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View Full Version : Biggest half-time deficit erased since 1959 against Navy



DevilHorns
02-10-2011, 12:36 AM
According to ESPN.

Wow. Awesome comeback. That takes a deep breath to think about. Congrats to the team, and a special congrats to the seniors for getting it done on their last time at home against the rival.

uh_no
02-10-2011, 12:37 AM
According to ESPN.

Wow. Awesome comeback.

weren't we down like 18 a couple years ago with the green t-shirt fiasco?

DevilHorns
02-10-2011, 12:40 AM
weren't we down like 18 a couple years ago with the green t-shirt fiasco?

http://www.dukenews.duke.edu/2008/02/focus_nation.html

Down 9 in that game.

uh_no
02-10-2011, 12:41 AM
http://www.dukenews.duke.edu/2008/02/focus_nation.html

Down 9 in that game.

thanks for the info.

Glad we could do it against unc

Bluedog
02-10-2011, 12:41 AM
weren't we down like 18 a couple years ago with the green t-shirt fiasco?

We were only down 9 points at the half in that game (against NC St on 1/31/2008). Don't know the largest deficit of the game, but this statistic is particular to the halftime margin.

Edit: DevilHorns beat me to it.

throatybeard
02-10-2011, 01:18 AM
And if memory serves, we were only down 42-30 at the half against UNC in the 1998 home game.

Edouble
02-10-2011, 02:54 AM
And if memory serves, we were only down 42-30 at the half against UNC in the 1998 home game.

Greatest comeback ever though.

throatybeard
02-10-2011, 07:05 AM
Greatest comeback ever though.

Of course, 64-47 at the under twelve timeout.

Rogue
02-10-2011, 07:23 AM
Of course, 64-47 at the under twelve timeout.

WOW,, I know I looked at the score with just under 10 min and we'd cut the half time lead in half.. and I was thinking how coaches tell the players,, not to try to get it all back in 5 min,, but over segments.. " We " really must have turned some screws between 12 and 10 min marks..
Side note.. when WE WIN, it's "WE" lol,, if some how they ever lose,, it's "they" didn't do something lol..
The holes will be having a lot of "they" today :cool:

4decadedukie
02-10-2011, 07:31 AM
Thanks for this information - 50+ years is a LONG time, and this will be a valuable fact during today's post-game coffeemaker discussions at the office.

BigZ
02-10-2011, 07:33 AM
How much were we down against Maryland in the Final Four in 2001? I thought we were down like 20.

Duvall
02-10-2011, 07:40 AM
How much were we down against Maryland in the Final Four in 2001? I thought we were down like 20.

22 in the first half, but only 11 at halftime (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/college/2001/ncaa_tourney/news/2001/03/31/duke_maryland_ap/).

Matches
02-10-2011, 08:06 AM
I had in my head that the halftime score vs UNC in 1998 was 50-34.

tbyers11
02-10-2011, 08:53 AM
I had in my head that the halftime score vs UNC in 1998 was 50-34.

Throaty's memory was correct. Halftime score was 42-30 UNC (http://goduke.statsgeek.com/basketball-m/games/boxscore.php?gameid=19980228).

Best. Comeback. Ever.

wsb3
02-10-2011, 09:19 AM
Dec. 30, 1950 Duke defeated Tulane 74 to 72 after being down 32 points 22:00 minutes to play in regulation. Score was 56-27 at the half.

I was not around for this one but was sure I had read about it. Page 41 of the Duke 100 Seasons Book (2004). Largest halftime comeback in history.

bluepenguin
02-10-2011, 09:20 AM
Greatest comeback ever though.
JWill against Maryland - down 10 with a minute to go. Now that was the greatest comeback ever!

Andre Buckner Fan
02-10-2011, 09:27 AM
JWill against Maryland - down 10 with a minute to go. Now that was the greatest comeback ever!

I have to admit that was the most impressive comeback. But with UNC at Cameron this comeback could be more meaningful for our season. We'll have to see how it plays out, but if this win galvanizes the team like I think it might then it will have to be considered at least as great or even greater a comeback because of the circumstances.

DukeDevilDeb
02-10-2011, 09:46 AM
Throaty's memory was correct. Halftime score was 42-30 UNC (http://goduke.statsgeek.com/basketball-m/games/boxscore.php?gameid=19980228).

Best. Comeback. Ever.

With Wojo heading the defense and Roshown, Trajan and Brand pouring the points in... I still get chills when I think of it. In fact, I still have my ticket stub from that night... the only one I saved.

