The most satisfying year of Duke hoops...ever?

[davekay1971]

In the few days since our team won the championship, I've been trying to put this season into perspective. Where does it stand in terms of satisfaction to a Duke basketball fan?

For some background on me, I was an ACC fan until I decided on going to Duke in 1986. Then I became a Duke fan first, and supported other ACC schools after. Once I got to Duke, I became a true Carolina hater (though, as an 10 year old, I was indeed cheering for them over Georgetown in 1982...I plead youth and ignorance in my defense).

I was lucky enough to be at Duke as an undergrad for both 1991 and 1992, and as a grad student for 1994.

Clearly, there have been some great years in Duke basketball. But the more I think about it, this year may have been the most satisfying, with only 1991 as a possible competitor.

Consider than in 2009-2010:
1) We won the ACC regular season crown, the ACC championship, and the National Championship
2) No one expected us to win it all...in fact, all the experts said over and over that we couldn't.
4) We got to watch the reward of years after year of hard work and dedication from some truly likeable players.
5) Carolina, preseason ranked top 5, had a terrible year, including 2 solid beat-downs by us and even a tease for their fans that they might win the NIT...but they didn't.
6) UConn had an equally terrible year, including a beat-down by us
7) KY got all kinds of hype for doing it the Calipari way, then flamed out as the whole team played "me-first" ball against a WVU team that was able to punish them for it
8) Our national championship win was a great, great game...arguably one of the better NC games ever.

So, the good guys won, the bad guys lost, and all was right with the world.

In 1991
1) We broke through to win our first National Championship, avenging the 1990 beat-down UNLV laid on us along the way, one of the bigger upsets in NCAA tournament history.
2) Carolina lost to Kansas the same day we upset UNLV, with Dean getting tossed unceremoniously from the game and Roy looking as conflicted as he did when Kansas beat his butt 2 years ago
3) It was also a relatively unexpected championship run...at the beginning of the year even we didn't know how good we were going to be

On the downside in 1991 - we got spanked by Carolina in the ACC championship game, and I shared the championship experience with my future ex-wife (okay, that only takes away from the memory, not the experience at the time).

Where does this year rank for others in terms of just total satisfaction, compared to other great years Duke has given us?

[Matches]

It's right near the top. 2001 was really satisfying too, watching the team overcome late-season adversity, lay the wood to the Heels twice, rally from 22 down against Sweaty & co. in the final 4 - that was pretty amazing.

This is certainly comparable, though, in large part because it was unexpected (at least by me).

[noyac]

I hate ranking things like these because when Duke wins the National Championship it is always great and very satisfying. I do agree that when you think what these players (seniors etc) have gone through and how they have progressed and that we were lucky enough to have been along for the ride it makes it feel more satisfying but can anything ever take the place of that first championship.

[Dr. Tina]

Personally, our 2010 national championship is the most satisfying. When Duke won the back-to-back titles in 91 and 91, I was just discovering Duke. I wasn't heavily invested in the team yet. In 2001, I was definitely "all in" with Duke basketball, so I was really happy with that title. It felt great to be able to enjoy it so much after having followed Duke closely for a number of years.

However, I feel most satisfied with this title because of the difficult road the team, especially the seniors, had to go down to achieve this accomplishment. I've been with them every step of the way from their recruitment till now. So, I've really come to appreciate them as players and as people (BluePlanet really makes you feel closer to the team) over the past 4 years. I love watching them grow and seeing them turn into this National Championship team. They worked hard and saw all their dreams come true this year. They reached every goal they set, whether it be a Pre-Season NIT Championship, going undefeated in Cameron, or winning it all! This Duke team persevered, rising above the Duke hate, the Duke doubters, their own struggles on and off the court, etc. Words can't really express how proud I am of this team and I can't imagine a more enjoyable, fulfilling season as Duke fan than this one!

[Wander]

While probably not the best Duke team, I'd argue this team shockingly ended up as the most accomplished Duke team of all time. They did EVERYTHING you could possibly ask for except go undefeated - won their preseason tournament, the ACC, the ACC tournament, the NCAA tournament, undefeated at home, and a sweep of Carolina.

[jimsumner]

Makes the short list. But my personal pantheon would have 1991, 1978 and 1986 a silly centimeter higher.

[moonpie23]

as i have said many times this season, i am trying to better my BB life (and relationship with the wife) by NOT hating as much. I've done various things to help me through the season.

1. i did not watch ONE single UNC game.....i saw glimpses of them, and kept up with the score about every 15-20 minutes with Sportacular updates. I did tune in quickly when i got the upset update on the College of Charleston game. I can't believe how much better i felt from week to week. I know i missed the pleasure of WATCHING them wallow in defeat all those times, but you know what? i got to watch the highlights and they still lost those games....so that was extremely satisfying.

