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Verga3
08-28-2008, 09:33 PM
I stole this thread idea from the Off Topic board and Indoor66's great thread, "Greatest Clutch Athlete." Tiger, Joe Montana, Michael Jordan, CHRISTIAN LAETTNER (thanks, CathyCA) among others get a mention. Check it out.

But, how about a Top 5 for Duke Basketball, all-time? This is a tough one, depending on what you think the word "clutch" means. I took a glance at the Duke Basketball statistics database and my head started hurting as I was trying to compare players' postseason (crunch time) stats with the overall numbers.

Please help on this....I've got Laettner there for sure, but who else, all-time?

At first blush, I've got:

Christian Laettner
Jim Spanarkel
Jason Williams
Johnny Dawkins
Shane Battier (defense counts at Duke)

The guys above were really, really good in big games, but my all-time clutch game (sorry, Christian) will always go to Fred Lind for his unfathomable performance in that sublime 87-86, 3-OT 1968 classic in Cameron (then Duke Indoor Stadium) against our special friends from Chapel Hill....because it's always better to beat Carolina....

OZZIE4DUKE
08-28-2008, 09:40 PM
Please help on this....I've got Laettner there for sure, but who else, all-time?

At first blush, I've got:

Christian Laettner
Jim Spanarkel
Jason Williams
Johnny Dawkins
Shane Battier (defense counts at Duke)

The guys above were really, really good in big games, but my all-time clutch game (sorry, Christian) will always go to Fred Lind for his unfathomable performance in that sublime 87-86, 3-OT 1968 classic in Cameron (then Duke Indoor Stadium) against our special friends from Chapel Hill....because it's always better to beat Carolina....

Fred Lind had a great time, coming through in the clutch for sure. But Duke's all-time clutch player had GOT TO BE Christian Laettner. Two game winning NCAA tournament shots, highest scorer in the FF ever (well, he did go to 4 of them, but so did his classmates and they aren't the leading scorer, Christian is), best refuse to lose player we've ever had. Shane is a close second on that count.

DevilCastDownfromDurham
08-28-2008, 09:47 PM
10-10 from the field, 10-10 from the line. Biggest NCAA game-winning shot in history. I've never seen anything like it, and I've never seen anyone close in terms of clutch performance in the college game.

billybreen
08-28-2008, 10:03 PM
10-10 from the field, 10-10 from the line. Biggest NCAA game-winning shot in history. I've never seen anything like it, and I've never seen anyone close in terms of clutch performance in the college game.

Indeed. I assumed this thread would be "Second Greatest Duke Basketball Clutch Athlete Ever," as it should be. :)

CathyCA
08-29-2008, 07:35 AM
I voted for him on the OT board as the greatest clutch athlete of all time, so I suppose that also counts as Duke's greatest clutch athlete:

Christian Laettner.

I even named my child after him.

Ignatius07
08-29-2008, 07:40 AM
Agreed that it should be about the second-greatest clutch player, but I'm not sure how Jason Williams makes that list. As much as I love him, "clutch" to me implies not only making (a) big shot(s) at the end of a game, but on the biggest of stages. Remember, his last collegiate play was a missed free throw to tie...

Orange&BlackSheep
08-29-2008, 08:11 AM
For me, not having Bobby Hurley on this list makes no sense. His "Damn, we're down five ... wait, down two!" pull up three-pointer against UNLV was as clutch as it gets. Think of all the end of game, ball-distribution decisions he made throughout his four years (with each year better than the previous one).

And I love JayWill as much as the next guy, but other than the "Gone in 50 Secs" game, I don't have memories of him as being extraordinarily clutch.

Orange&BlackSheep

dukeENG2003
08-29-2008, 08:21 AM
Agreed that it should be about the second-greatest clutch player, but I'm not sure how Jason Williams makes that list. As much as I love him, "clutch" to me implies not only making (a) big shot(s) at the end of a game, but on the biggest of stages. Remember, his last collegiate play was a missed free throw to tie...


How many players could even PUT themselves at the line for a potential 4 pt play, team down 4 pts in the final seconds though?

I'm admittedly a big J-Wil fan though, I can understand where you're coming from, and I'd put Hurley ahead of him as well.

Edouble
08-29-2008, 11:17 AM
How many players could even PUT themselves at the line for a potential 4 pt play, team down 4 pts in the final seconds though?


