What's the greatest game ever played in Cameron?

[wgl1228]

I'm sure this has been discussed before, but here on the 75th birthday of CIS I'd be interested to see the responses. Could it possibly be a loss (Capel shot game)?

[CDu]

For me it was the 1998 game against UNC. We came back from a huge deficit to beat them, and held on thanks to some seriously poor free throw shooting by UNC at the end. Unbelievable atmosphere.

I'm sure there have been other amazing games, but to be there in person makes it the best game I've ever seen.

[killerleft]

Fred Lind triple-overtime game against UNC. I can think of several great candidates, but I'll leave those for others.

[Stray Gator]

I'm sure this has been discussed before, but here on the 75th birthday of CIS I'd be interested to see the responses. Could it possibly be a loss (Capel shot game)?

March 2, 1968. And I was privileged to be there, along with a few other longtime posters here.

[TKG]

The Art Heyman popping Larry Brown game.........

[flyingdutchdevil]

Like CDu, this game stays with me because I was there. I don't think my heart could take another half second of action during that last possession. I particularly remember JJ's amazing D on McCants. I didn't have great seats (White tenting and was one of the last tents in) and didn't even see the ball go out of bounds, but the tension followed by cheering was unbelievable. One of the best live sporting events I've ever been to.

[GGLC]

Though it was a loss, the double-overtime game in the '94-'95 season when Jeff Capel hit that halfcourt shot at the buzzer has to be way up there. Still by far the greatest game I've ever seen in person.

[OldPhiKap]

The Art Heyman popping Larry Brown game.........

Which was preceded by the Freshman game, in which there were so many fouls and fights that UNC had to finish with four players.

(And which, I believe but could be wrong, was itself preceded by a manager's game that involved fisticuffs).


My personal was the "In-Hale Ex-Hale" game in 1986, where we beat UNC and they retired Johnny's number. Last home game for JD, Alarie, Bilas, Hendu, and Weldon Williams.

[throatybeard]

"Rock achieved perfection in 1974. It's scientific fact!" ---Homer Simpson

[wcg]

Gene Banks hits the shot to go into overtime with the cheaters. Duke wins in OT. I was sitting on the old iron rail behind the bench.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aV1B2Bp0EIg

[arnie]

The Art Heyman popping Larry Brown game.........

For me two I witnessed in Cameron- Robbie West shot in 72 and Langdon breaking UNC streak in I think 1997.

[gam7]

For me it was the 1998 game against UNC. We came back from a huge deficit to beat them, and held on thanks to some seriously poor free throw shooting by UNC at the end. Unbelievable atmosphere.

I'm sure there have been other amazing games, but to be there in person makes it the best game I've ever seen.

This sure was a satisfying one. If not the best, it must have been the loudest there during those free throws. If Cameron could recreate that noise during opposing team FTs, it definitely would improve our FT against percentage.

[Bob Green]

Fred Lind triple-overtime game against UNC. I can think of several great candidates, but I'll leave those for others.


March 2, 1968. And I was privileged to be there, along with a few other longtime posters here.

Bingo! We have a winner. At least for games played during my viewing years. I watched on TV. That would be a black & white TV with rabbit ears.

[Kedsy]

For me it was the 1998 game against UNC. We came back from a huge deficit to beat them, and held on thanks to some seriously poor free throw shooting by UNC at the end. Unbelievable atmosphere.

I'm sure there have been other amazing games, but to be there in person makes it the best game I've ever seen.


Gene Banks hits the shot to go into overtime with the cheaters. Duke wins in OT. I was sitting on the old iron rail behind the bench.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aV1B2Bp0EIg

I attended both of these games, and my vote goes to the Gene Banks game in 1981. The 7-0 game in 1979 was also pretty cool (and pretty loud).

[jv001]

Bingo! We have a winner. At least for games played during my viewing years. I watched on TV. That would be a black & white TV with rabbit ears.

Put me down for this game as well. Like Bob, I was watching on the TV, but this game was not from the couch, but from the living room floor. My mom said, boy, you're going blind from sitting that close to the television or you're going deaf for having the volume up so loud. Yeh, that's a winner folks, as the late-great Jack Buck would say. GoDuke!

[MChambers]

I attended both of these games, and my vote goes to the Gene Banks game in 1981. The 7-0 game in 1979 was also pretty cool (and pretty loud).
1979 deserves mention, but more as the coolest, as it is almost certainly the only time was unable to hit the rim for an entire half, rather than the best.

[Lar77]

But I'd like to nominate the Gary Melchionni game where he scored 39 in a winning effort against an overwhelmingly favored Maryland team coached by Lefty. Probably the source on Mr. Elmore's 40 year hate on us.

[jipops]

For me it was the 1998 game against UNC. We came back from a huge deficit to beat them, and held on thanks to some seriously poor free throw shooting by UNC at the end. Unbelievable atmosphere.

I'm sure there have been other amazing games, but to be there in person makes it the best game I've ever seen.

Of course I have to think back to the games I actually attended. The 1998 UNC game probably ranks 1st with me as well.

Others of note in order of regard:
1995 UNC game with Capel's half court heave (even though we lost)
Dec 5, 1992 game vs. the Fab Five - this one was just so intense with an amazing amount of trash talking
2005 UNC
Feb 1986 Notre Dame - Dawkins blocks David Rivers

[howardlander]

I attended both of these games, and my vote goes to the Gene Banks game in 1981. The 7-0 game in 1979 was also pretty cool (and pretty loud).