2. I actually scheduled myself to work during a couple of duke games and did NOT record them. I knew i could always find them online to watch later if i wanted.....it was tough a few times to just get my Sportacular "pings" with the score update, but i felt that i had enforced a bit of NON compulsive obsession on myself that left me a bit more at ease..


As this season went on, it became clear that this was NOT the team from years past and i began to feel an excitement that i'd lost (or had dashed) since 04...

Then came the first UNC game... UGH.....it was like a 24 oz blooody ribeye steak that was so delicious it was sinful.

Then came the MD loss, but wait.....we played GREAT and greivis just circus-shot his way to the win.....i didn't feel bad....not at all, in fact, i felt pretty dang good going into senior night..

Then, Senior night.......the beat down.....the monkey on our backs was ripped from his clutches and literally burned at the stake in the middle of cameron.....the shot of the powder blue sweater vests and the looks on their faces and i was the highest i'd been since college...


i confess (and i have in another thread ) that i had a superstitious game day thing that was working....in fact it was working amazingly well.....the one day i DIDN't partake of it since discovering it the day of VA TECH was when we lost to MD....then i cautiously began making sure i did it.....the same way, each game day.....and we never lost again......

I'm hesitant to share it with you.....it might work again next year..... :)


this season has been extremely satisfying.....

[KyDevilinIL]

I had the exact same thought as the OP on Monday night in the immediate moments after the victory. I was standing there in Lucas Oil nearly in shock, overwhelmed by the title game and by the weight of what had happened.

Then I started thinking about the whole season. For a team that flew so far under the radar, absorbed a pair of truly depressing losses (State and G'town) and spent an entire season listening to people talk more about what they weren't instead of what they were (including, frankly, plenty of us on the board), these guys accomplished absolutely everything they could have accomplished. That was an incredible realization in that moment.

So yeah, I think it depends largely on a person's definition of "satisfying," but I think I'm going to be more proud of this team as any of our title squads. Nothing against the 92 and 01 teams, but those teams accomplished what they were built to accomplish. This one, though, much like 91, went out and got something that seemed so improbable for much of the season.

P.S. My seats at Lucas Oil weren't awful, but they weren't close by any stretch of the imagination. I rewatched the game on DVR on Tuesday and was amazed by how much of a blur the game was in person. The energy and tension in the building made it hard to fully comprehend what was really happening, at least for me. I wonder if others had a similar reaction.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

I've been through many Duke seasons in basketball and football. Those which occurred while I was an undergraduate have a special aura, but at this point in time, I'd say that the most satisfying season is always the successful one that just ended.

[bluesmo]

magic, mystery ,intelligence,beauty,heart , love of the game and destiny


this year was the epitome of that... no I've never seen it better

there were no whiners out there, no showboaters...and its funny how the 2 teams with highest basketball IQ were in the final.


its the reason I care less for pro basketball anymore ; only Duke bball , they keep it classical and real.

for gods sake even when they lose you learn something and there is still the beauty of it(the duke way)

[balkan boy]

This season was spectacular - great, classy players; nice narrative with the rise of UNC, (alleged) decline of Duke, had the game passed Coach K, proving them all wrong, growth of the senior class and all of that.

But........ Class of '91 here and would we eeeevvvvvveeeerrrrr win it all; and the invincible, undefeated, defending national champion Runnin' Rebels who stomped us by 30 (yes, 30) points in the finals the year before, they of the 3 top 12 draft picks; and the vindication of my favorite player of all time who had 10 turnovers in that game th eyear before but bounced back to hit crucial shots.

A strong case could be made for the '86 team too, but, as a junior in high school, I wasn't invested in it so much, so not as personally satisfying for me.

[ElSid]

I didn't go to Duke until 1996. I was certainly NOT a Duke fan until then. I was an Iowa fan and remember Duke beating Iowa in consecutive years in the tournament, I believe in '91 and '92. But, once I got to school, immediate convert.
2001, we were favored basically all year and I was just out of Duke and hadn't experienced true hate for the program...I definitely hadn't started to get myself in a froth over these types of message boards and the unbelievable things that show up in the comments sections of ESPN articles. And journalism might have been a bit more respectable back then, in general.
Since 2001, hate for the program has increased exponentially and the team's tournament performance has sagged considerably and the blogoshpere and punditry has erupted in a torrent of hate and misrepresentation of facts and stats and sometimes racism. Some of duke's teams were very frustrating to watch and I sometimes believed the friends and foes who called in to question K's style of coaching and recruiting ability. I wondered if the Olympics were a nice to have but not a positive overall for the Duke program. I thought maybe tired legs had some truth. never did buy into the black / white thing, but did think we needed better jumpers.
This year is BY FAR the most satisfying for me because it reverses almost everything negative stated above. K's style and recruiting are vindicated. The usually frustrating players became models of consistency and hustle and clutch performance, no tired legs to be seen. The hate was off the charts this year. More nonsensical than a Michelle Bachman anti-census tea-party speech. And since graduating, my personal love for and knowledge of the program has grown a lot...so I followed this team more closely than just about any, ever. White, not that athletic kid has probably the best overall tournament despite a bad baylor game, and generally coach k's in game coaching was fantastic. not sure about the intentional missed free throw, but what the hell, it worked. our most annoying players to the outside world were our most important, causing even more high blood pressure among the haters. and basically all of duke's biggest foes ended the year in ignominious fashion.
and our recruiting class is sick in 2010 and shaping up to be sick in 2011.
finally, if anything, most of the calls went decidedly butler's way in the final game. there is literally not much else our critics can say.
congrats to the team. i am pretty happy, but i can't imagine how they feel.

