Coach K Fairly Successful at Cameron

[SCMatt33]

I'd be curious to know how many of our wins during the streak were against teams that ended the season ranked (regardless of whether they were ranked when we played them), or made it to at least the Sweet 16 of the Tournament.

Michigan State this year wasn't ranked when we played them, but they could very well end up ranked by season's end.

A couple of other examples:

Last year we beat an unranked Indiana team in Cameron by 20 in December, but they were ranked (#14 AP, #12 Coaches) at season's end.

In the 2012-13 season, we beat an unranked Florida Gulf Coast team in Cameron by 21 in November, but they reached the Sweet 16 in the 2013 Tournament.

I bet there are more like these.

This cuts both ways though. In January 2009, Duke beat #13 Georgetown in Cameron. The Hoyas went on to win only 4 more games the rest of the year and lost in the first round of the NIT. I would guess that the number of teams who ended the year ranked isn't significantly different than the number ranked at the time of the game.

[devildeac]

Hey, I was at the East Tennessee loss in December 1968. Yes, Harley "Skeeter" Swift and East Tennessee State.

And, yes I was at all of Coach K's losses at Duke.

Now, you kids get off my lawn.

Does that mean you beat Bostondevil? Literally, of course.

[sagegrouse]

I was at the loss to Wagner. It was during the holiday break my sophomore year. Courtside bleacher tickets were sold to the locals, not too many students there.

I was also at the loss to Louisville later that season.

The year before, I was at the losses to Vanderbilt, Appalachian State, and Davidson.

I was in attendance 5 out of 8 non-conference losses in Cameron by the Blue Devils in the Coach K era. Dubious distinction. Can anybody here beat me?

Well, my first year of owning season tickets was 1994-1995. In my time as a student during the Bubas era, we lost only one home game (to State in 1962 season IIRC). In 1994-1995 we lost six games at home (ending 8-6 after beginning 6-0) and were 2-14 in the ACC.

[Olympic Fan]

Well, my first year of owning season tickets was 1994-1995. In my time as a student during the Bubas era, we lost only one home game (to State in 1962 season IIRC). In 1994-1995 we lost six games at home (ending 8-6 after beginning 6-0) and were 2-14 in the ACC.

Interesting ... I looked up Bubas' record at Cameron (which was called Duke Indoor Stadium during his tenure). He was 5-4 his first season, then went 40-1 the next four years (as Sage suggests, the one loss was to NC State in 1962 ... interesting note about that loss -- State won 61-60 on a late shot by senior guard Jon Speaks, who was the last great State player recruited by Bubas when he was a Case assistant. He was also a high school classmate of Duke's Jeff Mullins. Speaks was tragically killed in a traffic accident in the spring of his senior year).

Bubas finished his run with 88-13 home record. He had a better home win percentage in ACC play than Coach K or Dean Smith, Actually, he started 5-4 and finished 6-4 -- so in the eight years in between, he was an amazing 77-5 at home.

K's best run came in the last year's of the 20th century and the first years of this century -- a 125-7 run between 1998-2006. He's had 11 unbeaten seasons in Cameron (never more than two in a row) and eight seasons with one loss.

[Bostondevil]

Probably, I was there for his two 17 loss seasons, but also his first season. It looks like we overlapped by 2 years, Bostondevil. I wonder if we knew each other?

My freshman year roommate played trumpet.

[Bostondevil]

If you really think you deserve to be beat for your role in the losses, sure I can do it.

I suppose what I really meant to say was, are there any regular posters on DBR who attended more non-conference losses during the Coach K era than I did. duke84, BandAlum83, and I had better shots at it than most because we were students during the 2 seasons where 5 of those losses occurred - but - the Wagner College loss in January of 1983 was over the holiday break and there were less than 5000 people in attendance in total and really, not many students.

[Indoor66]

I suppose what I really meant to say was, are there any regular posters on DBR who attended more non-conference losses during the Coach K era than I did. duke84, BandAlum83, and I had better shots at it than most because we were students during the 2 seasons where 5 of those losses occurred - but - the Wagner College loss in January of 1983 was over the holiday break and there were less than 5000 people in attendance in total and really, not many students.

Now, that is a record with out distinction and one I do not want!

[Bostondevil]

Now, that is a record with out distinction and one I do not want!

I agree. I wasn't bragging. I was feeling sorry for myself. With good reason.

[BandAlum83]

I agree. I wasn't bragging. I was feeling sorry for myself. With good reason.

At least my freshman year we were ranked #1. Two years in a row we were in the Elite 8. First, in the NCAA, next in the NIT. Ironically, both times we lost to Perdue. They ruined 2 final 4 trips for me.

The next 2 years were the 10 and 11 win seasons, but those teams were fun to watch learn. Johnny Dawkins with the steal and layup!

[devilirium]

Side bar to this convo, but I can think of several non-ranked teams that came awfully close to ending that streak. DePaul (I believe that Nick Horvath, then a frosh, hit a 3 to put us up inside 20 seconds), Belmont (Andre Dawkins), VT (Dockery shot), Vermont (an under .500 team that hit the go ahead shot a tick after the buzzer), Rhode Island (Surviving Billy Baron), Clemson with Boogie McIntyre. Duke has had a number of close calls. I probably haven't named all the notable ones.