I was also at the 79 and 81 games. I think I'd have the 7-0 game first because of the historical significance of the scoreless first half and the beginning of the "Airball" chant. It was also my 20th birthday so that added something for me. But the 1981 game was pretty special as well. Incredibly loud and an amazing finish. The last home game for the seniors that had taken us to the National Title game our freshman year.

Howard

[ramdevil]

Gene Banks hits the shot to go into overtime with the cheaters. Duke wins in OT. I was sitting on the old iron rail behind the bench.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aV1B2Bp0EIg

This game gets my vote. That night there was a Springsteen concert in Greensboro (unless my memory has failed me) - we went nuts for the encore Devil with a Blue Dress. I think my call home after this game convinced my sister to apply to and come to Duke.

ramdevil

[Olympic Fan]

My take:

1. The Freddie Lind game in 1968. I don't think I've ever met anyone who was there who doesn't think that one was best. 87-86 in triple overtime and the hero was a guy at the end of his junior year who have never played before. UNC was No. 2 in the nation with a team that would play UCLA for the national title.

2. The 1998 comeback game. K's 500th win. The game clinched the regular season title. And the rally from 17 down with 11 minutes to play was remarkable.

3. The Gene Banks farewell. Gene was not the greatest Duke player -- not even the greatest on his own team for most of his career (G-man was). But he was one of the most important -- his commitment made Duke relevant again after a decade in the wilderness. Great finish in regulation, then again in overtime for the victory.

4. Duke-UCLA in December of 1965. The Bruins were coming off back-to-back national titles and were No. 1 in the nation. Wooden's fullcourt press was so fearsome that when Duke broke it for the first time, the crowd went nuts. Jack Marin, Bob Verga and Steve Vacendak were the studs who vanquished the Bruins 82-66 ... one night later, Duke added a 94-75 victory over the Bruins in Charlotte.

5. The 1961 UNC game -- that's the Heyman-Brown fight. UNC had beaten Duke and Doug Moe had shut down Heyman in the finals of the Dixie Classic in December. Heyman was great in the February rematch -- I think 36 points and 11-for-13 field goal shooting in the 81-77 Duke win. It was marred at the end by the worst fight in ACC history -- started by Larry Brown.

6. Dec. 5, 1992 -- Duke had won two straight national titles, but the Fab Five (losers to Duke in the 1991 title game), were No. 1 and riding high. Before the game, Jalen Rose told a reporter that he almost felt sorry for Duke because of what they were going to do to the Devils. Instead, Bobby Hurley and Grant Hill dominated the game as Duke won 79-68. Whenever you hear Jalen Rose talk trash about Grant or Duke (as he often does), remember his frustration -- the Fab Five were winless against the Devils -- 0-3 with the full lineup, 0-1 after left after Webber left and 0-1 after Howard also left.

7. The 2010 rout of the Tar Heels. Come on, a 32-point rout of UNC has to be high on your list. 82-50 ... what a beautiful score.

8. The Feb. 3, 1973 victory over No. 3 Maryland. A bleak time for Duke basketball, but Gary Melchionni scored 39 points against John Lucas out of the Mongoose (a spread offense not unlike UNC's Four Corners). Duke clinched the game when Lefty called a timeout that the Terps didn't have. Asked about it later, he insisted that he knew what he was doing. That's when he uttered his famous declaration: "Ah kin coach!"

9. The 2005 UNC game. Not often Duke is an underdog at home, but No. 2 UNC (the eventual national champ) was favored. GREAT defensive game by Shelden Williams. JJ Redick didn't have his best day shooting, but he won the game with a defensive play in the final seconds! Not a bad win over a group of guys who never had to go to class.

10. I was just a kid, but the 1963 Duke-West Virginia game was one I'll never forget. The Mountaineers, led by Rod Thorn, were No. 6 in the nation when they visits Duke. But Heyman and Mullins went nuts and Duke blitzed West Virginia 111-71 -- imagine that, a 40-point victory over one of the nations best teams.

I'll keep it to 10, although I could go another 10 deep -- the Air Ball game in 1979, the Robbie West game in 1972 (when Duke Indoor Stadium was renamed Cameron Indoor Stadium), the double-OT loss in 1995, the In-Hale, Ex-Hale game in 1986 (just note: although that was senior day for Dawkins, Alarie, Henderon and Bilas they didn't retire Johnny D's jersey that day. They did it a week earlier at the Oklahoma game). How about Vince Taylor's senior day game against Clemson -- another dismal year, but 35 points in a triple overtime win! How about the great comeback against NC State in 2012 (down 21 with 10 to play!). I was there for Heyman's final home game -- a 40 point, 24 rebound game against UNC.

I wasn't around to see Groat's final home game -- a 48-point effort against UNC. There were some other great games in the '50s that were before my time, including an come-from-behind upset of No. 7 Kentucky in December of 1956 that caused Adolph Rupp to blow his top.

Still, I can't imagine anything to top Fred Lind's moment of glory. Maybe if Sean Kelly or Nick Pagliuca come off the bench to lead a triple overtime victory over No. 2 Louisville late ...

[budwom]

Bingo! We have a winner. At least for games played during my viewing years. I watched on TV. That would be a black & white TV with rabbit ears.

As great as the other games were, this was clearly the most amazing I've seen. Extraordinarily improbable, with a little used guy coming off the bench to take control of a triple overtime game.

[MarkD83]

The best game has to be
1) a win
2) against UNC
3) in a spectacular fashion

I had the privelage of being at the Gene Banks game when I was a freshman and in 2011 when Duke came back from a double digit deficit with the defining play being a Ryan Kelly 3 pointer. I took my son to the 2011 game and after Ryan hit the 3-pointer my son turned to me and screamed something that I could not hear. Later on my son told me that he was trying to tell me he now knew why CIS was the best place to see a bball game.