I agree. Getting himself into the situation in the first place, plus the Maryland game, plus the length of the court drive that got the ball up on the rim that Nate put in, in the 2001 ACC Tourney Final, make him clutch in my book. If Boozer had taken his time putting the ball in the basket after he got the rebound in the Indiana game, others might remember Jason Williams as more clutch.

Laettner, of course, is #1.

ugadevil
08-29-2008, 11:38 AM
If Boozer had taken his time putting the ball in the basket after he got the rebound in the Indiana game, others might remember Jason Williams as more clutch.



I'm surprised Boozer didn't end up with a dislocated shoulder on that play with Jeffries trying so hard to pull his arms down.

hurleyfor3
08-29-2008, 12:13 PM
Jason Williams over Hurley? You're not serious, are you?

balkan boy
08-29-2008, 12:28 PM
For me, not having Bobby Hurley on this list makes no sense. His "Damn, we're down five ... wait, down two!" pull up three-pointer against UNLV was as clutch as it gets. Think of all the end of game, ball-distribution decisions he made throughout his four years (with each year better than the previous one).

Orange&BlackSheep
I'm with you, Orange&BlackSheep -- Laettner hit all the last second shots (and he deserves the top spot on this list), but I sure remember Hurley hitting a lot of clutch treys (and not just against UNLV) towards the end of games when it looked like the game might be just getting out of reach.

BalkanBoy

HaveFunExpectToWin
08-29-2008, 12:33 PM
10-10 from the field, 10-10 from the line. Biggest NCAA game-winning shot in history. I've never seen anything like it, and I've never seen anyone close in terms of clutch performance in the college game.

"The Man Couldn't Miss"

http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1003607/index.htm

Uncle Drew
08-29-2008, 01:51 PM
Someone define "clutch". If by clutch you mean game winning baskets then it's all Laettner, all the time. And while he hit plenty of momentum changing shots there are a ton of Duke guys who fill that category.

Mike Dunleavy against Zona in 01 with his three's, particularly the one where he fakes the pass and nails it.

Shane Battier with his backhand tip in same game.

J Williams vs. MD in the miracle comeback hit several HUGE shots.

Chris Duhon against Wake on two seperate occassions had in your face dunks that I thought changed the game. And his drive / reverse layup to beat UNC in the Dean Dome wasn't too bad either.

It all depends on ones meaning of "clutch".

Tom B.
08-29-2008, 01:52 PM
"The Man Couldn't Miss"

http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1003607/index.htm


And it wasn't just that one game. You want clutch? Check out Laettner's career field goal and and free throw percentages in NCAA Regional Final games. In four career games with trips to the Final Four on the line, Laettner shot an utterly astonishing 91.17% (31-for-34) from the floor and 91.89% (34-for-37) from the free throw line (oh yeah, his team won all of those games, too). Kentucky was just the icing on the cake. Remember his 24 points and 10 rebounds as a freshman against Georgetown and Alonzo Mourning? Or the overtime buzzer-beater against UConn in 1990? The man absolutely owned the NCAA Regional Finals like no one before or since.

His Final Four performances weren't too shabby, either. There was his 28-point performance against UNLV in 1991, which included the two game-winning free throws with 12.7 seconds left. Fighting through exhaustion to post a double-double (18 points and 10 rebounds, including 12-for-12 from the free throw line) in the title game two nights later against Kansas. Shaking off a bad first half and coming back to score 19 in the 1992 title game against Michigan. He even played OK in the disastrous 1990 final against UNLV (15 points, 9 boards), to go along with the 19 and 14 he posted in the semifinal win over Arkansas.

As far as I'm concerned, the conversation begins and ends with Laettner and everyone else is fighting for a not-all-that-close second place.

Uncle Drew
08-29-2008, 02:41 PM
And it wasn't just that one game. You want clutch? Check out Laettner's career field goal and and free throw percentages in NCAA Regional Final games. In four career games with trips to the Final Four on the line, Laettner shot an utterly astonishing 91.17% (31-for-34) from the floor and 91.89% (34-for-37) from the free throw line (oh yeah, his team won all of those games, too). Kentucky was just the icing on the cake. Remember his 24 points and 10 rebounds as a freshman against Georgetown and Alonzo Mourning? Or the overtime buzzer-beater against UConn in 1990? The man absolutely owned the NCAA Regional Finals like no one before or since.