I drove home after the game in 1998 bouncing! When I drove into my neighborhood, I rolled down the window and yelled, GO TO HELL, CAROLINA! I didn't know my neighbor was a Tarheel, but he called the police to complain about a public disturbance! ;)

Didn't matter. It was worth it!

bluepenguin
02-10-2011, 10:18 AM
22 in the first half, but only 11 at halftime (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/college/2001/ncaa_tourney/news/2001/03/31/duke_maryland_ap/).
What was the biggest deficit Duke has overcome in a game (not just at halftime) to win?

sagegrouse
02-10-2011, 10:26 AM
What was the biggest deficit Duke has overcome in a game (not just at halftime) to win?

Duke holds the all-time NCAA record (scroll) (http://blog.masslive.com/minuteblog/2008/03/did_umass_pull_off_the_greates.html) -- and it's from the Dick Groat era without a shot clock or a 3-point line:


Dec. 30, 1950: Duke 74, Tulane 72. 32-point deficit in 22:00 minutes


It may also be that the comeback against UMd in Minneapolis at the Final Four was the biggest comeback in the Final Four, but I am not sure.

sagegrouse

Olympic Fan
02-10-2011, 11:24 AM
According to ESPN.

Wow. Awesome comeback. That takes a deep breath to think about. Congrats to the team, and a special congrats to the seniors for getting it done on their last time at home against the rival.

Just a small addendum to that 1959 comeback: Navy was VERY good in 1959.

In fact, the Middles earned an NCAA bid and routed ACC representative North Carolina 76-63 in a first round game. That was the year when UNC and State tied for the AC C regular season title. State beat UNC in the tourney title game, but were on probation, so UNC got the NCAA bid.

But what's really interesting about that is that when UNC edged Duke in the ACC semifinals (and knew that they would get the NCAA bid) McGuire talked about resting his starters in the title game to keep them fresh for the NCAAs. He did start his normal starters, but he subbed frequently and when State took an 11-point lead with just under 10 minutes left, he pulled his regulars and played in scrubs. Reynolds went nuts when he gave up ... there was almost a riot. Afterwards, McGuire justified it by pointing to the upcoming NCAA game and the need to be fresh for that.

Then his "fresh" Tar Heels were dominated by Navy!

Cameron
02-10-2011, 09:03 PM
Wow. Awesome comeback. That takes a deep breath to think about.

If I had been advised of this Navy tidbit at about 10 p.m. EST last night, the only way I make it to work in the morning is rolling down the expressway atop a crash cart. In 1959, our distinguished and indomitable coach was 12.

Thank God I instead spent intermission underneath a blanket.

The first 20 minutes of last evening's game weren't a nightmare. They were Charles Manson in your kitchen wielding an axe.

A comeback for the ages, indeed.

Edouble
02-11-2011, 02:30 AM
JWill against Maryland - down 10 with a minute to go. Now that was the greatest comeback ever!

No, '98 Carolina was the best.

It was the loudest I have ever heard Cameron. Deano's birthday, with Gut at the helm. Coach K's 500th win. Senior day for Wojo and Roshown. He held up his son before the game. We were all about to cry before the ball was even tipped.

We were a deep, formidable team that season. But UNC was scary. We were clearly intimidated by them in the first half. That Carolina squad was as mean an opponent as you'll meet. Coach K coached the second half in a polo shirt because he ripped his shirt off at halftime. Let me say that again... he coached the second half without a tie--in a polo shirt.

Elton Brand, who was pegged as the star of the team in the preseason before injuries, came off the bench to give an All-American frontcourt of Vince Carter and Antawn Jamison an absolute fit. Wojo has the greatest one point performance in the hostory of Duke basketball.

I was there and it was a visceral, emotional, spiritual experience. Duke was back, and though we had beaten Carolina the year before in Cameron (finally) this was the first year that both teams were legitimate title contenders (it was a a #1 vs. #2/3 match up, depending on the polls) and we were ready for full attrition.

It was not a change in momentum. We clawed our way back in. If the game had been one minute less, we would have lost. The heat (no A/C) and the spirit inside Cameron that day were back breaking for the 'Heels. There is no doubt the Gods, or some kind of basketball karma was on our side that day. If you will ever experience the Duke/Carolina rivalry as a living, breathing, organism, it was during that game. We won with heart, with guts, with will, with heat, and with the 6th man.