[BlueDevilBaby]

Have to say '91 first and avenging UNLV loss and 2010 second because so few expected a NC out of this team.

[COYS]

I won't rank, but I will say this season was incredibly satisfying.

We lose G and Elliott leaving us written off and "alarmingly unathletic."
We have no choice but to play the big three 36 plus mpg leaving everyone to predict a meltdown from tired legs.
One game vs. G'Town leads everyone to claim the ACC is so weak that the top ACC team can't even beat the 4th best Big East team.
Our number 1 seed was even called into question despite closing the year on a tear.

Yet despite all of this, a team that had been pushed around in three previous NCAA tourney losses ('06, '08, '09) became a team that did the pushing. We beat teams with NBA-type athleticism (Baylor), physical defense (Purdue, WVU, Butler) and teams with small-ball offense and quick guards (Cal) that were supposed to be our downfall. We proved head to head that neither Purdue nor WVU deserved that top seed. Beating WVU handily also provided direct revenge for 2008. Finally, perhaps the most criticized Duke senior class in history got to bring a championship home. Jon, Lance, and Brian deserved this and they earned it, along with everyone else, proving that a great TEAM always beats a talented collection of individuals. What I found most satisfying is that in the celebratory speeches by all the seniors, no one mentioned the negative press they had received. This championship wasn't about proving the doubters wrong, but accomplishing the goals that the team knew they could achieve. They won it for themselves and the university and no one else.

[buddy]

you only win your first title once. And 1991 was the 5th year out of 6 that we had been to the Final Four, only to come up empty in each of the others. (And that doesn't count 1963, 1964, 1966 and 1978.) There was something of the "always the bridesmaid, never the bride" about Duke basketball and the Final Four.

But each of them is special. 1991 was as unexpected as was 2010. We had been crushed by UNLV in the 1990 championship, then lost several key players. UNLV's starters averaged 23 years old in 1991, while ours averaged 19. That surely was men against boys. And we had been crushed by Carolina in the season ender. One difference is that in 2010 the championship game was THE game, the nail biter that we just had to survive, the one that everyone will remember from the tournament run. In the other three, THE game was earlier. In 1991 it was UNLV, a game we were given no chance to win. In 1992 it was UK with "the Shot". In 2001 it was Maryland in the semifinals where we were down 22. Although the championship games in those years had their moments, none was as taut as this year's. But I will never get tired of winning championships, and I will continue to revel in the differences in each championship team that makes each one special. I'm greedy--let's win some more.

[jdj4duke]

It's like picking a favorite child. But at this moment, I pick this team because:
1- all the players, whatever class year, continually improved
2- they compartmentalized/ignored all the crap that they certainly heard about the decline of the program, the decline of their coach, and the antipathy toward their school
3- the stories around Nolan and Zoub don't really have any antecedents with previous teams, at least none that jump to mind (although I always loved C'well's story, too)
4- Nolan's mom; her interview Monday night was just great
5- Singler is Iron
6- Remembering the excitement on this board when Lance selected Duke over Rutgers, recalling the junk he took from NJ fans, and now seeing him get the biggest payoff possible for a college player
7- 2 Academic All-ACC guys
8- Andre hanging in there and making some huge shots
9- Breathtaking defense
10- They just all come across as so darn NICE!

[MChambers]

Makes the short list. But my personal pantheon would have 1991, 1978 and 1986 a silly centimeter higher.

Even though I was at Duke in 1978, I'd have to put 1991 on the top, followed by 2010, then 1992, then 1978. In 1991, we were David against Goliath.

[UrinalCake]

I was at the Findlay exhibition game at the start of this season and saw us get pushed around, while our inside guys shot fadeaway jumpers over a much smaller team. Singler was struggling with his move to the perimeter, and we had zero guard depth. I thought at the time that we had a long, long way to go to become a contender even within the ACC, much less nationally. What has made this season so satisfying for me is watching the team develop. Every single player got better, even during the tournament itself.

The only things that could make this perfect season even more perfect would be a.) Singler announcing he's staying, and b.) Davis, Henson, and Zeller declaring for the draft while Drew II transfers.

