Who Doesn't Love Lists? Coach K's Top Wins and Toughest Losses at Duke

Just so everyone knows, the guy who came up with this list, Nugget, has been a poster on DBR for well over a decade. He does not post nearly as often now as he did back in the days, but he always brings great content and thoughtful analysis to his posts. He is one of the folks who made this place the somewhat unique place that it is and we all owe him a debt of gratitude.

His list is amazing. The obvious product of a lot of thought and research. There may be no post in recent DBR history that deserves pitchfork points the way this one does.

-Jason "mad props, Nug!" Evans

Glad to see #96 on the list, our victory over UCLA in 1996. The 95-96 season was K's first after the infamous back surgery, and the program was rebuilding. The epic run of Final Fours was over, and some questioned whether Duke would return to being an elite program or if Coach K was done. UCLA was the defending National Championships, and we were somewhat on the bubble of even making the tournament, until we thoroughly dismantled them. Though the season would end in a disappointing first-round NCAA loss, that team laid the groundwork for Coach K and Duke's return to prominence.

1. UNLV '91.

2. Carolina '84 ACC tournament

3. Kentucky '92

4. Butler '10

5. Carolina '81 (most emotional)

6. Georgetown '89

7. Carolina ACC tournament '88 (triple crown year)

8. Maryland Final Four '01 (came from 22 down in the first half)

9. Temple '88

10. Carolina '86 (first outright conference championship in 20 years)

Besides the obvious games, the 1989 win over Gtown and the 1984 win over Unc seem to get the most buzz around this board.

Here's hoping the next 6-7 years yield some W's that bump some of Nugget's top 10 down the list a little!

No love for the December 2005 home game against Virginia Tech (Dockery wins it with a bomb from halfcourt)?

Or the February 1997 game at UVa (a.k.a. the Rick Hartzell game -- Duke wins 62-61 when Wojo sinks two free throws with 0.7 seconds remaining, after having to wait 10 minutes while the refs sorted out their substitution screwup and the clock situation)?

Or the January 1991 game at Georgia Tech (Duke wins 77-75 on a Thomas Hill putback with one second left)?

Actually, I think I can understand leaving off the first two. While both were memorable games, they were closer than they should have been and Duke was, frankly, lucky to beat an inferior team in both cases. But I think the third one warrants inclusion -- Duke won a tight, hard-fought battle against a ranked team on the opponent's home floor.

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Originally Posted by Tom B.

No love for the December 2005 home game against Virginia Tech (Dockery wins it with a bomb from halfcourt)?

Or the February 1997 game at UVa (a.k.a. the Rick Hartzell game -- Duke wins 62-61 when Wojo sinks two free throws with 0.7 seconds remaining, after having to wait 10 minutes while the refs sorted out their substitution screwup and the clock situation)?

Or the January 1991 game at Georgia Tech (Duke wins 77-75 on a Thomas Hill putback with one second left)?

Actually, I think I can understand leaving off the first two. While both were memorable games, they were closer than they should have been and Duke was, frankly, lucky to beat an inferior team in both cases. But I think the third one warrants inclusion -- Duke won a tight, hard-fought battle against a ranked team on the opponent's home floor.

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Replying to myself... I just thought of one more:

The 120-84 destruction of UCLA in Cameron in February of 1998.

That was just one of the most incredibly fun games to watch in Cameron. UCLA's center, Jelani McCoy, had left the team for unspecified reasons, but everyone knew he'd been busted for marijuana use. The Crazies were in rare form, waving marijuana leaves cut out of green construction paper and a huge, four-foot long joint at the UCLA players while chanting, "Where's Jelani?" With memories of UCLA running up the score against Duke in 1995 perhaps still fresh, Trajan Langdon went for 34, Roshown McLeod scored 23, Elton Brand added 14 in his first game back from a broken foot, and the 120 points that Duke hung on the Bruins was the highest point total ever scored against UCLA. And it's not like UCLA sucked -- they were ranked #12 at the time. That was the end of the Duke-UCLA series (contrary to popular belief, the series didn't end because of that game -- Steve Lavin had already decided not to continue it, presumably because he was tired of watching Duke beat UCLA out for SoCal recruits -- but it was a fitting end nonetheless).

How about Duke - UCLA in Duke Indoor Stadium 12/10/65 - 82-66 and then at the old Charlotte Coliseum on Independence - Duke wallops them again 94-75 - the year after the year we lost to them in the Final Four! I loved both of those games.

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Originally Posted by Indoor66

How about Duke - UCLA in Duke Indoor Stadium 12/10/65 - 82-66 and then at the old Charlotte Coliseum on Independence - Duke wallops them again 94-75 - the year after the year we lost to them in the Final Four! I loved both of those games.

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These may have been great wins, but they were not during Coach K's Duke career so can't be included on this list.

I agree with the poster who said that the 1999 Duke-Michigan State Final Four game belongs on the list. Very, very tough, physical game.

Also, I thought about the Dockery VA Tech game, but based on the criteria the original poster used, I don't think it should be included.

I inadvertantly broke my glasses celebrating by the tv after that Thomas Hill/GT 1991 game mentioned above.

