A Summer List -- "Next Play" version; a.k.a. Losses You Got Over The Easiest

[Nugget]

While losing is never fun, here's my take on the losses in the Coach K era that were easiest to absorb.

The ones from 89-91 stand out to me because we were such young teams, playing physically superior opponents on the road.

Similarly, the 2009 and 2010 losses at Wisconsin (which just played out of their minds), Wake and Maryland were strong efforts against high quality opponents that had everything to play for at home -- Wake for a #1 ranking and Maryland for the conf. title in one of Vasquez's last home games.

Comments welcomed.

Duke's 25 Least Troubling Losses Under Coach K

(1) 1989-1990 - @ Michigan (113-108) (ot)
(2) 1990-1991 - @ Georgetown (79-74)
(3) 1989-1990 - Syracuse, @ Greensboro (78-76)
(4) 1991 - @ Arizona (103-96) (2ot)
(5) 2009-2010 - @ Wisconsin (73-69)
(6) 2009 - @ Wake Forest (70-68)
(7) 2010 - @ Maryland (79-72)

(8) 1990-1991 - Arkansas, Pre-Season NIT Semis (98-88)
(9) 1990 - @ Clemson (97-93)
(10) 1996-1997 - Indiana, Pre-Season NIT Final (85-69)
(11) 1984 - Maryland, ACC Tournament Final (74-62)
(12) 2005 - @ Wake Forest (92-89)
(13) 1997 - @ North Carolina (91-85)
(14) 1987 - Indiana, NCAA Sweet Sixteen (88-82)
(15) 2007-2008 - Pitt, @ MSG (65-64)
(16) 1992 - @ Wake Forest (72-68)
(17) 2006 - @ Georgetown (87-84)
(18) 2009 - @ North Carolina (79-71)
(19) 1991 - @ N.C. St. (96-91)
(20) 1996 - Wake Forest (57-54)
(21) 2008 - Clemson, ACC Tournament Semis (78-74)
(22) 1998 - @ North Carolina (97-73) (without Elton; cut 20 point deficit to 4 before Carolina pulled away)
(23) 2009 - North Carolina (101-87)
(24) 2003 - Kansas, NCAA Sweet Sixteen (69-65)
(25) 1994 - @ North Carolina (89-78)

[Newton_14]

While losing is never fun, here's my take on the losses in the Coach K era that were easiest to absorb.

The ones from 89-91 stand out to me because we were such young teams, playing physically superior opponents on the road.

Similarly, the 2009 and 2010 losses at Wisconsin (which just played out of their minds), Wake and Maryland were strong efforts against high quality opponents that had everything to play for at home -- Wake for a #1 ranking and Maryland for the conf. title in one of Vasquez's last home games.

Comments welcomed.

Duke's 25 Least Troubling Losses Under Coach K

(1) 1989-1990 - @ Michigan (113-108) (ot)
(2) 1990-1991 - @ Georgetown (79-74)
(3) 1989-1990 - Syracuse, @ Greensboro (78-76)
(4) 1991 - @ Arizona (103-96) (2ot)
(5) 2009-2010 - @ Wisconsin (73-69)
(6) 2009 - @ Wake Forest (70-68)
(7) 2010 - @ Maryland (79-72)

(8) 1990-1991 - Arkansas, Pre-Season NIT Semis (98-88)
(9) 1990 - @ Clemson (97-93)
(10) 1996-1997 - Indiana, Pre-Season NIT Final (85-69)
(11) 1984 - Maryland, ACC Tournament Final (74-62)
(12) 2005 - @ Wake Forest (92-89)
(13) 1997 - @ North Carolina (91-85)
(14) 1987 - Indiana, NCAA Sweet Sixteen (88-82)
(15) 2007-2008 - Pitt, @ MSG (65-64)
(16) 1992 - @ Wake Forest (72-68)
(17) 2006 - @ Georgetown (87-84)
(18) 2009 - @ North Carolina (79-71)
(19) 1991 - @ N.C. St. (96-91)
(20) 1996 - Wake Forest (57-54)
(21) 2008 - Clemson, ACC Tournament Semis (78-74)
(22) 1998 - @ North Carolina (97-73) (without Elton; cut 20 point deficit to 4 before Carolina pulled away)
(23) 2009 - North Carolina (101-87)
(24) 2003 - Kansas, NCAA Sweet Sixteen (69-65)
(25) 1994 - @ North Carolina (89-78)