[steely2400]

For me, there will never be anything as special as the 91 title. I remember being so upset and getting taunted the year before after the 90 beat down. Then all my non UNC friends were all over UNLV, buying hats and shirts ect. Then came the game, I had my tonsils removed 2 days earlier and it hurt to talk. I cheared the entire game silently. I remember my grandmother buying me pizza and my grandfather and I sat in the living room and watched the whole thing. After the last shot missed I wanted to taunt my cousin so bad but I couldn't speak. I wore the same shirt 2 days later for the win against Kansas. I wore that same shirt everyday that week for spring break freshman year. I'm sure it was a little stinky by the end of the week but I didn't care. To me it was good luck.

Intersting enough, the next year all the fair weather UNLV fans were all over the "Fab 5" :D. I don't have to tell you all how that ended. SCOREBOARD!

[MarkD83]

b.) Davis, Henson, and Zeller declaring for the draft while Drew II transfers.

I want them all to stay so that at the end of next year with only Graves graduating and McAdoo and Hariston arriving at UNC, Roy will have 14 scholarship players and 13 scholarships. "Sorry guys one of you has to go".

[Faustus]

Maybe this is my most satisfying as a lifelong fan and alum because it was so unexpected. Like COYS mentions above, we spent the summer knowing Gerald Henderson had moved on, then out of the blue Elliot Williams, and I'm just hoping for a competitive season with so few guards left. Andre Dawkins' surprise arrival is the first hint things might be better than expected, but then Mason Plumlee hurt his wrist before even getting settled in. I would have been delighted with a Sweet Sixteen back in November. But things continued to fall into place. Zoubek's transformation was an eye-opener, and such steady play from everyone else, different guys stepping up whenever one was needed. Fabulous coaching, clearly adapting to the strengths of just this group (while down the road 8 miles another coach seems absolutely incapable of similar adaptation as his ballyhooed team goes down in flames). I started to think near the end of the regular season, "You know, this team could actually go a ways."

I clearly remember one evening four years ago I was at a bar and Duke was playing at Ga Tech on the tv screen and getting hammered, and a friend telling me Duke shouldn't be getting beat like this. But it was a really young team then and I knew they'd have to endure nights like that. But I particularly remember an extremely frustrated looking freshman, Jon Scheyer, struggling in that game and nothing seemed to go right for him. Four seasons ago. Flash forward now to the moments caught in photos of Jon after Monday night's buzzer (not to mention his play that night, the block, the tip-in, the inbounds pass under the basket, etc.). It's been such a pleasure to see these guys develop steadily in their time at Duke, and to see them reach their just rewards. But I never thought, not until they reached this Final Four itself, that they would win a National Championship. Then I looked around at who was left, who this Duke team was, and I honestly knew how things would end. Not an overwhelmingly dominant team that should have won the championship from day one, but one that played the game better than anyone else at the end. Immensely satisfying, and I'm very proud of the whole team and coaching staff.

[dukelifer]

1991 was the most satisfying because it was the first and there was a lot of chances before that. Butler fans may feel bad but Duke fans had a couple Final Fours in a short span and 1990 blowout to deal with, before getting the first one.

1978 was a pretty special run. They did not win it all but if not for a unconscious performance by Givens - who knows. That was a pretty unexpected season and even second place was satisfying- particularly because they were poised to be the champion the next year- but it was not meant to be.

2001 was again somewhat unexpected. In hindsight- the team was made of incredible players- but few had hit their peak at the time except perhaps Shane, Nate and to some degree Jason. That run was "over" when Boozer got hurt- but K made a change by inserting Duhon- Sanders and the POTUS's right hand man found a way to take up the slack until a return and somehow pulled it all together.

You could not help but feel for the 1986 team- so close to a championship. That group had been through the worst of times and the best of times. They were mostly seniors and tight knit and really came together like no other. A great team who just ran out of gas in the second half of their biggest game. But, after enough time to take away the sting, still a very satisfying season.

[hurley1]

1991 without a doubt.......coming back and beating unlv in the semis in 91 after losing to them by 30 and being disgraced by them ( trash talk, all kinds of disrespect ) in 90 was a defining moment for both duke basketball and coach k......to me, it was our finest victory of all.........

[RelativeWays]

The only team I KNEW would win the NC was the 2001 team. 91 was great to finally win the championship and beat UNLV in the process. This team is great because of the personnel and what they went through during their time at Duke. Jon, Brian and Lnace were freshmen during one of the most difficult seasons in a long while, losing to VCU in the 1st round. Kyle and Nolan had a better freshmen year but we still made an early exit in the tourney. Last season, the team was very talented but still never clicked with all the personnel changes and position changes made. I never thought this team would be a championship team even in a down year because we still didn't have a true PG, I felt Jon was being spread thin, Kyle was as well and I didn't know if Nolan could be as effective as G in driving and scoring. Sure we had a lot of big players but two of them had been inconsistent at best so far and the other two were young. Well you see the result. This is one of the best Duke "teams" in a long time. The pro talent may be lower compared to our past squads but these guys knew how to play. Even Andre and Ryan contributed where the could. They will be good players for us.