His Final Four performances weren't too shabby, either. There was his 28-point performance against UNLV in 1991, which included the two game-winning free throws with 12.7 seconds left. Fighting through exhaustion to post a double-double (18 points and 10 rebounds, including 12-for-12 from the free throw line) in the title game two nights later against Kansas. Shaking off a bad first half and coming back to score 19 in the 1992 title game against Michigan. He even played OK in the disastrous 1990 final against UNLV (15 points, 9 boards), to go along with the 19 and 14 he posted in the semifinal win over Arkansas.

As far as I'm concerned, the conversation begins and ends with Laettner and everyone else is fighting for a not-all-that-close second place.

Thanks for the post Tom. You know I think we all tend to forget how freakin' awesome CL was for whatever reason. Those stats, though I am sure I have seen them many, many times are unbelievable. And I'm not really a stat kind of guy because I think they can be skewed to show various opinions. But those are just amazing. And correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't he still hold the best shooting percentage from three at Duke EVER??!! A lot of people remember how tall he was and tend to think most of his points came around the basket but the guy had eyes from long range too. Thak God he missed those freethrows against Sean Elliot's Arizona team his freshman year at the Meadowlands to keep him humble :D.

Tom B.
08-29-2008, 03:48 PM
And correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't he still hold the best shooting percentage from three at Duke EVER??!!


I believe that's correct, at least among Duke players with 100 or more career three-point attempts. His career three-point shooting percentage is 48.46% (79-for-163). He took more than half of his career three-point attempts in his senior season, and he shot 55.67% (54-for-97) from three-point range that year. I'm pretty sure no other Duke player has surpassed either of those marks since then.

duketaylor
08-29-2008, 07:29 PM
While I'll not disagree about CL, one of the clutchest performances I saw was Tinkerbell hitting a shot from the top of the key at the buzzer to tie unc, then scoring the winning basket in OT. Plus I was an impressionable J-frosh at the time, but unc was loaded in 1981 and that was about as clutch as it gets. Awesome game, then Bruce in Greensboro that night-what a feakin' day.

Cali-Duke
08-29-2008, 07:44 PM
Am I the only one who thinks that Grant Hill should be added?

Hill took on the responsibility of the throwing the inbounds pass for "The Shot." He asked for it, and then through the perfect pass. He did this as an underclassmen. That is pretty clutch.

I guess you could argue that he didn't necessarily take over games, but he always seemed to make the right play when it was needed (especially his last season at Duke)

Carlos
08-29-2008, 07:54 PM
10-10 from the field, 10-10 from the line. Biggest NCAA game-winning shot in history. I've never seen anything like it, and I've never seen anyone close in terms of clutch performance in the college game.

In terms of "something like it" I think you would have to include Bill Walton's 21 of 22 from the field in the 1973 National Championship victory over Memphis (Memphis State at the time). Walton's accomplishment deserves consideration because he took more shots and because he did it in a championship game.

But even with all of that you still have to give the nod to Laettner's performance not just because he was perfect from the field and the line (Walton was also 2-2 from the FT line) but also because Walton's feat was done on shots closer to the basket. Oh yeah, there was also that thing about the game winning shot.

First runner-up in my book would be Battier who made so many plays in that 2001 run.

jimsumner
08-29-2008, 08:15 PM
Tate Armstrong and David Henderson won more than a few games at the buzzer.

Papa John
08-29-2008, 08:27 PM
Tate Armstrong and David Henderson won more than a few games at the buzzer.

In the NCAA tourney? To make the Final Four? Twice?

jimsumner
08-29-2008, 09:56 PM
Papa John,

I believe the OP asked for clutch players in addition to Christian Laettner. I believe Armstrong and Henderson qualify.

Edouble
08-29-2008, 10:58 PM
You know I think we all tend to forget how freakin' awesome CL was for whatever reason.

Not me. Never. Laettner was the greatest.

Papa John
08-30-2008, 08:31 AM
Papa John,

I believe the OP asked for clutch players in addition to Christian Laettner. I believe Armstrong and Henderson qualify.

Indeed... So does Duhon... Remember that drive to stick a dagger into the heart of Heels fans up in Chapel Hill? Awesome stuff!

captmojo
08-30-2008, 09:11 AM
Thak God he missed those freethrows against Sean Elliot's Arizona team his freshman year at the Meadowlands to keep him humble :D.

Thank God he used "The Miss" as an incentive to not let it happen again.

TimHuff1978
03-04-2009, 05:36 PM
As a former Cameron Crazy who has had the pleasure (and angst) of watching Duke dramatics since the early 1960's, I have seen tons of clutch plays.