[Olympic Fan]

Side bar to this convo, but I can think of several non-ranked teams that came awfully close to ending that streak. DePaul (I believe that Nick Horvath, then a frosh, hit a 3 to put us up inside 20 seconds), Belmont (Andre Dawkins), VT (Dockery shot), Vermont (an under .500 team that hit the go ahead shot a tick after the buzzer), Rhode Island (Surviving Billy Baron), Clemson with Boogie McIntyre. Duke has had a number of close calls. I probably haven't named all the notable ones.

Both the Dockery-VPI game and the McIntyre Clemson game were conference games, so they had no impact on the streak.

The Nick Horvath-DePaul game was Dec. 4, 1999 -- two months BEFORE the St. John's loss later that season which is the start-point for the streak. And FWIW, DePaul was ranked No. 22 that day.

[devilirium]

Thanks, OLympic. I gt off the reservation somewhat and started focusing on just the unranked part.

Re DePaul. We had a tough time wih Quentin Richardson that day.

[Olympic Fan]

Thanks, OLympic. I gt off the reservation somewhat and started focusing on just the unranked part.

Re DePaul. We had a tough time wih Quentin Richardson that day.

I was not sure where you were going with the Unranked comment.

Duke has lost its share -- even at home -- to unranked oppenents.

Neither Notre Dame or Syracuse was ranked when they beat Duke in Cameron last season.

And Miami was unranked when the Devils lost to the Cames in Cameron in 2015.

The 2014, for all its failings, was 17-0 at home (although it did have that terrifyingly close call to Vermont.

Duke has lost its share to unranked teams in Cameron over the years -- but always to unranked ACC opponents. St. John's was unranked when the Redmen (their old nickname) started the non-conference streak with their 2000 win in Cameron.

[devilirium]

Was trying to list unranked non-conference close calls, but yes I delved into the ACC a bit (I had forgotten for a moment that VT was in the conference at that time).

Will vie for greater accuracy in the future.

[Edouble]

Duke has lost its share to unranked teams in Cameron over the years -- but always to unranked ACC opponents. St. John's was unranked when the Redmen (their old nickname) started the non-conference streak with their 2000 win in Cameron.

St. John's dropped Redmen in 1993 and became the Red Storm in 1994.

[jimsumner]

I suppose what I really meant to say was, are there any regular posters on DBR who attended more non-conference losses during the Coach K era than I did. duke84, BandAlum83, and I had better shots at it than most because we were students during the 2 seasons where 5 of those losses occurred - but - the Wagner College loss in January of 1983 was over the holiday break and there were less than 5000 people in attendance in total and really, not many students.

I attended them all. Wagner, App State, Vanderbilt, the Louisville blow-out. Every single last one.

A story about the App. State loss.

The morning after that game, the phone rang in the California home of Duke target Jay Bilas. His mother answered.

"Mrs. Bilas, have you ever heard of Appalachian State?"

"Why, no I haven't. Who are they?"

"They're the team that beat Duke last night."

It was an assistant coach at another school recruiting Bilas. Bilas won't tell me which one except that it was NOT UCLA.

Lot of water under the bridge since then.

I decided to do the math. I have been in DIS/CIS for 12 Duke non-conference losses, the first to Rudy Tomjanovich and Michigan in December 1968 and the most recent to St. John's in 2000.

[Tripping William]

I attended them all. Wagner, App State, Vanderbilt, the Louisville blow-out. Every single last one.

A story about the App. State loss.

The morning after that game, the phone rang in the California home of Duke target Jay Bilas. His mother answered.

"Mrs. Bilas, have you ever heard of Appalachian State?"

"Why, no I haven't. Who are they?"

"They're the team that beat Duke last night."

It was an assistant coach at another school recruiting Bilas. Bilas won't tell me which one except that it was NOT UCLA.

Lot of water under the bridge since then.

I decided to do the math. I have been in DIS/CIS for 12 Duke non-conference losses, the first to Rudy Tomjanovich and Michigan in December 1968 and the most recent to St. John's in 2000.

May you live for many more decades .... and never attend another.

[brevity]

A story about the App. State loss.

The morning after that game, the phone rang in the California home of Duke target Jay Bilas. His mother answered.

"Mrs. Bilas, have you ever heard of Appalachian State?"

"Why, no I haven't. Who are they?"

"They're the team that beat Duke last night."

It was an assistant coach at another school recruiting Bilas. Bilas won't tell me which one except that it was NOT UCLA.

I am (probably) not Mrs. Bilas, but I would have replied, "Well, clearly, Duke needs my son. Thank you for telling me."

Give me a salesperson and I will find a way to make them regret talking to me, regret waking up that morning, and want to crawl into a corner and die. I don't understand that assistant coach's strategy at all.

[jimsumner]

May you live for many more decades ... and never attend another.

I can live with that. No pun intended.

Trivia question. There is one non-ACC team with two wins at Duke in the last 50 years.

Can anyone name that team?

[Tripping William]

I can live with that. No pun intended.

Trivia question. There is one non-ACC team with two wins at Duke in the last 50 years.

Can anyone name that team?

Well, if you attended the Tomjanovich loss in December '68 and the Tractor Traylor thing in 1996, it must be those damn Wolverines (a/k/a Skunk Bears). The Wiki tells me they also won in Durham in December 1964.