[camion]

Hmm, which of your children do you love best? I guess I love them all best, each in its own special way.

Your first is special in an extra special way however. I'd have to go with '91, our first championship and with beating UNLV, the evil empire, that had destroyed us the year before.

If we had actually played and beaten this year's Kentucky team on the way to the championship, that might have put this year over the top.

I really, really love this year's team though.

[gwlaw99]

91' was my freshman year at Duke so that will always be the best for me. This year is second and 92 third.

[mcdukie]

I agree that you love them all in their own special way. I became a Duke fan in '98 and immediately experienced the hate. For this reason '01 felt so good, especially after being down 22 to the team I can't stand as much as UNC. This year is equally as sweet because NO ONE saw a NC team in November. Then to get punished by G'town and people saying we had such a easy bracket just made it even sweeter. Also, the seniors were the same players who had to deal with all the criticism after the loss to VCU and don't forget how WVU said in '08 we would have been middle of the pack in the Big East. Lastly, many were saying K had to change his recruiting and they were writing tons of articles saying Duke was no longer elite. 2010... what a season!!

[monkey]

Surprised the 2000 team with Carawell, James and Battier along with the freshman Williams, Boozer, Dunleavy, Sanders class hasn't been mentioned. That was an extremely satisfying year of Duke hoops, especially in light of the gloom of the 1999 championship loss and the loss of most of our starting line-up.

[arnie]

1991 without a doubt.......coming back and beating unlv in the semis in 91 after losing to them by 30 and being disgraced by them ( trash talk, all kinds of disrespect ) in 90 was a defining moment for both duke basketball and coach k......to me, it was our finest victory of all.........

That Saturday night beating UNLV coupled with Dean getting tossed in the first game is the greatest night in Duke BBALL history.

[Welcome2DaSlopes]

I would have to agree, beating UNLV after getting crushed by them a year before, has to be the most satisfying, but I would probably put this year second to only that.

[ZJDUBYA]

I would have to agree, beating UNLV after getting crushed by them a year before, has to be the most satisfying, but I would probably put this year second to only that.

I agree as well. 91 was the best for me, got the monkey off of our back. The UNLV win is still my best moment as a DUKE fan. This year is a close second. I know it sounds silly but 1997 was also a big year for me as a fan. I know the second round loss to Providence was crushing, but after 95 and 96 1997 made me feel like my team was back. Getting back in the polls and getting a high seed really made me feel good. I know it does not even compare to the title years but its a year that I will always remember.

[brumby041]

While probably not the best Duke team, I'd argue this team shockingly ended up as the most accomplished Duke team of all time. They did EVERYTHING you could possibly ask for except go undefeated - won their preseason tournament, the ACC, the ACC tournament, the NCAA tournament, undefeated at home, and a sweep of Carolina.

Alas, not quite perfect: What about the loss to Wisc in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge - you know, the one that showed that Duke couldn't win on the road...;)

I guess this means that we get Michigan State in the Challenge to start next season, right?

[jimsumner]

I know a lot of posters aren't old enough to remember the 1978 season but let me give you some context.

Going into that season, Duke hadn't been in the NCAA Tournament since 1966 and hadn't been in the post-season since the 1971 NIT. After Vic Bubas retired from coaching following the 1969 season, Duke had gone 1-7 in the ACC Tournament. Duke's five most recent seasons had been 12-14, 10-16, 13-13, 13-14 and 14-13, with an ACC record during that span of 13-47. That included ten straight loses to UNC in conference play; Duke won once in the Big Four during this period.

The consensus was that Duke had had its shot in the 1960s but that the school could no longer compete at the highest levels.

Starting two freshmen, two sophomores and one junior, Duke finished second in the ACC regular season, won the ACC Tourament and advanced all the way to the NCAA title game, where it took a career performance from Jack "Goose" Givens to propel heavily-favored Kentucky to the title.

This season put Duke back on the map and proved that Duke could indeed compete against anyone. It took Duke eight years to get back to the Final Four. But Johnny Dawkins, Mark Alarie, Tommy Amaker et. al. had watched that team as youngsters and understood the implications.

I'd still go for '91 as the most satisfying season, stunning unbeatable UNLV and winning the school's first title in its ninth Final Four; about time, eh?

But '78 is mighty, mighty close.

[Welcome2DaSlopes]

I pretty sure it's been mentioned but i'll just say it again, the thing I think that makes this year so satisfying is our recent tourny early exits. Everyone thought we couldn't perform in march. Well it turns out we were the best team in march and april. Oh and also how unc season turned out just puts that extra satisfation on the season. Like a cherry on top.

[jimsumner]

Is it more memorable to be on top, when Carolina is down? Or to be on top when Carolina provides formidable competition?

