Hurley 3 is #2 given the circumstances.
You could make an argument that it's #1, in a general does-Duke-become-Duke-if- he-misses-that-shot sense.
But I'd still have it at #2. The Laettner shot was generationally dramatic and it set the stage for Duke to firmly entrench itself as the best program in the country, a position we've yet to relinquish.
1. Laettner shot from free throw line to beat UK In Regional Final
2. Banks jump shot to sent UNC game in 1981 to OT
3. Rivers shot over Zeller to beat UNC
4. Capel shot in 1995 from mid court to send UNC game to OT
5. Hurley 3 to clinch game vs UNLV
6. Grant Hill skying for ally oop versus Kansas in 1991
7. Laettner hitting game winning clutch jumper after in bounds vs UConn in 1990
8. Seth Dockery with 1.6 seconds to go catching inbounds pass from McRoberts and takes 1 dribble to hit last second shot to beat Va Tech
9?
10.?
Great thread. Just to clarify, Hurley's 3 did not clinch the game vs UNLV but brought Duke back into it. They were down 76-71 when he hit the 3. Arguably as big in that game was Brian Davis' And-1 to put Duke ahead 77-76.
These are my favs:
1. Laettner, UK 1992 is clear. After that?
2. Crazy Battier tip-in vs Arizona 2001 toward the end of that game.
3. tie: Davis' And-1 / Hurley 3.
5. Laettner buzzer beater vs UConn (this is #2 in some ways for me but the others helped secure national titles. But this may have been important to his confidence in the UK game).
6. Jones' 3 pointer vs Wisconsin.
7. Dunleavy's fast break 3 vs Arizona mid-late 2nd half. He hit several big shots but that one was a big momentum shot.