Without doubt, Laettner had the greatest NCAA Tourney game of all time, even better than UCLA's Bill Walton because of his perfect shooting and grace under pressure.

Other great plays come to mind, like Gene Banks blocking James Worthy's last-second shot at the top of the key and Jeff Capel thundering in the shot near half-court.

Other great clutch players include Bob Verga, Jeff Mullins, Jack Marin and, of course, JJ.

But the only Duke player EVER who could be told to go out and get 40 and still play the best defense on his team was Tate Armstrong.

Tate was the closest we have ever had, or will have, to Pistol Pete Maravich.

Sure, the Crazies go wild now while we have great teams but in the days when we were still looking for respect, those of us on the floor in Cameron stood in stunned silence as Tate went 25 to 30 to 35 to 40 points with the game in the balance, while the opponents did everything they could to hurt him just to get him to stop scoring. We just couldn't believe the string of 30+ games he put up. It seemed like it would never end.

And then came the greatest clutch performance in Duke basketball history.

You can ask Mike Gminski and Jim Spanarkel about that, who had 20 and 19, respectively.

Against a tough Virginia team, Tate broke his wrist just minutes into the game. He kept playing. Then, without the 3-point shot, he went 13 of 23 from the field and 5 of 6 from the line with 3 assists, 1 steal and just 1 turnover. It was his last game, Tate scored 33 points (31 AFTER breaking his wrist) and Duke won 82-74 in OT.

That is what I call clutch.

And that is why Tate Armstrong is the Man!

WiJoe
03-04-2009, 05:42 PM
I suppose I'll get criticized for posting just one, but I've only been following seriously since about 1980.

1. Laettner

2.

3.

4.

5. Whoever's next

I mean, c'mon. Laettner, Laettner, Laettner, Laettner, Laettner, Laettner.

Laettner!

fogey
03-04-2009, 06:23 PM
down 5 to UNLV (to that moment, the greatest NCAA bball team ever) National semis, with a couple of minutes left, miss we probably lose, and he drilled it. That CLUTCH shot allowed us to win our first NC, and that shot alone gets Bobby H. on the list!

-jk
03-04-2009, 07:21 PM
As much as I loved Tate (and the heart failure he induced with the last second shots that inevitably spun on the rim), I have to give it to Christian. He hit the shots in the NCAAs where the pressure was way higher. Tate never had that kind of pressure.

-jk

banneheim
03-04-2009, 08:37 PM
What about Redick, he is not clutch because he didn't produce in the tournament? I thought he was pretty clutch....

DukeDevilDeb
03-04-2009, 10:44 PM
Fred Lind had a great time, coming through in the clutch for sure. But Duke's all-time clutch player had GOT TO BE Christian Laettner. Two game winning NCAA tournament shots, highest scorer in the FF ever (well, he did go to 4 of them, but so did his classmates and they aren't the leading scorer, Christian is), best refuse to lose player we've ever had. Shane is a close second on that count.

Ozzie: Thanks for injecting a note of sanity here. How could anyone think that ANY Duke basketball player was more clutch than Laettner? His Connecticut and Kentucky shots are always remember... as are the winning free throws against UNLV and on and on... he was and is and always will be THE MAN!

DukeDevilDeb
03-04-2009, 10:45 PM
What about Redick, he is not clutch because he didn't produce in the tournament? I thought he was pretty clutch....

The "clutchiest" games are in the tournament. Time after time, JJ went bust. Never was so much expected from a Duke player who, in key situations, didn't do it!

I remember a Dean at the school saying to me, I wonder why JJ never hit a shot to win the game.

Perhaps because he was not a clutch player?

roywhite
03-04-2009, 10:45 PM
I hesitate to leave Art Heyman and Jeff Mullins off a list like this.

But for discussion's sake, naming the top 5 in the K era:
Laettner
Hurley
Dawkins
Jason Williams
Battier

Entering the discussion---Gerald Henderson

fan345678
03-04-2009, 10:58 PM
I agree. Getting himself into the situation in the first place, plus the Maryland game, plus the length of the court drive that got the ball up on the rim that Nate put in, in the 2001 ACC Tourney Final, make him clutch in my book. If Boozer had taken his time putting the ball in the basket after he got the rebound in the Indiana game, others might remember Jason Williams as more clutch.

