Big Shots in Duke BBall History

[TKG]

I was a freshman sitting just behind the Duke bench when Banks hit the shot against Carolina. The other big shots mentioned were each incredible. However, one shot that I will always remember, and while it did not win the game, probably saved our fannies, was Hurley's 3 against UNLV in the 1991 semis. That might be the greatest shot that did not win a championship in Duke basketball history

[Lunchab1es]

While it didn't have any big/tournament/historical implications, I was fifth row my freshman year for Sean Dockery's shot against VaTech.

I doubt I will ever experience that again...being surrounded by thousands of people all experiencing simultaneous, ridiculous, jubilation. Many hugs and high fives were given/received to/from people I barely/didn't know.

[dukelifer]

I was a freshman sitting just behind the Duke bench when Banks hit the shot against Carolina. The other big shots mentioned were each incredible. However, one shot that I will always remember, and while it did not win the game, probably saved our fannies, was Hurley's 3 against UNLV in the 1991 semis. That might be the greatest shot that did not win a championship in Duke basketball history

Banks shot led to K's first win against Dean Smith. A big milestone for a young coach who would have to wait a while for the next one. But the biggest single shot is Laettner's shot against KY.

[rthomas]

Laettner, Redick and J. Will were all big shots. And shot a lot of them.

[hq2]

For the record, there are usually about four or five classic shot in Duke history that are always discussed.

1. Laettner's shot - which by the way, when he actually shot it, was a virtual free throw; it was the perfect
throw by G.Hill and catch by Laettner that was the play; once he came down with the ball, it was game over.

2. Gene's shot - for pure drama and difficulty, hard to beat. It was his last game in Cameron against Carolina,
and he threw roses to the crowd before the game too! He backed it up!

3. Robbie West's shot in '72 to beat Carolina - near the onset of the Dark Ages; don't remember it that well.

4. Hurley's 3 against Vegas - a lightning bolt. It was the entire dividing line in time of Duke Basketball. I was
incredulous - THEY ARE REALLY GOING TO WIN THIS GAME, AND WIN THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP!

5. Austin's shot last year - 'nuf said here already.

Jeff Capel's heave against Carolina in '95 would make the list, but Duke went on to lose the game.

[davekay1971]

I will always go with Bobby's shot vs. UNLV.

Before Bobby made that shot, Duke had a very good basketball program and Coach K had made us a Final Four regular...but both the coach and the program hadn't been able to make it over the hump. We were in the category of "honorable mention."

So Duke faces UNLV, the monster that had destroyed us by 30 the year before and was, arguably, even better.

Duke fights. Duke fights gamely. Keeps the game close. UNLV can't seem to pull away. Until they go up by 5 with about 3 minutes left. At that point, there's a feeling of inevitability developing. Duke, once again a Final Four team, after fighting gamely against a better team, is about to lose.

And then Bobby, not a great 3 point shooter at that point, comes right down and calmly drains the 3. Logisitically, it turned a 5 point game with 3 minutes left to a 2 point game. Not a huge swing, frankly. But it sent a message, to the rest of the Duke team, the people in the stadium, the announcers, the folks watching on TV, and, most importantly, to UNLV, that Duke was absolutely not going to roll over and die.

To me, that shot was the dividing line between Duke being a really, really good program, and Duke being a championship program.

[Wander]

Not as big as Laettner or Hurley, but I vote as most underrated Lance Thomas' offensive rebound on Nolan's missed free throw, which immediately turned into the go-ahead three against Baylor. Can you imagine what the perception of Duke would be today if we had lost to Baylor in the Elite 8 that year and everything else stayed the same?

[rthomas]

How many big shots can you have in a single game? For example, the 2001 NC game vs Arizona.

1. Arizona cut Duke's lead to 2 early in the second half, but Mike Dunleavy Jr. made three three-pointers during an 11–2 Duke run.

2. Shane Battier's tip in and two huge dunk's with under 5 minutes remaining.

3. Jason Williams, despite a poor shooting night, iced the game with a three-pointer from the top of the key with about 2 minutes left to give Duke an eight-point lead.

[Dev11]

Not as big as Laettner or Hurley, but I vote as most underrated Lance Thomas' offensive rebound on Nolan's missed free throw, which immediately turned into the go-ahead three against Baylor. Can you imagine what the perception of Duke would be today if we had lost to Baylor in the Elite 8 that year and everything else stayed the same?

Intentionally steering off-topic because this sounds more interesting than the thread topic which has been hashed so many times...