[dukelifer]

I attended both of these games, and my vote goes to the Gene Banks game in 1981. The 7-0 game in 1979 was also pretty cool (and pretty loud).

1981 was my favorite- maybe because it was my senior year as well. That said- it was a special game and atmosphere- and K's first win against Dean Smith.

[OldPhiKap]

The best game has to be
1) a win
2) against UNC
3) in a spectacular fashion

I had the privelage of being at the Gene Banks game when I was a freshman and in 2011 when Duke came back from a double digit deficit with the defining play being a Ryan Kelly 3 pointer. I took my son to the 2011 game and after Ryan hit the 3-pointer my son turned to me and screamed something that I could not hear. Later on my son told me that he was trying to tell me he now knew why CIS was the best place to see a bball game.

82-50 was pretty damn spectacular. Should be in the discussion, just because.

[Reilly]

The best game has to be
1) a win
2) against UNC
3) in a spectacular fashion
....

This game is the most electric game that I saw live in Cameron that fits the criteria you sketch.

http://goduke.statsgeek.com/basketball-m/games/boxscore.php?gameid=19880306

Game was tied at halftime at 36. In the second half, Duke shot 73% on FGs, 91% on FTs, and scored 60 points. It was basically made shot, steal, dunk, roof explodes, rinse, repeat while a thoroughly annoying group of Heels (JR, Lebo, Scott Williams, King Rice, Ranzino) still managed to put up 81.

It was the second leg of that year's Triple Crown. It was Dean at the height of his powers. K's ascendancy, showing that there would be staying power after 1986. The next weekend would be the 65-61 tremendous battle in Greensboro.

[Duvall]

Are we talking about greatest games or favorite games? Seems like the greatest game should feature two teams playing at their highest level, so blowouts and major upsets probably wouldn't count.

[elvis14]

Are we talking about greatest games or favorite games? Seems like the greatest game should feature two teams playing at their highest level, so blowouts and major upsets probably wouldn't count.

I disagree....82-50 was just a beautiful thing to see. 9F (Note, I'm not saying it was the best but it should be in the conversation)

[gotoguy]

But I'd like to nominate the Gary Melchionni game where he scored 39 in a winning effort against an overwhelmingly favored Maryland team coached by Lefty. Probably the source on Mr. Elmore's 40 year hate on us.

That was the 72-73 season I believe and still my all time favorite individual Blue Devil performance I've had the privilege of seeing in person.

[Lar77]

82-50 was pretty damn spectacular. Should be in the discussion, just because.

And didn't we let up? Given the history of the series and the following post season, this was an unbelievable game that was satisfying on many levels.

[Henderson]

Depends on how long your memory goes back. But for me, it was 1979 against UNC. Before there was an organized Krzyzewskiville, camping under the portico with James Armstrong for 4 days brought out The Chronicle and local TV to figure out how nuts we were.

7-0 at half time, winning 47-40. As several others have already said. Chick Yonaker's two airballs and The Chant.

Runner Up: "Green shorts! Green shorts!"

[wcg]

Depends on how long your memory goes back. But for me, it was 1979 against UNC. Before there was an organized Krzyzewskiville, camping under the portico with James Armstrong for 4 days brought out The Chronicle and local TV to figure out how nuts we were.

7-0 at half time, winning 47-40. As several others have already said. Chick Yonaker's two airballs and The Chant.

Runner Up: "Green shorts! Green shorts!"

Green shorts name was Henry Pye!! Short pudgy Durham kid.

[alteran]

I attended both of these games, and my vote goes to the Gene Banks game in 1981. The 7-0 game in 1979 was also pretty cool (and pretty loud).

I vote for the Gene Banks senior night game as well. Maybe I'm a little biased because I was there as a 16 year-old.

[Henderson]

Green shorts name was Henry Pye!! Short pudgy Durham kid.

Not pudgy; just big boned. Ken Pye's son IIRC. All Duke players should bring the intensity that young Mr. Pye did.

[alteran]

1979 deserves mention, but more as the coolest, as it is almost certainly the only time was unable to hit the rim for an entire half, rather than the best.

I think we should note that night was also the birth of the airball chant-- IIRC, first screamed out by James Armstrong of DBR fame.

[Henderson]

I think we should note that night was also the birth of the airball chant-- IIRC, first screamed out by James Armstrong of DBR fame.

James showed up after my girlfriend and I. He camped out with us, though we were there first. We endured the crush going in. I stood with him front and center. The chant was spontaneous, loud, and simultaneous.

If you check The Chronicle for the day before the game, it wasn't James being noted. He was third in line. Great guy. We pressed together like straight men shouldn't for many a game, always early enuf to get front row center for two years.

[Native]

For me personally, it's the '98 or '05 UNC games. I wasn't there, but Gene Banks' buzzer-beater has to be up there.

But the answer is the Fred Lind game, methinks.

Question for the board: is there any game worthy of consideration not against that joke of a school eight miles down 15-501?

[Duvall]

For me personally, it's the '98 or '05 UNC games. I wasn't there, but Gene Banks' buzzer-beater has to be up there.

But the answer is the Fred Lind game, methinks.

Question for the board: is there any game worthy of consideration not against that joke of a school eight miles down 15-501?

People have mentioned the December 1992 game against Michigan, which was certainly a big game. Duke may have beaten Michigan a bit too badly in that game to qualify as a great game, though.

[oakvillebluedevil]

Not the greatest game or as well known an opponent but the November 2008 against Rhode Island will always stick with me.