Amazing list that brings back a childhood full of memories. I have one small nit though.

The 2004 Regional Final win over Xavier cannot be all the way down at #60. Though it ranks low as to criteria (iii) and (iv) -- Xavier was not the toughest opponent and Duke really struggled to win -- the value to Coach K's career (his 10th Final Four) and the value of the game (Regional Final) have to bump this up into the 20s at least.

That 2004 team (Duhon, Ewing, Redick, Deng, S. Williams) would have, could have and should have won Coach K's 4th Title if not for the absolutely awful one point National Semifinal loss to UConn and Emeka Okafor. That game -- in which 5 Duke players fouled out-- has to be high on any list of the most heartbreaking Duke losses, which would also be an interesting list. If Duke wins, only a Georgia Tech team it had beaten twice already that year stands between K and what would have been a fourth National Championship.

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Originally Posted by Faustus

I inadvertantly broke my glasses celebrating by the tv after that Thomas Hill/GT 1991 game mentioned above.

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One I remember yelling about was the Ricky Price 3-pointer that beat Maryland at the buzzer in 1996 at College Park. Duke had the ball with a very few seconds left under the Maryland basket. The unrecruited Stan Brunson got to throw it in. ("You're the senior," said K.) He passed to Wojo who was double or triple-teamed, and he got it to Ricky in the corner for the unexpected win. I yelled and yelled and yelled.

The one I remember getting a sore throat after was Christian's winning shot in the Regionals against UConn in 1990. I got on my 12th floor balcony and screeamed at the top of my lungs. I went to work on Monday and my partner's brother knew of an extra ticket to the Final Four, so I got to be in McNichols ("Toughest Ticket Ever," said the souvenir hats). McNichols seated only about 16,000 IIRC. It was my first of five FFs.

I am sure I was just as excited by "The Shot," but I was watching it with family, and my voice survived the miracle.

I missed the Dockery shot but got home in time to hear the Sports Center announcer intone, "Another milestone took place tonight at Cameron Indoor Stadium."

Fond memories.

sagegrouse

Thanks for the additional suggestions -- I'll play around with some modifications.

It is astounding to me how hard it is to limit a list of Coach K's top wins to "only" 100.

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Originally Posted by Nugget

... It is astounding to me how hard it is to limit a list of Coach K's top wins to "only" 100.

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... which is why all are looking forward to your full 1-879 ranking when it comes out ...

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Originally Posted by Reilly

... which is why all are looking forward to your full 1-879 ranking when it comes out ...

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I'm looking forward to the full ranking of 1 to 1000.

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Originally Posted by JasonEvans

Just so everyone knows, the guy who came up with this list, Nugget, has been a poster on DBR for well over a decade. He does not post nearly as often now as he did back in the days

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How could he post, he was spending all that time coming up with this list.

Seriously, I have no major complaints, although I would rank the 1991 title game a bit lower. But that top 10... any of those would be #1 for a lot of other coaches out there.

Well done.

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Originally Posted by Monmouth77

That 2004 team (Duhon, Ewing, Redick, Deng, S. Williams) would have, could have and should have won Coach K's 4th Title if not for the absolutely awful one point National Semifinal loss to UConn and Emeka Okafor. That game -- in which 5 Duke players fouled out-- has to be high on any list of the most heartbreaking Duke losses, which would also be an interesting list.

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A first cut at the 25 most gut-wrenching losses of the Krzyzewski era. Happy Christmas!

(1) Louisville, 1986 National Championship (69-72)
(2) UConn, 1999 National Championship (74-77)
(3) UNLV, 1990 National Championship (73-103)
(4) Wagner 1982-1983 (77-84)
(5) Virginia, 1983 ACC Tournament Quarterfinal (66-109)
(6) Kentucky, 1998 South Regional (84-86)
(7) UConn, 2004 NCAA Final Four (78-79)
(8) LSU, 2006 Atlanta Regional Semifinal (54-62)
(9) Indiana, 2002 South Regional Semifinal (73-74)
(10) Seton Hall, 1989 NCAA Final Four (78-95)
(11) Kansas, 1988 NCAA Final Four (59-66)
(12) California, 1993 NCAA Round of 32 (77-82)
(13) North Carolina, 1990 (75-87)
(14) @North Carolina, 1990 (60-79)
(15) North Carolina, ACC Tournament Final (74-77)
(16) VCU, 2007 NCAA Round of 64 (77-79)
(17) North Carolina, 2009 (87-101)
(18) Michigan, 1996-1997 (61-62)
(19) Maryland, 2001 (80-91)
(20) North Carolina, 1995 (100-102)
(21) Virginia, 1995 (88-91)
(22) Maryland, 2004 ACC Tournament Final (87-95)
(23) @Clemson, 2009 (47-74)
(24) @Georgetown, 2010 (77-89)
(25) Villanova, 2009 NCAA East Regional Semifinal (54-77)

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Originally Posted by Duvall

A first cut at the 25 most gut-wrenching losses of the Krzyzewski era. Happy Christmas!