The perception would not be great. It would be a magnified version of the Duke-isn't-athletic meme as well as the beginning of the call to have K retire because 'he's too old and can't keep up with today's game,' a la Paterno in the early 2000s, although his subsequent FIBA success would at least dampen the argument. I believe that getting to the Final Four that year lengthened K's Duke career by a not-insignificant amount of time, and in my opinion, will be the difference between him getting 1000 wins and not reaching it. I'm sure glad Lance made that shot.

Thinking more about that 2010 season, which was more important - Lance making that shot and us making the Final Four, or Gordon Hayward missing that prayer? If Hayward makes that shot, we get to be treated to replays of it for the rest of time and become the first victim of a mid-major in a National Championship in a long time.

[Tom B.]

I will always go with Bobby's shot vs. UNLV.

Before Bobby made that shot, Duke had a very good basketball program and Coach K had made us a Final Four regular...but both the coach and the program hadn't been able to make it over the hump. We were in the category of "honorable mention."

So Duke faces UNLV, the monster that had destroyed us by 30 the year before and was, arguably, even better.

Duke fights. Duke fights gamely. Keeps the game close. UNLV can't seem to pull away. Until they go up by 5 with about 3 minutes left. At that point, there's a feeling of inevitability developing. Duke, once again a Final Four team, after fighting gamely against a better team, is about to lose.

And then Bobby, not a great 3 point shooter at that point, comes right down and calmly drains the 3. Logisitically, it turned a 5 point game with 3 minutes left to a 2 point game. Not a huge swing, frankly. But it sent a message, to the rest of the Duke team, the people in the stadium, the announcers, the folks watching on TV, and, most importantly, to UNLV, that Duke was absolutely not going to roll over and die.

To me, that shot was the dividing line between Duke being a really, really good program, and Duke being a championship program.




It's always fun to watch that shot because of the abrupt about-face in Billy Packer's commentary, which went something like:

"It's important for Duke not to panic, they don't need a three...[swish]...but that's a good shot because it was there, Jim...."


Other memorable clutch shots -- maybe not as big, but still fun:

Ricky Price's three-pointer from the corner at the buzzer to beat Maryland at Cole Field House in 1996.

Chris Duhon's running one-handed floater at the buzzer to beat Wake in Joel Coliseum in 2001.

Duhon going coast-to-coast and finishing with an up-and-under layup to beat Carolina in overtime at the Dean Dome in 2004.

[RPS]

I was in the stands at CIS with Tink nailed the jumper over Sam Perkins to send the game into OT in 1981. But I was also in the stands (a few rows up, right behind Laettner when he made the in-bounds pass) for another big-time shot that I'm surprised no one has mentioned to this point. In a shot that foreshadows the memorable UK game-winner, Christian beat UConn in the Meadowlands in OT of the 1990 Elite Eight. You can read about it here (http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1990-03-25/sports/9003253693_1_laettner-duke-blue-devils) and watch it here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjVY39bCnig).

Enjoy.

[Faustus]

I still remain impressed with the aforementioned Battier tip-in late in the Arizona championship game. It was a really important score, and I vividly still see it in my mind, because he did it with the back of his hand, not palm & fingers, right? Or is that my failing memory?

Curiously, I cannot now remember the last basket we scored against Butler, just that final missed Zoubek FT...

(Sadly, I can also remember a late shot by Johnny Dawkins in the '86 Louisville game, a little short jumper from the side that hit both rims and fell off. Oh, how I wish he had a second chance at that...)

[noworries]

I still remain impressed with the aforementioned Battier tip-in late in the Arizona championship game. It was a really important score, and I vividly still see it in my mind, because he did it with the back of his hand, not palm & fingers, right? Or is that my failing memory?

Curiously, I cannot now remember the last basket we scored against Butler, just that final missed Zoubek FT...

(Sadly, I can also remember a late shot by Johnny Dawkins in the '86 Louisville game, a little short jumper from the side that hit both rims and fell off. Oh, how I wish he had a second chance at that...)

Singler jumper from about 18 feet on the wing, catch and shoot...then two free throws from nolan (maybe?) to make it 60-55

[Faustus]

Thanks! ( But I still can't remember them... Senility approaching at warp speed...)

[gumbomoop]

I still remain impressed with the aforementioned Battier tip-in late in the Arizona championship game. It was a really important score, and I vividly still see it in my mind, because he did it with the back of his hand, not palm & fingers, right? Or is that my failing memory?