Sleepy midmajor game on an early season Sunday. Duke wasn't playing well and RI stuck with them well through the first half. After a quiet first half (just 3 pts), Baron went off for 7 3s in the second, including 3 in 4 possessions very late in the second half to put duke down 6 with three mins. left. Each of those just seemed to be more contested and from further and further out in one of the most incredible halves I saw anyone put up in CIS.

Not the best played game by Duke by a longshot, but man it was something to see.

[devildeac]

For me personally, it's the '98 or '05 UNC games. I wasn't there, but Gene Banks' buzzer-beater has to be up there.

But the answer is the Fred Lind game, methinks.

Question for the board: is there any game worthy of consideration not against that joke of a school eight miles down 15-501?

This one is top 5 for me:

http://goduke.statsgeek.com/basketball-m/games/boxscore.php?gameid=19730203

See post #21 above for explanation/summary. Screamed myself hoarse during this one. Plus, elmore still sucks.

[OldPhiKap]

This game is the most electric game that I saw live in Cameron that fits the criteria you sketch.

http://goduke.statsgeek.com/basketball-m/games/boxscore.php?gameid=19880306

Game was tied at halftime at 36. In the second half, Duke shot 73% on FGs, 91% on FTs, and scored 60 points. It was basically made shot, steal, dunk, roof explodes, rinse, repeat while a thoroughly annoying group of Heels (JR, Lebo, Scott Williams, King Rice, Ranzino) still managed to put up 81.

It was the second leg of that year's Triple Crown. It was Dean at the height of his powers. K's ascendancy, showing that there would be staying power after 1986. The next weekend would be the 65-61 tremendous battle in Greensboro.

Thanks for bringing this one up. This was the last game I saw in Cameron as a student -- really loved going out with the Triple Crown as a senior!

[OldPhiKap]

For me personally, it's the '98 or '05 UNC games. I wasn't there, but Gene Banks' buzzer-beater has to be up there.

But the answer is the Fred Lind game, methinks.

Question for the board: is there any game worthy of consideration not against that joke of a school eight miles down 15-501?

We beat Oklahome at home in the mid-80's in a tough game (OT IIRC?) and of course JD stuffing Rivers and ND.

Beating Shaq his freshman year ("Shaq can't slam! Shaq can't slam!")

I've mentioned before, the single best performance I ever saw in Cameron live was Len Bias in 1986. We had the best defense in the country, and he dropped over 40 before fouling out. Got a standing O as he went off the floor.

[alteran]

We beat Oklahome at home in the mid-80's in a tough game (OT IIRC?) and of course JD stuffing Rivers and ND.

Beating Shaq his freshman year ("Shaq can't slam! Shaq can't slam!")

I've mentioned before, the single best performance I ever saw in Cameron live was Len Bias in 1986. We had the best defense in the country, and he dropped over 40 before fouling out. Got a standing O as he went off the floor.

My dad told a great story about that game. Bias made one of about 150 dunks that night, and after making one he went up the court, smiled and pointed at Alarie, kind of like, "in your face."

Alarie smiled back, and pointed at the scoreboard.

[OldPhiKap]

My dad told a great story about that game. Bias made one of about 150 dunks that night, and after making one he went up the court, smiled and pointed at Alarie, kind of like, "in your face."

Alarie smiled back, and pointed at the scoreboard.

What was also impressive (besides the fact that he did all of that scoring without a three-point line) -- he almost single-handedly beat UNC in Chapel Hill the prior game, with a similar sick dominating performance. That loss knocked Carolina into a tie with us for the conference regular season race, which we then took shortly thereafter in the "In-Hale Ex-Hale" game I referenced earlier.

1986 was ridiculous in the ACC -- and we haven't mentioned either NC State or GTech.

[sagegrouse]

My top three, where I was in the house, was #1 1998 Carolina game, an incredible comeback. #2 the Larry Brown-Art Heyman fight game, when I was a freshman in 1961. #3 the double-overtime UNC game in 1995, when my daughter was a senior.

[Tom B.]

We beat Oklahome at home in the mid-80's in a tough game (OT IIRC?) and of course JD stuffing Rivers and ND.

Beating Shaq his freshman year ("Shaq can't slam! Shaq can't slam!")

I've mentioned before, the single best performance I ever saw in Cameron live was Len Bias in 1986. We had the best defense in the country, and he dropped over 40 before fouling out. Got a standing O as he went off the floor.


Here's the boxscore (http://goduke.statsgeek.com/basketball-m/games/boxscore.php?gameid=19860125) for that 1986 game against Maryland. Bias scored 41 of Maryland's 68 points -- insane. No other Maryland player scored in double figures. (But according to this, Bias didn't foul out -- he finished the game with four fouls.)

Here's (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KdFhvX8Xaw) the famous Bias highlight from Maryland's 1986 game against UNC in the Dean Dome.

I was at the Shaq game in 1991. I remember the anticipation leading up to it -- many were worried that Shaq would just go nuts and tear down our rims. But Laettner absolutely shredded him, and our team defense harassed LSU's guards and wings so they couldn't get the ball to Shaq in good position. Shaq was stuck in single digit points until late in the game, then dropped seven or eight on our bench guys in the last few minutes to get his point total to 15. The best part, though, was when Shaq picked up his fourth foul and went to the bench, and the crowd chanted, "One, two, three, four, Shaq can't play this game no more!"

[Tom B.]

Question for the board: is there any game worthy of consideration not against that joke of a school eight miles down 15-501?




In addition to the games that have been mentioned, we had a memorable game against Arizona (http://goduke.statsgeek.com/basketball-m/games/boxscore.php?gameid=19900225) in 1990.

