following the play where a Maryland player murdered Nolan Smith. Good stuff. Nolan had a sweet dunk in that game too.

 

[dbav]

What was so great about beating the hell out of West Virginia was that it was sweet revenge from a couple years earlier. After WVU beat Duke in the tournament in 08' their players chose to bash our players instead of talking about their victory. Mocking Duke for not being able to beat them despite all of the AAs on the team. Only way it would have been sweeter revenge is if it were the following year. Still fresh enough on the memory though.

The best part for me was that we were not given a chance. It wasn't just that people were picking against us, it was that they picked us to get destroyed in both those games.

 

[timo0402]

The best part for me was that we were not given a chance. It wasn't just that people were picking against us, it was that they picked us to get destroyed in both those games.

But we had the easiest route of all time gift wrapped for us!!

 

[skysdad]

The Robbie West shot to beat unc in 1972 on the day Duke Indoor Stadium became Cameron Indoor Stadium. Big upset that day as Duke was going through some tough years. OFC

 

[bluemetro]

Tyler Thornton hits a prayer shot against Kansas to win early season tournament championship. The WVU revenge game. The game against UNC at CIS where it was like almost a 40 point beat down.

Williams feeding Duhon for a buzzer beater at Wake.

Beating ND in the national semi's in 1978.

 

[nets on nets on nets]

The game against UK in Dec of 2001 (2002 season) for the Jimmy V Classic. We played AWFUL for the first 30 minutes of the game, and all the starters were benched at one point. Then Jayson Williams took over, fun times.

 

[Showenuff]

I have to say, I've been jacked up and pumped up many times through many games but that Dahntay Jones dunk at the 3:00 mark at UVA sent me out to the garage to pound on the heavy bag, LOL! Those pushups got me wound up , haha.

 

[nets on nets on nets]

A regular season game I will never forgot is the 2015 road UVA win, we had just lost at ND which was followed by Sulaimon's dismissal. Didn't matter, 8 was enough.

The last 5 minutes of that game was EPIC, and seemed to be the springboard for what followed the rest of that season. Justise doing Justise things, Jah dominating inside, Quinn and Tyus hitting big shots. Just amazing.

 

[Mark Gastineau]

I have to say, I've been jacked up and pumped up many times through many games but that Dahntay Jones dunk at the 3:00 mark at UVA sent me out to the garage to pound on the heavy bag, LOL! Those pushups got me wound up , haha.

YES!!

 

[Mark Gastineau]

At Maryland when G gave us that Dunk. Very intense game.

2nd round vs Texas with the Round the back save by Jon. In 09 I believe

I could watch that dunk all day.

 

[HuffyJB]

YES!!

For my money this is the best dunk in Duke history, including Henderson's over Alonzo Mourning.

 

[skysdad]

Just for the old farts Gene Banks dunks over 7'4" Ralph Sampson. OFC

 

[dukiejay]

A regular season game I will never forgot is the 2015 road UVA win, we had just lost at ND which was followed by Sulaimon's dismissal. Didn't matter, 8 was enough.

The last 5 minutes of that game was EPIC, and seemed to be the springboard for what followed the rest of that season. Justise doing Justise things, Jah dominating inside, Quinn and Tyus hitting big shots. Just amazing.

Same here. I never think one game truly defines a team, but that one is close. I watched it in the little back bar of Sloppy Joe's on Duval St. in Key West. By the end of the game I may or may not have been a bit 'hammered' drunk.

Another one for me, and it's very recent, was the win at home versus Virginia this past season. I surprised my wife with tickets to the game --- her first time at Cameron --- and we got to see an instant classic. It also happened to be Valentine's weekend. It was a pretty good date weekend.

Others on the list include a slew of games from J.J.'s senior season when he was just ridiculous all the time, the win over Purdue and Glenn Robinson in the regional final in '94, winning at home against UNC in '05, and the '07 Maui Invitational because it was the first time my wife and I attended a Duke game together.

 

[dbav]

I could watch that dunk all day.

This was especially sweet given the crowd had just been cheering Nolan getting helped off after a dirty screen.

 

[Wall2Boogie]

I know this won't be popular, but my favorite duke game came in 1998. They played uk in the tournament. Great game lol, but my favorite duke game

 

[LetsGoDuke301]

I know this won't be popular, but my favorite duke game came in 1998. They played uk in the tournament. Great game lol, but my favorite duke game

And yet Kentucky fans still act like they need revenge for 1992.

 

[Wojoman]

West Virginia and Baylor during the 2010 run. The Championship game was so good that I think a lot did not think of those too much after.