Depends on the value one places on schadenfreude, I suppose.

But let's look at some of the other years we've mentioned.

1978-UNC has Phil Ford, Mike O'Koren et. al. and is ranked number one in the preseason. Beats Duke in Chapel Hill on senior day to claim top spot in regular season.

1986-Carolina is ranked number one most of the season. Brad Daugherty, Kenny Smith, Steve Hale, Joe Wolf, etc. Smith Center opens, insuring decades of Carolina dominance over Duke and other pretenders.

1991-Carolina makes Final Four. Rick Fox, Hubert Davis, et. al. All they have to do to make title game is defeat unheralded Kansas, while Duke has peerless UNLV team on its side of the table.

2001-Matt Doherty's first Carolina team upsets Duke in Cameron and ascends to number one spot in polls. Joseph Forte ties Battier for ACC POY and Carolina ties Duke for regular-season title.

Yet, look at how these seasons ended up.

Like, I said, depends on one's perspective. But doesn't Duke beating Carolina in the 2001 ACC Tournament look better in retrospect than Duke beating Carolina in the 2002 ACC Tournament?

[Indoor66]

I know a lot of posters aren't old enough to remember the 1978 season but let me give you some context.

Going into that season, Duke hadn't been in the NCAA Tournament since 1966 and hadn't been in the post-season since the 1971 NIT. After Vic Bubas retired from coaching following the 1969 season, Duke had gone 1-7 in the ACC Tournament. Duke's five most recent seasons had been 12-14, 10-16, 13-13, 13-14 and 14-13, with an ACC record during that span of 13-47. That included ten straight loses to UNC in conference play; Duke won once in the Big Four during this period.

The consensus was that Duke had had its shot in the 1960s but that the school could no longer compete at the highest levels.

Starting two freshmen, two sophomores and one junior, Duke finished second in the ACC regular season, won the ACC Tourament and advanced all the way to the NCAA title game, where it took a career performance from Jack "Goose" Givens to propel heavily-favored Kentucky to the title.

This season put Duke back on the map and proved that Duke could indeed compete against anyone. It took Duke eight years to get back to the Final Four. But Johnny Dawkins, Mark Alarie, Tommy Amaker et. al. had watched that team as youngsters and understood the implications.

I'd still go for '91 as the most satisfying season, stunning unbeatable UNLV and winning the school's first title in its ninth Final Four; about time, eh?

But '78 is mighty, mighty close.

'78 was a incredible ride for the fans. We had been living in the doldrums since Vic retired. Bill Foster came in with vigor and salesmanship and made the game fun and exciting again. He had the first three ever ACCROY's in Spanarkle, Giminski and Banks.

Then in '78 it was spectacular. Win the ACC, then the preliminary game in Charlotte and on to Providence for the Regionals. Win there and then on the St. Louis and the Checkerdome. Beat Notre Dame and Digger and face Joe B Hall and Kentucky. Givins goes unconscious and we lose. It was spectacular - the whole trip - for the team, coaches and fans. For me, having been following Duke since the 50's it was truly the highlight - even over Kansas City in 1963 - the first time. '63, '64 and '66 were spectacular, but '78 was a return from the wilderness and is untopped.

[Faustus]

Yes, I remember the '78 tournament well. It had been SO long since Duke had been even remotely successful, including all four of my years as a student there (and I graduated before Jim Spanarkel arrived) that it was just a magical season. Merely winning the ACC tournament that year was huge. Then barely survived Rhode Island, then absolutely waxed Villanova. Great stuff. THis was all gravy for me. Then beating Notre Dame meant a national final. I was happy just to have reached that point.

And everything seemed so rosy even after losing to Kentucky (as Butler fans must feel today). But we all know what happened the next year - appendicitis knocks out Bob Bender literally hours before the ACC final against you-know-who, next Kenny Dennard hurts his ankle, then Johnny Harrell gets his bell rung and is seeing double while Gminski has a stomach virus. Unbelievable, and it's all over against a pretty forgettable St. John's team. So the next year Duke is in the elite eight, Gminski's last season, Bill Foster rumored to be leaving, and Duke loses to Joe Barry Carroll and Purdue. I was crushed. This seemed to be The End. It had been so long since Duke had put together a national contender, and it looked like it was all vanishing before my eyes. How would Duke ever be able to return again? Of course we know the rest of the story, but I certainly have very fond memories of that '78 run and what it meant to Duke basketball. I'm still partial to this year, though.