Also, the 1990 game against Georgia Tech (http://goduke.statsgeek.com/basketball-m/games/boxscore.php?gameid=19900128) should be in the conversation. That was the famous "Twinkie" game, where the crowd threw Twinkies at Dennis Scott during the pre-game introductions, and he went out and dropped 36 on us. We managed to survive his barrage and eked out an 88-86 win.

[Tappan Zee Devil]

As great as the other games were, this was clearly the most amazing I've seen. Extraordinarily improbable, with a little used guy coming off the bench to take control of a triple overtime game.

I was also there - it was my sophomore year - and I have to say that I have never experienced a more exhilarating (or louder) sports experience. It was a magical mystical game.

Freddy Lind will always be a hero to me.

[Reilly]

Are we talking about greatest games or favorite games? Seems like the greatest game should feature two teams playing at their highest level, so blowouts and major upsets probably wouldn't count.


Thanks for bringing this one up. This was the last game I saw in Cameron as a student -- really loved going out with the Triple Crown as a senior!

That's what made the 1988 game so great ... it was two great teams (#6 v. #9 in the country) ... late in the season ... both played well -- shooting 56% and 58% from the field for the game, just nuts ... and it was tight (36-36 at the half) ... UNC played to the tune of shooting 56% and scoring 81 points ... and yet it still ended up as a blowout for Duke over UNC ...

[Stray Gator]

I was also there - it was my sophomore year - and I have to say that I have never experienced a more exhilarating (or louder) sports experience. It was a magical mystical game.

Freddy Lind will always be a hero to me.

Fred is deservedly lauded as the hero of that game -- and was greeted after the game by a sizable mob of chanting students at the players' exit door, who carried him away from the Indoor Stadium towards the quad on their shoulders. But as I've posted here before, another, less heralded Duke player was in my opinion a close runner-up as player of the game: Joe Kennedy, who provided one of the greatest defensive performances I've ever seen, guarding UNC's star senior All-American one-on-one and holding him to 5-18 shooting from the floor and only 15 points over the entire 55 minutes. That's right, Miller was never taken out of the game. During the three overtimes, Dean Smith repeatedly resorted to the same offensive set, isolating Miller with the ball at the top of the key with a cleared-out lane -- a scheme that virtually no opponent could contain, because Miller was superb at putting the ball on the floor and bulling his way to the basket. In fact, he was the ACC Player of the Year twice, in 1966-67 and 1967-68. Time and again, Kennedy managed to stay in front of Miller to force his drives wide and bother his shot -- meanwhile scoring 14 points himself.

So whenever I see a reference to that game as "The Freddy Lind Game," I nod in agreement; but I also recall with a smile how Joe Kennedy shut down the "unstoppable" Larry Miller. For sustained noise and adrenaline and anxiety, I've never experienced anything like that game -- and I'm not sure my heart could even survive it today. For those Duke fans who were there, and I'm sure for those who watched it on TV, the glow of that victory endured for a long, long time.

[heyman25]

I enjoyed Art Heyman's senior day game against Billy Cunningham and UNC. I believe the score was 106 to 93. Best individual stats in Cameron if you include points and rebounds. 40 points 24 rebounds. No one will ever have a better last game in Cameron.

[heyman25]

Fred Lind game and the Robby West games were more exciting for drama than Heyman's senior day game.

[BigWayne]

Gene Banks hits the shot to go into overtime with the cheaters. Duke wins in OT. I was sitting on the old iron rail behind the bench.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aV1B2Bp0EIg

Best game I attended there, but my vote would go to the 7-0 game in 79.

[OldPhiKap]

Here's the boxscore (http://goduke.statsgeek.com/basketball-m/games/boxscore.php?gameid=19860125) for that 1986 game against Maryland. Bias scored 41 of Maryland's 68 points -- insane. No other Maryland player scored in double figures. (But according to this, Bias didn't foul out -- he finished the game with four fouls.)

Here's (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KdFhvX8Xaw) the famous Bias highlight from Maryland's 1986 game against UNC in the Dean Dome.

I was at the Shaq game in 1991. I remember the anticipation leading up to it -- many were worried that Shaq would just go nuts and tear down our rims. But Laettner absolutely shredded him, and our team defense harassed LSU's guards and wings so they couldn't get the ball to Shaq in good position. Shaq was stuck in single digit points until late in the game, then dropped seven or eight on our bench guys in the last few minutes to get his point total to 15. The best part, though, was when Shaq picked up his fourth foul and went to the bench, and the crowd chanted, "One, two, three, four, Shaq can't play this game no more!"

Thanks, maybe Lefty took Bias out at the end of the game instead of a foul-out. I definitely remember the applause for him as he left the game in a dead ball.

And that video is 14 seconds of about a five-minute period where Bias just went sick. Even that snippet shows how versatile he was. Inside, outside, up, down.

[Dukehky]

98 UNC

#1 vs #2, Duke coming off an embarrassing loss at UNC a month earlier. Elton Brand showcases Duke's miraculous medical staff, and Wojo established himself as a Duke legend despite the fact that he didn't score a point, and didn't play that good of defense on Ed Cota. McLeod and Brand. Boom!!!