I was going to say the Baylor that year. I really didn't think we were going to win that one. And that WV game was amazing. All 3 of our big guys were clicking on all cylinders that game. Special to watch. After we won the Ship that year I watched the Baylor game and the WVU game almost every weekend for at least a couple of months. Special games

 

[Anon1728003274]

The Robbie West shot to beat unc in 1972 on the day Duke Indoor Stadium became Cameron Indoor Stadium. Big upset that day as Duke was going through some tough years. OFC

I am w/Sky on the "Robbie West" game....Program was starting to take a dive from the Bubas years (Vic got out too early IMO), and this was a HUGE win...UNC was loaded....McAdoo had transferred there I believe and Bobby Jones was a sophomore...

OFC

 

[nets on nets on nets]

The 2001 ACC tournament Semifinal game against Maryland is very underrated. Back and forth all second half, Juan Dixon's half court shot looked like it was going in, then clanked out. Was our 2nd of 3 times beating them that year, the 3rd was even sweeter.

After that ACC Semi win, we went on to beat regular season champ UNC........by 26.

 

[HuffyJB]

I was going to say the Baylor that year. I really didn't think we were going to win that one. And that WV game was amazing. All 3 of our big guys were clicking on all cylinders that game. Special to watch. After we won the Ship that year I watched the Baylor game and the WVU game almost every weekend for at least a couple of months. Special games

Absolutely. The best game that 2010 team played all year was the semi against WVU. They were a well-oiled machine.

 

[HuffyJB]

The 2001 ACC tournament Semifinal game against Maryland is very underrated. Back and forth all second half, Juan Dixon's half court shot looked like it was going in, then clanked out. Was our 2nd of 3 times beating them that year, the 3rd was even sweeter.

After that ACC Semi win, we went on to beat regular season champ UNC........by 26.

Yeah, that was the late Nate James tip-in. It is crazy to think that Duke played Maryland four times that year, and every one was a classic, headlined by the "Gone in 60 Seconds" and the biggest comeback in Final Four history.

 

[timo0402]

JJ's freshman year in the ACC Final against NC State. Felt like we were dead and then he went off. That was an awesome performance by a freshman, who to that point was pretty quiet. He hit a number of 3's and some FTs to propel us to the win.

 

[HuffyJB]

JJ's freshman year in the ACC Final against NC State. Felt like we were dead and then he went off. That was an awesome performance by a freshman, who to that point was pretty quiet. He hit a number of 3's and some FTs to propel us to the win.

Great one, I was at that game. Duke was down 15 with about 10 minutes left, and JJ scored something like 24 points in the last 10 minutes. Watching Julius Hodge during that explosion was almost as fun as watching JJ.

 

[Laettner]

The fast break where four of five guys touched the ball and it never hit the floor was brilliant.

I'll go with the Duke/Temple matchup at MSG in the 2000-2001 season. That was a scrappy ball game and showed that a team that was being chastised for not being "tough" enough could get down and dirty and play the game how ever it needed to be played. I think that set the tone for that championship season.

Attended this game & sat few rows under basket with my girlfriend(future wife) & brother. Battier & Boozer played extremely hard & my GF(now wife) says "Battier & Boozer will lead this team to Final Four ". My brother turned & said "marry her".

 

[Laettner]

Beating Wake Forest in 97 during Tim Duncan's senior year. We had previously lost 9 straight games to Wake - which, if I were a betting man, I'd say that's the longest losing streak K has against anyone, ever. Game was tied at 62 a piece with less than 3 minutes left; McLeod and Capel both hit timely hots to give us the lead for good.

Kentucky in the 2001 Jimmy V Classic. Kentucky started the 2nd half off hot and K was peeved with the starting unit - he yanked all five starters out, which wasn't unprecedented by any means, but this 2002 really only went 6 deep. Andre Buckner, Reggie Love, and Matt Christensen all got to play somewhat unexpectedly. I went back and watched that portion over again, and the second-unit actually outscored Kentucky during the three minute segment. The bench definitely fueled the starters with energy. During Duke's comeback, Duhon flipped an incredible pass over to Williams; it looked like the Kentucky guard was in the way, but the flip was the only way we could conceivably get possession of the ball. Williams scores and ties the game. Game goes into OT and it was possibly Jason's best performance of his career. He finished with 38 points.

Went to UK game, the comeback was electric. J-Will was unstoppable.

 

[Laettner]

'99 vs St. John's in the Garden. Style of play was flat out street ball & the most physical game I ever saw in person. Brand, Magette, Carrawell, Nate & Battier stood up to Artest & his cronies. Game went to OT on a ridiculous late three by SJU but our guys never lost composure. OT was a wrestling match, knew that team was special when no one backed down.

Crowd got ugly & Spike Lee was sitting court side fanning the flames. My brother, father & I got into it with a few SJU fans afterwards at a bar. Hands down best Duke game I ever attended.