[Lippl]

Sorry Dave Kay, 1991 > 2010. You should know - remember riding the bus to the formal listening to the beginning of the UNLV game on the radio, being amazed that we were actually in it? Then having all of us cluster around a 12" TV in the middle of the hotel ballroom watching what is for my money the greatest college basketball game of all time (> 1992 UK, because it was a good game the entire way rather than just the last 8 minutes + overtime, and the underdog actually won)? Beating the REAL black hats (not the faux black hats like Duke is now) was the epitome of epicness. K leaving Ackles open to miss, miss, miss (George isn't a very good . . . shooter). Anthony charges and fouls out. Hurley's dagger 3. UNLV's first and only three second violation of the year. Davis driving baseline for the and-one. Johnson missing two FT, lane violation, gets the tie. Laettner hitting the late foul shots. Johnson passes up the winning three (I would say choked on it) and shuffles it to Hunt, clanging miss, rebound goes over Ackles, we win!

Then there was beating the 'K can't win it' monkey with our win over KU, highlighted by G's massive alley-oop dunk in the opening minutes.

Not to mention overcoming the 'we're doomed' feeling after UNC applied a horrible beatdown on us in the ACC final.

I rate 2010 #2, ahead of 1992 and then 2001, and I will always love this team, but IMO 1991 is a clear #1.

[calvindog]

All of the championship years are equally satisfying, this year's was just the biggest (and only) surprise. That being said, the beatdowns of Carolina and West Virginia this year were two of the most satisfying wins of all my years as a fan.

[GLTBD]

P.S. My seats at Lucas Oil weren't awful, but they weren't close by any stretch of the imagination. I rewatched the game on DVR on Tuesday and was amazed by how much of a blur the game was in person. The energy and tension in the building made it hard to fully comprehend what was really happening, at least for me. I wonder if others had a similar reaction.

I'm glad you mentioned this with so many threads I was unsure where to post my feelings on the subject. I too was at the game my first final 4. I had decent seats, but I did not realize how close the ball was to going in until watching it on ESPN after the game. I feel like I missed out on the game and excitement because the whole time I was worrying we would lose instead of enjoying/focusing on the actual game. I still have a hard time believing I was there and that we won. I will have to relive the experience through replays.

[Orange&BlackSheep]

For me, I don't think any Duke game will ever be more thrilling than beating UNLV in 1991. Hurley nailing the three to cut their 5 pt lead to 2 .... Brian Davis actually scoring on drives to the basket ... Larry Johnson passing the open three that could have ruined everything ... Bobby Hurley drawing the charge on Greg Anthony that had him watching the game from the sidelines ... awesomeness ....

[Magnolia888]

I'm not old enough to remember 1978.

But like many others, I have to go with 1991, for all the reasons listed. It stands alone in my mind.

This year's team is great, though. A great team, and a great championship.

The 1991 team had a lot more pressure on them, after the absolutely crushing and humiliating loss to the Truly Evil UNLV the year before. In 1991, anything other than the big win would have been another disappointing end, and more "they can't win the big one" knocks. And the fact that they had to beat UNLV along the way was also very satisfying.

This year's team didn't have that kind of pressure. Just getting to the Final Four was pretty great for this team, given how all the pundits were saying they were the weakest #1 seed. In 1991, making the Final Four was not nearly enough. They had to win it all to shut up the naysayers, and they did.

[oldnavy]

I know a lot of posters aren't old enough to remember the 1978 season but let me give you some context.

Going into that season, Duke hadn't been in the NCAA Tournament since 1966 and hadn't been in the post-season since the 1971 NIT. After Vic Bubas retired from coaching following the 1969 season, Duke had gone 1-7 in the ACC Tournament. Duke's five most recent seasons had been 12-14, 10-16, 13-13, 13-14 and 14-13, with an ACC record during that span of 13-47. That included ten straight loses to UNC in conference play; Duke won once in the Big Four during this period.

The consensus was that Duke had had its shot in the 1960s but that the school could no longer compete at the highest levels.

Starting two freshmen, two sophomores and one junior, Duke finished second in the ACC regular season, won the ACC Tourament and advanced all the way to the NCAA title game, where it took a career performance from Jack "Goose" Givens to propel heavily-favored Kentucky to the title.

This season put Duke back on the map and proved that Duke could indeed compete against anyone. It took Duke eight years to get back to the Final Four. But Johnny Dawkins, Mark Alarie, Tommy Amaker et. al. had watched that team as youngsters and understood the implications.

I'd still go for '91 as the most satisfying season, stunning unbeatable UNLV and winning the school's first title in its ninth Final Four; about time, eh?

But '78 is mighty, mighty close.

Remember '78 very well. I was a junior in HS and I went to every home game that year. That was a VERY special year, finally overcoming the doldrums of the previous seasons.

But, in '91 Bobby Hurley's three pointer against UNLV in the semi-final game, and Grant Hill's ally-oop against UK in the final were perhaps the two most memorable moments for me as a Duke fan. Yes, Christian Laettner's "the shot" was special, but the two plays mentions above sealed the deal and got the first NC. And after going something like 0-8 in FF's the feeling of getting that first NC is/was beyond description.

This year was great in it's own special rewarding way. To see our guys come together and gut it out, night after night and win as a TEAM was wonderful. Plus as a Duke fan, getting to watch the implosion over on the hill was a lot of fun as well!