[Tappan Zee Devil]

Fred is deservedly lauded as the hero of that game -- and was greeted after the game by a sizable mob of chanting students at the players' exit door, who carried him away from the Indoor Stadium towards the quad on their shoulders. But as I've posted here before, another, less heralded Duke player was in my opinion a close runner-up as player of the game: Joe Kennedy, who provided one of the greatest defensive performances I've ever seen, guarding UNC's star senior All-American one-on-one and holding him to 5-18 shooting from the floor and only 15 points over the entire 55 minutes. That's right, Miller was never taken out of the game. During the three overtimes, Dean Smith repeatedly resorted to the same offensive set, isolating Miller with the ball at the top of the key with a cleared-out lane -- a scheme that virtually no opponent could contain, because Miller was superb at putting the ball on the floor and bulling his way to the basket. In fact, he was the ACC Player of the Year twice, in 1966-67 and 1967-68. Time and again, Kennedy managed to stay in front of Miller to force his drives wide and bother his shot -- meanwhile scoring 14 points himself.

So whenever I see a reference to that game as "The Freddy Lind Game," I nod in agreement; but I also recall with a smile how Joe Kennedy shut down the "unstoppable" Larry Miller. For sustained noise and adrenaline and anxiety, I've never experienced anything like that game -- and I'm not sure my heart could even survive it today. For those Duke fans who were there, and I'm sure for those who watched it on TV, the glow of that victory endured for a long, long time.


Stray -

On reflection, you are correct, but that certainly was not my naive observation at that time. Defense rarely gets the credit it should.

Also the heroes of the early and mid 60s other than Lewis were gone in 67-68. Kennedy, Vandenberg and Golden (and finally - for one game, Lind) had to step up (and we did go 22-6 that year)


And - yes, that game was so overwhelming.

[jv001]

Fred is deservedly lauded as the hero of that game -- and was greeted after the game by a sizable mob of chanting students at the players' exit door, who carried him away from the Indoor Stadium towards the quad on their shoulders. But as I've posted here before, another, less heralded Duke player was in my opinion a close runner-up as player of the game: Joe Kennedy, who provided one of the greatest defensive performances I've ever seen, guarding UNC's star senior All-American one-on-one and holding him to 5-18 shooting from the floor and only 15 points over the entire 55 minutes. That's right, Miller was never taken out of the game. During the three overtimes, Dean Smith repeatedly resorted to the same offensive set, isolating Miller with the ball at the top of the key with a cleared-out lane -- a scheme that virtually no opponent could contain, because Miller was superb at putting the ball on the floor and bulling his way to the basket. In fact, he was the ACC Player of the Year twice, in 1966-67 and 1967-68. Time and again, Kennedy managed to stay in front of Miller to force his drives wide and bother his shot -- meanwhile scoring 14 points himself.

So whenever I see a reference to that game as "The Freddy Lind Game," I nod in agreement; but I also recall with a smile how Joe Kennedy shut down the "unstoppable" Larry Miller. For sustained noise and adrenaline and anxiety, I've never experienced anything like that game -- and I'm not sure my heart could even survive it today. For those Duke fans who were there, and I'm sure for those who watched it on TV, the glow of that victory endured for a long, long time.

I can't remember if Bob Lewis was on this same Carolina team, but I do know they played together at some point in their collegiate career. The fans called them the MM boys. They were pretty tough to handle. GoDuke!

[Stray Gator]

I can't remember if Bob Lewis was on this same Carolina team, but I do know they played together at some point in their collegiate career. The fans called them the MM boys. They were pretty tough to handle. GoDuke!

Bob Lewis played his final season at UNC in 1966-67, so he was not on the floor for the triple-overtime game the following season.

[jv001]

Bob Lewis played his final season at UNC in 1966-67, so he was not on the floor for the triple-overtime game the following season.

Thanks for that bit of information. One of my best friends who rooted for the tarheels loved Bob Lewis. He evened patterned his game in high school after Lewis. Of course, my friend couldn't jump like Lewis but he was a good shooter and floor general. We had many debates on the heels vs the Blue Devils. GoDuke!

[Olympic Fan]

Bob Lewis played his final season at UNC in 1966-67, so he was not on the floor for the triple-overtime game the following season.

Lewis and Miller were the L&M Boys (not MM Boys) in 1965-66 -- when Lewis led the ACC in scoring -- and in 1966-67, when UNC got good for the first time under Dean Smith. In the triple overtime game in 1968, Lewis' old wing spot was taken by a soph named Charlie Scott (who was much better than Lewis).

Bob Lewis is an interesting guy. He was a slender 6-3 forward as a prepster in Washington DC and he wanted to go to Duke. But Vic Bubas thought he was too small to play forward and not a good enough ballhandler to play guard. But one thing Lewis could do was shoot.

Bubas was a great recruiter, but he made two big mistakes in his career -- passing on Bob Lewis (who helped ignite Smith's program at UNC) and taking Brent Kitching out of Philly instead of Fred Hetzel, who wanted to play at Duke, but ended up as a first-team All-American at Davidson instead. Vic would have taken both, but he used his last scholarship on Bill Bradley -- that I don't consider a mistake, just bad luck.

Everybody makes mistakes -- Everett Case had both Dickie Hemric and Lennie Rosenbluth in tryout camps and passed on both. Bill Guthridge could have signed Jason Williams, but din't think he was a good enough scorer to be a wing guard and he didn't need a point guard cause he had Ron Curry. Bob Lewis was a Bubas mistake ...

[Ggallagher]

Fred Lind triple-overtime game against UNC. I can think of several great candidates, but I'll leave those for others.

I was at that game. I can't think of anything since then that equals it.

[burnspbesq]

Michigan in 2000. 34-2. It wasn't competitive, but it sure was fun.

[throatybeard]

98 UNC

#1 vs #2, Duke coming off an embarrassing loss at UNC a month earlier. Elton Brand showcases Duke's miraculous medical staff, and Wojo established himself as a Duke legend despite the fact that he didn't score a point, and didn't play that good of defense on Ed Cota. McLeod and Brand. Boom!!!