Laettner, of course, is #1.

pretty sure that was the '01 ACC semifinal, right? The 'Holes had the #1 seed that year because Doherty was the best coach in the country, so Duke and Maryland met as #'s 2 & 3.

House G
03-04-2009, 11:11 PM
And it wasn't just that one game. You want clutch? Check out Laettner's career field goal and and free throw percentages in NCAA Regional Final games. In four career games with trips to the Final Four on the line, Laettner shot an utterly astonishing 91.17% (31-for-34) from the floor and 91.89% (34-for-37) from the free throw line (oh yeah, his team won all of those games, too). Kentucky was just the icing on the cake. Remember his 24 points and 10 rebounds as a freshman against Georgetown and Alonzo Mourning? Or the overtime buzzer-beater against UConn in 1990? The man absolutely owned the NCAA Regional Finals like no one before or since.

His Final Four performances weren't too shabby, either. There was his 28-point performance against UNLV in 1991, which included the two game-winning free throws with 12.7 seconds left. Fighting through exhaustion to post a double-double (18 points and 10 rebounds, including 12-for-12 from the free throw line) in the title game two nights later against Kansas. Shaking off a bad first half and coming back to score 19 in the 1992 title game against Michigan. He even played OK in the disastrous 1990 final against UNLV (15 points, 9 boards), to go along with the 19 and 14 he posted in the semifinal win over Arkansas.

As far as I'm concerned, the conversation begins and ends with Laettner and everyone else is fighting for a not-all-that-close second place.
Earlier that season ('91-92) I was at the PMAC in Baton Rouge to watch Duke play LSU and Shaquille O'Neal. If my memory serves me, Bobby Hurley was recently injured and Grant Hill played point guard. Duke trailed late in the game and appeared to be on the verge of a loss when Laettner hit two three-point daggers. Man, he was cold-blooded and seemingly without emotion, like an assasin. Duke won the game in large part because of Laettner, although Shaq's horrendous free throw shooting down the stretch did not help the LSU cause. (can you say hack-a-Shaq).

House G
03-05-2009, 07:49 AM
As a former Cameron Crazy who has had the pleasure (and angst) of watching Duke dramatics since the early 1960's, I have seen tons of clutch plays.

Without doubt, Laettner had the greatest NCAA Tourney game of all time, even better than UCLA's Bill Walton because of his perfect shooting and grace under pressure.

Other great plays come to mind, like Gene Banks blocking James Worthy's last-second shot at the top of the key and Jeff Capel thundering in the shot near half-court.

Other great clutch players include Bob Verga, Jeff Mullins, Jack Marin and, of course, JJ.

But the only Duke player EVER who could be told to go out and get 40 and still play the best defense on his team was Tate Armstrong.

Tate was the closest we have ever had, or will have, to Pistol Pete Maravich.

Sure, the Crazies go wild now while we have great teams but in the days when we were still looking for respect, those of us on the floor in Cameron stood in stunned silence as Tate went 25 to 30 to 35 to 40 points with the game in the balance, while the opponents did everything they could to hurt him just to get him to stop scoring. We just couldn't believe the string of 30+ games he put up. It seemed like it would never end.

And then came the greatest clutch performance in Duke basketball history.

You can ask Mike Gminski and Jim Spanarkel about that, who had 20 and 19, respectively.

Against a tough Virginia team, Tate broke his wrist just minutes into the game. He kept playing. Then, without the 3-point shot, he went 13 of 23 from the field and 5 of 6 from the line with 3 assists, 1 steal and just 1 turnover. It was his last game, Tate scored 33 points (31 AFTER breaking his wrist) and Duke won 82-74 in OT.

That is what I call clutch.

And that is why Tate Armstrong is the Man!
Tate Armstrong was a very good player and a prolific scorer at Duke. However, to compare his game to that of Pete Maravich is a bit of a stretch. Maravich put up gaudy scoring numbers (averaging almost three times as many ppg as Tate). However, it was his style of play and his unique dribbling, ball-handling, and passing skills that separate him and may never be seen again.

elvis14
03-05-2009, 09:34 AM
I'm surprised Boozer didn't end up with a dislocated shoulder on that play with Jeffries trying so hard to pull his arms down.

I remember that like it was yesterday. I was so upset at the missed FT and the no-call. I had to leave the house and slammed the back door hard enough to break stuff. My wife got mad at me and my sister in law and brother in law who were in the room were just speechless. Of course there was a few choice words yelled before I left! Not my finest moment, but even now when I think about that no-call it pisses me off!


down 5 to UNLV (to that moment, the greatest NCAA bball team ever) National semis, with a couple of minutes left, miss we probably lose, and he drilled it. That CLUTCH shot allowed us to win our first NC, and that shot alone gets Bobby H. on the list!