[davekay1971]

Sorry Dave Kay, 1991 > 2010. You should know - remember riding the bus to the formal listening to the beginning of the UNLV game on the radio, being amazed that we were actually in it? Then having all of us cluster around a 12" TV in the middle of the hotel ballroom watching what is for my money the greatest college basketball game of all time (> 1992 UK, because it was a good game the entire way rather than just the last 8 minutes + overtime, and the underdog actually won)? Beating the REAL black hats (not the faux black hats like Duke is now) was the epitome of epicness. K leaving Ackles open to miss, miss, miss (George isn't a very good . . . shooter). Anthony charges and fouls out. Hurley's dagger 3. UNLV's first and only three second violation of the year. Davis driving baseline for the and-one. Johnson missing two FT, lane violation, gets the tie. Laettner hitting the late foul shots. Johnson passes up the winning three (I would say choked on it) and shuffles it to Hunt, clanging miss, rebound goes over Ackles, we win!

Then there was beating the 'K can't win it' monkey with our win over KU, highlighted by G's massive alley-oop dunk in the opening minutes.

Not to mention overcoming the 'we're doomed' feeling after UNC applied a horrible beatdown on us in the ACC final.

I rate 2010 #2, ahead of 1992 and then 2001, and I will always love this team, but IMO 1991 is a clear #1.

Doug!

1991 was special for that night alone...the UNLV upset following the utter hilarity of Deano getting tossed and UNC upset. Bobby Hurley's 3 when we were down 5 is a moment that will forever be scorched in my brain, along with the thought, "Oh my God...we can do this!"

As someone else posted - it's like choosing which child is your favorite.

[Buckeye Devil]

If 2010 is not the most satsifying year it is certainly the most surprising year to me-even more so that beating UNLV in 1991.

[hurleyfor3]

My thoughts about 1991 echo most of those already stated. But this year was fulfilling in that I was fortunate enough to be there. The ultimate experience for any sports fan is to personally witness the team you care the most about win a championship. And when you do this, the game is only part of the story -- there's also the rushed planning, the sights and sounds leading up to the games and following them, the people you're with and the stories you have. No one can ever take these away from me.

[tecumseh]

Nothing can ever approach beating UNLV in the semis after the tremendous BEATDOWN we took in the title game the year before, LOSING BY THIRTY, and the UNLV team was billed as the perhaps the greatest ever and was UNDEFEATED and two games away from the coronation.

That was however one of those years that really should have been the title game and an argument can be made for reseeding.

I am sure "Hurley for Three" would agree.

[hurleyfor3]

That was however one of those years that really should have been the title game and an argument can be made for reseeding.

I am sure "Hurley for Three" would agree.

I think were were better off with unlv as the semifinal in 1991. We had a week to prepare, and certainly made use of it. K has told the story of having to get the players back into the right state of mind for the championship game, but it seemed like once that game was underway we just ran on adrenalin.

Otherwise yeah, I'm not changing my handle to "zoubekmissedfreethrow".

[MChambers]

UNLV's first and only three second violation of the year.

Great recap! Still gives me chills. But wasn't it a shot clock violation, not a three second violation?

[SupaDave]

Thought I'd bump this in honor of Nugget's list b/c there are some tremendous recollections in this thread of seasons past...

[Tom B.]

Thanks for bumping this back up, SupaDave -- you're right, there are some great recollections in this thread.





UNLV's first and only three second violation of the year.





Great recap! Still gives me chills. But wasn't it a shot clock violation, not a three second violation?



Correct, it was a shot clock violation. Two other points that make it even more notable:

First, the shot clock back then was 45 seconds, not the current 35, so Duke had to play 10 more seconds of great defense than a present-day team would have to play.

Second, UNLV actually got two additional seconds on top of that, because Duke knocked the ball out of bounds with three seconds left on the shot clock. Back then, the rule was that if the defense knocked the ball out of bounds with less than five seconds left on the shot clock, it would reset to five seconds.

So the shot clock reset to five, and UNLV still didn't get a shot off in time. Duke's defense forced a long inbounds pass from the baseline to the midcourt area -- Grant Hill tipped it (which started the clock running), but there was no change of possession, so the shot clock didn't reset. Stacy Augmon managed to corral the loose ball, but he was 50 feet from the basket and none of his teammates came to him, so the best he could manage was a few dribbles and a 35-foot bomb that missed everything and, in any event, came after the shot clock expired and the violation was whistled.

So it was actually a 47-second shot clock violation.

[hurley1]

in 1991 Coach K proved that he could beat anybody.......regardless of the odds.......i hated unlv with a passion and hated tark even worse.......what tark did to college ball was nothing short of criminal.......2 of his players were recruited through a prison fence.......and these good boys from duke stuck it to them........hurley proved that he was elite in every way........1991 against unlv was my finest moment as a duke fan.......