Au contraire.

Wojo scored exactly one point.

[hurleyfor3]

I smell a poll. The most common nominations seem to be:

1968 vs. unc (something something Fred Lind)
1979 vs. unc (7-0 at half; airball)
1981 vs. unc (Banks last-second shot)
1992 vs. Michigan (December after beating Fab Five in championship game)
1995 vs. unc (loss, but Capel's shot)
1998 vs. unc (comeback, Wojo hugs K at end, K's 500th)

Among more recent games, 2011 vs. unc was pretty cool.

Seems like it's worth discussing for awhile longer, then one of us can research the dates and scores and throw up a poll. I can't do it for the next few days anyway.

[Olympic Fan]

98 UNC

#1 vs #2, Duke coming off an embarrassing loss at UNC a month earlier. Elton Brand showcases Duke's miraculous medical staff, and Wojo established himself as a Duke legend despite the fact that he didn't score a point, and didn't play that good of defense on Ed Cota. McLeod and Brand. Boom!!!

As throaty pointed out, Wojo did score one point. And where did you get the idea that Wojo didn't play that good of defense on Ed Cota? Cota scored six points in the game, on 1-for-5 shooting. He had five turnovers. Wojo had three steals and forced the five-second call that set up the winning basket. He also had 11 assists and just one turnover.

And, just to be correct, the '98 game matched No. 1 Duke and No. 3 (not 2) UNC.

PS A poll would be fun, but it would be skewed by the youngsters on the board. If you were at the Freddie Lind game, you know without a doubt that was the best game. If you aren't 50-plus years old, you can't understand why that game was so unique and revert to a game you DO remember. If you're in your mid-to-late 40s, it's the air ball game or the Banks game. A bit younger and it's the '98 comeback. If you are really young, it might be the 2005 UNC game or the 2011 comeback or even the 2010 blowout.

[hurleyfor3]

PS A poll would be fun, but it would be skewed by the youngsters on the board.

Fair point, but it would still tell us something, and DBR skews older than most other bulletin boards. I'd probably pick 1979 even though I wouldn't care about Duke basketball for another decade.

[dukechem]

I, too, was at the Fred Lind game, and it's hard to vote for anything else.

[mr. synellinden]

Thanks for bringing this one up. This was the last game I saw in Cameron as a student -- really loved going out with the Triple Crown as a senior!

The first three minutes of the second half of that game was the loudest I ever heard Cameron. Here, listen/watch (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6_0zowGmzE) for yourself. Great memories. Also fun to listen to Dick Enberg and Coach Al.

[jv001]

Lewis and Miller were the L&M Boys (not MM Boys) in 1965-66 -- when Lewis led the ACC in scoring -- and in 1966-67, when UNC got good for the first time under Dean Smith. In the triple overtime game in 1968, Lewis' old wing spot was taken by a soph named Charlie Scott (who was much better than Lewis).

Bob Lewis is an interesting guy. He was a slender 6-3 forward as a prepster in Washington DC and he wanted to go to Duke. But Vic Bubas thought he was too small to play forward and not a good enough ballhandler to play guard. But one thing Lewis could do was shoot.

Bubas was a great recruiter, but he made two big mistakes in his career -- passing on Bob Lewis (who helped ignite Smith's program at UNC) and taking Brent Kitching out of Philly instead of Fred Hetzel, who wanted to play at Duke, but ended up as a first-team All-American at Davidson instead. Vic would have taken both, but he used his last scholarship on Bill Bradley -- that I don't consider a mistake, just bad luck.

Everybody makes mistakes -- Everett Case had both Dickie Hemric and Lennie Rosenbluth in tryout camps and passed on both. Bill Guthridge could have signed Jason Williams, but din't think he was a good enough scorer to be a wing guard and he didn't need a point guard cause he had Ron Curry. Bob Lewis was a Bubas mistake ...

Thanks for jogging my old memory OF. I remember now, Lewis and Miller were the L&M Boys and Mantle and Maris were the M&M Boys. Great information on Bob Lewis. Man, my buddy might have turned out to be a Duke fan rather than the heel fan. I knew that Duke looked at Lewis but did not remember the details. Funny how things can turn out. Bradley chooses Princeton and Duke loses he and Lewis. I also remember Fred Hetzel for Davidson. He was very good and I always wished we had him. Good information, my friend. God bless and GoDuke!

[jjasper0729]

Michigan in 2000. 34-2. It wasn't competitive, but it sure was fun.

This game will always stick in my mind as I was there that Saturday night, got home about midnight, my wife wakes me up at 2 to tell me we need to go to the hospital because she is having contractions. So, we go BACK to Duke hospital and she goes up to maternity. I'm in the maternity lobby with one of the other kids and we turn on the tv to espn and they are replaying the game at 3 in the morning. False alarm so we go home for Sunday, and go back on Monday for my youngest son to be born

[MulletMan]

Not the greatest game or as well known an opponent but the November 2008 against Rhode Island will always stick with me.

Sleepy midmajor game on an early season Sunday. Duke wasn't playing well and RI stuck with them well through the first half. After a quiet first half (just 3 pts), Baron went off for 7 3s in the second, including 3 in 4 possessions very late in the second half to put duke down 6 with three mins. left. Each of those just seemed to be more contested and from further and further out in one of the most incredible halves I saw anyone put up in CIS.

Not the best played game by Duke by a longshot, but man it was something to see.

Wow... good memory. That kid was hitting shots from EVERYWHERE that night. At first I was pissed at Duke, but then you realized, Barron wasn't open. Defenders were all over him. He hit one three fading away out of bounds from about 35 feet. UN. CONSCIOUS!