Here's my 2009 memory [a Battier thread] of that 2001 game and amazing Battier moment:


.... that truly amazing tip-in with maybe 3-4 minutes left, when he swooped in from right side of basket, then between several players, somehow got his right hand up to the rim, and tipped the ball in with, I think, the back of his pinky-ring fingers/wrist as the ball fell off to the left.

[Faustus]

Yes! So I'm not imagining it. Thanks,

[gep]

Singler jumper from about 18 feet on the wing, catch and shoot...then two free throws from nolan (maybe?) to make it 60-55


Thanks! ( But I still can't remember them... Senility approaching at warp speed...)

Try this... http://vault.ncaa.com/

Select Duke, then 2010 vs Butler...

With 5:07 left, it was 56-55 Duke... Singler with 2-point jump shot at 4:45 left... 58-55 Duke.

With 3:16 left, Nolan with 2 free throws... 60-55 Duke.

You know the rest :cool:

[Faustus]

Ah, just as if it were yesterday! And then the streamers come down from the arena cieling with Zoubek celebrating at mid-court... Brings a smile every time, doesn't it?

[Edouble]

I still remain impressed with the aforementioned Battier tip-in late in the Arizona championship game. It was a really important score, and I vividly still see it in my mind, because he did it with the back of his hand, not palm & fingers, right? Or is that my failing memory?

Curiously, I cannot now remember the last basket we scored against Butler, just that final missed Zoubek FT...

(Sadly, I can also remember a late shot by Johnny Dawkins in the '86 Louisville game, a little short jumper from the side that hit both rims and fell off. Oh, how I wish he had a second chance at that...)

Yeah, that was an amazing shot. Made me think that Battier was playing with some sort of basketball transcendency and that he would not let us lose, no matter what. It was so clear at that point that the momentum was in our favor, and that it would be for the remainder of the game. Arizona had some great parts, but Battier was somehow our best player, and also our team glue.

When I think back to the Butler game, I remember how on edge I was. I did not know what would happen, but I hoped and hoped that we would win.

The 2001 game, however, closed with a feeling of elation. Of course the score was not as close, but I just knew that Shane would leave everything on the court for his last game, and that when he did, it would be enough.

[Dsuke17]

1997, against UNC in Cameron. Langdon hit a three-pointer in less than one minute remaining to seal the victory. The win snapped seven game losing streak against UNC. The team went on to win ACC regular season championship. This is my favorite shot which has not been mentioned in this thread.

[jmck214]

I think everyone pretty much covered the great shots but how bout the two great tip ins that weren't mentioned? Both from the 2001 season with the Nate James tip in the ACC Semi's vs Maryland in that great back and forth finish and then there was Battiers crazy tip in during the second half of the Zona Natl Champ game.

Also some other shots that I dont think were mentioned:

Jwill's three pointer that put the 01 Champ Game out of reach
Redick's big three on a Deng kickout in 2004 Elite 8 Vs Xavier
Carrawell and McLeod's back to back baskets in the lane to tie UNC at 75 and to take the 77-75 lead on SR day in 98
Chris Collins game winning three at NC State in 96 to get our first conference win
Scheyer Three vs Georgia Tech in 2010 ACC Championship game to go up by I believe 5 with less than a minute to go

[throatybeard]

Chris Collins game winning three at NC State in 96 to get our first conference win.

What a glorious gob of silliness he pulled out of his hindside on that. I sometimes think the front-spin on that pulled it from the equator of the rim to bouncing in. It was probably the difference in us making or not making the 1996 NCAAT. Best, it was in Reynolds, not in the Whalercanes arena.

[gumbomoop]

... how bout the two great tip ins that weren't mentioned? Both from the 2001 season.... there was Battiers crazy tip in during the second half of the Zona Natl Champ game.

Battier tip-in mentioned/discussed in posts #8, 12, 15, and 19, this thread.

[mike88]

I think everyone pretty much covered the great shots but how bout the two great tip ins that weren't mentioned? Both from the 2001 season with the Nate James tip in the ACC Semi's vs Maryland in that great back and forth finish and then there was Battiers crazy tip in during the second half of the Zona Natl Champ game.


I agree about Nate's tip in against Maryland - winning that game, then crushing Carolina, was very big for building the momentum of the team for the NCAA tournament run in 2001. Thanks too to Maryland (Juan Dixon?) for not making the half-court heave that would have beaten us at the buzzer in that game; not quite as big a miss as Butler's, but close.