Bobby Hurley had this knack for hitting a shot when we needed it. It wasn't always obvious like at the end of a game. If a team was making a run and it looked like the momentum was about to change, Bobby always seemed to be the guy to hit a big shot or make a play to turn the tide. If we were on the verge of putting a team down for good, Bobby always seemed to take the shot that was the dagger! He was clutch because of the timing of his shots.

dukestheheat
03-05-2009, 09:51 AM
I take Christian Laettner. We need a couple buckets, some attitude, some verve, a will to win and the know how to do it, needing one win, he is the player.

Dukestheheat

4decadedukie
03-05-2009, 10:56 AM
My head says Laettner, but my heart says Battier.

CameronBlue
03-05-2009, 11:23 AM
I suppose I'll get criticized for posting just one, but I've only been following seriously since about 1980.

1. Laettner

2.

3.

4.

5. Whoever's next

I mean, c'mon. Laettner, Laettner, Laettner, Laettner, Laettner, Laettner.

Laettner!

Hmm, I think I see your point.

However Duke fans should review C-Well's senior season. No one will replace the ethereal Laettner in the Pantheon of clutch Duke players, but C-Well deserves his own cult following. Aside from the time that I called Jay Bilas to critique him on his performance in I Come In Peace my only call to the Duke Basketball Show with Coach K, as it was then known, was to complain about C-Well during the first few weeks of his sophomore season--the spindly kid with questionable ball-handling skills and a penchant for driving in the teeth of the defense to disastrous results. It was JDs turn to guest host and he patiently endured as I vented. Thankfully the coaches didn't follow my suggestion to bench the kid. Carolina and State still produce a coach's show but strangely Duke no longer does. Makes me wonder.

Reddevil
03-05-2009, 12:16 PM
Okay so CL is the man, and this thread has shown again that there have been many great performances and careers to be thankful for, so I offer a few additional thoughts:

This thread is not an argument - rather a reflection of greatness.

Hurley was so clutch on many levels: three pointers; in your shorts defense; the master of the drive and dish; eliminator of the full court press; annoying everyone that does not love Duke Basketball.

The "Gone in 50 seconds" game automatically gets Jason at least an honorable mention in my book.

Ditto Dunleavy's 3's against Arizona.

Gotta show love for Danny Ferry as well. He carried the team on his back on many occasions. Come to think of it so did Grant Hill. Maybe guys like Danny, Grant, and Elton belong in another category - not necessarily clutch, but just great.

All nominations are valid. Just look at the players, plays, and careers that are being compared - amazing stuff!

trey
03-05-2009, 01:36 PM
Hmm, I think I see your point.

However Duke fans should review C-Well's senior season. No one will replace the ethereal Laettner in the Pantheon of clutch Duke players, but C-Well deserves his own cult following.

It has to be Laettner. However, C-Well is the player who comes to my mind. He hit so many clutch shots in his senior season. Duhon did this in his senior season, but not as much as C-Well did.

DeepBlue70
03-05-2009, 06:53 PM
While we're giving props to Hurley, I'm surprised no one has mentioned the semifinal against Indiana - which year was that, "92? Hoosiers would have blown us out in the first half if not for Hurley who single handedly kept us in the game with a bunch of threes. Anyone remember how many he hit?

banneheim
03-05-2009, 09:15 PM
The "clutchiest" games are in the tournament. Time after time, JJ went bust. Never was so much expected from a Duke player who, in key situations, didn't do it!

I remember a Dean at the school saying to me, I wonder why JJ never hit a shot to win the game.

Perhaps because he was not a clutch player?

Somewhere I remember him bringing us back in the ACC champ game against NC State.....Yeah, I admit he didn't produce in the NCAA..but he did stick daggers into opponents.

roywhite
03-05-2009, 09:53 PM
Somewhere I remember him bringing us back in the ACC champ game against NC State.....Yeah, I admit he didn't produce in the NCAA..but he did stick daggers into opponents.

...and in the 2006 ACC Tournament, where he had a big game against Va Tech in the finals and hit some huge shots. JJ had clutch games in the regular season and in the ACC Tournament; yeah, I hate that it didn't happen in the NCAA tournaments, but he big shots in many, many games.