[wgl1228]

In recent years, not necessarily memorable games, but definitely memorable endings.

1. Sean Dockery heave to beat VT.
2. David McClure lay in at the buzzer to beat Clemson.

[throatybeard]

I'm going to go with chess. See, we were waiting for a Maryland game one time in gradskool...

[LSTennisMan]

Here's one that I haven't seen talked about:

2002: Duke beats eventual national champion Maryland.

The final score is deceiving (a 99-78 Duke win), but remember that first half? something like 25 lead changes!

Even though Duke pulled away in the second half, I was watching that one like "This is a preview of the title game!". Unfortunately, it just didn't happen that way.

[jv001]

John Roth had a wonderful article for Blue Devil Weekly in March, 2004. John tells about Freddie's wonderful games for Duke vs. the tarheels. Here are a few things, John mentions in his article.
In '68, Fred's junior year, he was told by Coach Bubas to be ready to play because he would be needed against the heel's front line. Well Fred must have listened to coach because he came up with the game of his life. He scored 16 points and had 9 rebounds in 31 minutes. Mike Lewis the Duke center(a great one) fouled out with 3:54 left in regulation. Mike had 18 pts and 18 rebounds. Fred made 2 FTs to send the game into the 1st OT, in the 1st OT he hit an 18 footer with 7 seconds to go to send the game into the 2nd OT. In the 2nd OT, he gets several rebounds to help send the game into the 3rd OT. In the 3rd OT he hits a hook shot, blocks a shot and grabs a critical rebound. Fred didn't stop there with his play against UNC. In his senior season he became a rotation player averaging over 10 pts per game. In Coach Bubas last game at Duke, Fred once again shined. He played all 40 minutes scoring 18 pts and grabbing 10 rebounds as Duke upset the #2 UNcheaters(not cheaters at that time). In that game he was helped by Steve Vandenberg who scored 31 points. Fred will always be one of my Duke favorites. GoDuke!

[UrinalCake]

The 98 game is it for me too. Many of our younger fans might not remember a time when UNC was actually better than us, but in 98 they had been killing us for years. And it was always their interior guys that just pounded us, while we had no answer. Then Brand shows up and it's like you've always been beaten up by the neighborhood bully but now you return to the playground with your older brother. The tables have turned and Elton just takes it right to them every time down the stretch. In the big picture, that time period was really a turning point for the program, which kick started our dominant run through the late 90's and early 2000's.

The 82-50 game is on my list too. So much fun to completely and utterly destroy those bastards. Up 27 at halftime. Roy said before the game that his #1 priority was stopping the three, and on our first three possessions we get three pointers from Nolan, Jon, and Kyle. Nice work, Roy!

[Olympic Fan]

Fred will always be one of my Duke favorites. GoDuke!

You know, of course, that Fred became a public defender in Greensboro. He told me that he is often mistaken for Rusty Clark -- his opposing center in the '68 game. They do look a bit alike, although Clark is 4-5 inches taller.

Also, Fred's daughter Caroline is one of the world's greatest rowers. She has two Olympic Gold medals and five world championships as a member of the US Women's Eight team. I think she is currently ranked No. 2 in the world.

[AncientPsychicT]

For a recent home game against a top 5 team not named UNC, how about the Ryan Kelly return game? (http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/boxscore?gameId=330610150)

Miami had thrashed us earlier that year by 27 points, but Ryan came back and went absolutely nuts, draining 36 points and leading us to a 79-76 win in the best game in Cameron during my 2+ years here so far. The atmosphere was completely electric, and Ryan was a total wizard that night.

FLY RAVEN FLY!

[BluDvlsN1]

Personally, all of the above games so well documented, qualify.
Particularly the unc W's, any and all of them.

Since the expansion of the ACC, it's only going to get much better.
So for me, last years 1st home win against Syracuse and in the fashion it happened,
should prove out to be the begining of something very special.

Being there and seeing Boeheim go ballistic, rip his coat off, screaming,
catapults this for me, right up there right behind the unc W's.

And hearing the Crazies singing
" All we do is win win win, no mater what what what"

[mbd1mbd1]

The two that stand out to me are the 98 Carolina game (I was on the second row, right around the FT line; it was deafening) and the demolition of Florida in the 98-99 season. That one ended 116-86 and it wasn't even that close. It was the game where Maggette got T'd up for slapping the backboard on a breakaway dunk.

[Kfanarmy]

The NEXT is the greatest game ever played in Cameron. The anticipation, the possibilities, the atmosphere, the knowns and unknowns, stats that are and stats that will be, energy, passion, makes and misses, MOTM, Coach K and The Crazies...a winner and a loser. The next game is always the greatest, and you tune in.

[jv001]

You know, of course, that Fred became a public defender in Greensboro. He told me that he is often mistaken for Rusty Clark -- his opposing center in the '68 game. They do look a bit alike, although Clark is 4-5 inches taller.

Also, Fred's daughter Caroline is one of the world's greatest rowers. She has two Olympic Gold medals and five world championships as a member of the US Women's Eight team. I think she is currently ranked No. 2 in the world.

I read in John Roth's article about his daughter. Matter of fact she wrote a paper on him while she was in college. Said that Fred was told before the '69 Duke-Carolina game, that Dean Smith wanted to talk to Fred. But Fred thought that Dean might be trying to get in his head before the game. Therefore he didn't speak to Dean that day. But a few days after the game, Bubas told Fred that Coach Smith really liked him and wanted him to play in some Pre-Olympic games(I think). They became pretty good friends after that. I didn't know if Fred was still practicing law in this area or not. Good to hear he's doing well. GoDuke!