(1) Louisville, 1986 National Championship (69-72)
(2) UConn, 1999 National Championship (74-77)
(3) UNLV, 1990 National Championship (73-103)
(4) Wagner 1982-1983 (77-84)
(5) Virginia, 1983 ACC Tournament Quarterfinal (66-109)
(6) Kentucky, 1998 South Regional (84-86)
(7) UConn, 2004 NCAA Final Four (78-79)
(8) LSU, 2006 Atlanta Regional Semifinal (54-62)
(9) Indiana, 2002 South Regional Semifinal (73-74)
(10) Seton Hall, 1989 NCAA Final Four (78-95)
(11) Kansas, 1988 NCAA Final Four (59-66)
(12) California, 1993 NCAA Round of 32 (77-82)
(13) North Carolina, 1990 (75-87)
(14) @North Carolina, 1990 (60-79)
(15) North Carolina, ACC Tournament Final (74-77)
(16) VCU, 2007 NCAA Round of 64 (77-79)
(17) North Carolina, 2009 (87-101)
(18) Michigan, 1996-1997 (61-62)
(19) Maryland, 2001 (80-91)
(20) North Carolina, 1995 (100-102)
(21) Virginia, 1995 (88-91)
(22) Maryland, 2004 ACC Tournament Final (87-95)
(23) @Clemson, 2009 (47-74)
(24) @Georgetown, 2010 (77-89)
(25) Villanova, 2009 NCAA East Regional Semifinal (54-77)

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UNC-Duke 2005 75-73 after Melch hits two 3's to put Duke up 73-64 with three minutes or so remaining. Ol Roy's first win against Duke as coach of Kerlina.

Frankly, I am surprised that this list does not have more Carolina defeats other than the fact that they are all regular season and so miss out on the finality of a tournament defeat.

Also I think the '90 UNLV game was way easier to swallow than many you have on the list. #6,8,9 specifically for me.

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Originally Posted by Duvall

A first cut at the 25 most gut-wrenching losses of the Krzyzewski era. Happy Christmas!

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I'd make room for Arkansas '94, Florida 2000 and WVU 2008. Definitely them over either of the 1990 Carolina games. (And 1990 was my freshman year, so if you included them because you were there, so was I.) I'd put @unc in 1992 over either of the 1990 games as well.

My personal worst was the '98 regional final, but I'll save the exegesis on that for another thread. The Unlv blowout was a sign it wasn't meant to be that year, and UConn in '99 was better prepared than we were.

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Originally Posted by Duvall

A first cut at the 25 most gut-wrenching losses of the Krzyzewski era. Happy Christmas!

(1) Louisville, 1986 National Championship (69-72)
(2) UConn, 1999 National Championship (74-77)
(3) UNLV, 1990 National Championship (73-103)
(4) Wagner 1982-1983 (77-84)
(5) Virginia, 1983 ACC Tournament Quarterfinal (66-109)
(6) Kentucky, 1998 South Regional (84-86)
(7) UConn, 2004 NCAA Final Four (78-79)
(8) LSU, 2006 Atlanta Regional Semifinal (54-62)
(9) Indiana, 2002 South Regional Semifinal (73-74)
(10) Seton Hall, 1989 NCAA Final Four (78-95)
(11) Kansas, 1988 NCAA Final Four (59-66)
(12) California, 1993 NCAA Round of 32 (77-82)
(13) North Carolina, 1990 (75-87)
(14) @North Carolina, 1990 (60-79)
(15) North Carolina, ACC Tournament Final (74-77)
(16) VCU, 2007 NCAA Round of 64 (77-79)
(17) North Carolina, 2009 (87-101)
(18) Michigan, 1996-1997 (61-62)
(19) Maryland, 2001 (80-91)
(20) North Carolina, 1995 (100-102)
(21) Virginia, 1995 (88-91)
(22) Maryland, 2004 ACC Tournament Final (87-95)
(23) @Clemson, 2009 (47-74)
(24) @Georgetown, 2010 (77-89)
(25) Villanova, 2009 NCAA East Regional Semifinal (54-77)

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It ain't a bad loss unless (a) it means something and (b) you had some hope of winning. That said, I would take Wagner and UVa in 1983 (I was there) off the list totally. I would downgrade the UNLV loss to about #20 (I was also there) -- we had no realistic chance of winning plus Hurley was sick.

I would make the UConn loss in 2004 in the top three. It was a horribly officiated game for both sides, but the refs refused to call a full-body slam by two Huskies, including Okafor, against JJ on a drive with Duke down by two points at the end. Moreover, Duke also had a 7-8 point lead in the last three minutes. That one will hurt forever.

And where's the Arkansas loss in the 1994 finals? Should be #4. Duke had a ten-point lead with seven minutes left. Then at the end with the score tied, Duke had Arkansas totally under wraps until the Scotty Thurman - Lang madness gave Arkansas an open shot. This one felt like a win that was jerked away from us.

The Indiana loss is probably the worst of the non-FF games IMHO (where the H is characteristically silent).

Thanks for tackling this ugly job --

sagegrouse

2000 against Florida might also fit in there. Watching C-Well break down as Coach K took him off the court.