Actually, that 1998 game at UNC has stuck in my craw forever. With 5 minutes left, we were right there in a tight game. We had a few back to back turnovers that led to easy UNC points, and UNC poured it on in typical style, fast-breaking at every opportunity until the closing horn, choosing not to run any clock. That is why the final margin of victory was 24 instead of 10 or 12. But, our mistakes fueled the fire so we should have played better.

However, a month later in Cameron, and with Elton, we got one of the great Duke moments with Wojo running to hug Coach K, after we came from 18 down to stick a knife in their hearts!

[Son of Mojo]

The double OT game with Arizona still bugs me. I'll always remember it for Koubek hitting a 3, replays showing he hit a 3, but a few minutes later the refs changing it to a 2.... Had it been counted as a 3, we win (cannot remember now if it was in regulation or the 1st OT, but it was one or the other).

[ArkieDukie]

The double OT game with Arizona still bugs me. I'll always remember it for Koubek hitting a 3, replays showing he hit a 3, but a few minutes later the refs changing it to a 2.... Had it been counted as a 3, we win (cannot remember now if it was in regulation or the 1st OT, but it was one or the other).

I second this one, big time. We were so robbed - should've won the game in regulation based on the play described above. I seem to remember that Coach K was not happy and would not renew the series with Arizona. Seems like they were Pac 10 refs???

[MarkD83]

Any loss to UNC is hard to handle.

[devildeac]

While losing is never fun, here's my take on the losses in the Coach K era that were easiest to absorb.

The ones from 89-91 stand out to me because we were such young teams, playing physically superior opponents on the road.

Similarly, the 2009 and 2010 losses at Wisconsin (which just played out of their minds), Wake and Maryland were strong efforts against high quality opponents that had everything to play for at home -- Wake for a #1 ranking and Maryland for the conf. title in one of Vasquez's last home games.

Comments welcomed.

Duke's 25 Least Troubling Losses Under Coach K

(1) 1989-1990 - @ Michigan (113-108) (ot)
(2) 1990-1991 - @ Georgetown (79-74)
(3) 1989-1990 - Syracuse, @ Greensboro (78-76)
(4) 1991 - @ Arizona (103-96) (2ot)
(5) 2009-2010 - @ Wisconsin (73-69)
(6) 2009 - @ Wake Forest (70-68)
(7) 2010 - @ Maryland (79-72)

(8) 1990-1991 - Arkansas, Pre-Season NIT Semis (98-88)
(9) 1990 - @ Clemson (97-93)
(10) 1996-1997 - Indiana, Pre-Season NIT Final (85-69)
(11) 1984 - Maryland, ACC Tournament Final (74-62)
(12) 2005 - @ Wake Forest (92-89)
(13) 1997 - @ North Carolina (91-85)
(14) 1987 - Indiana, NCAA Sweet Sixteen (88-82)
(15) 2007-2008 - Pitt, @ MSG (65-64)
(16) 1992 - @ Wake Forest (72-68)
(17) 2006 - @ Georgetown (87-84)
(18) 2009 - @ North Carolina (79-71)
(19) 1991 - @ N.C. St. (96-91)
(20) 1996 - Wake Forest (57-54)
(21) 2008 - Clemson, ACC Tournament Semis (78-74)
(22) 1998 - @ North Carolina (97-73) (without Elton; cut 20 point deficit to 4 before Carolina pulled away)
(23) 2009 - North Carolina (101-87)
(24) 2003 - Kansas, NCAA Sweet Sixteen (69-65)
(25) 1994 - @ North Carolina (89-78)

I haven't gotten over any of them.

[hurleyfor3]

(2) 1990-1991 - @ Georgetown (79-74)

This one still bothers me because I was at that game, as an undergraduate. And gas prices had run up due to Saddam's invasion of Kuwait. On the way back I recall paying $1.43 in the middle of nowhere in Virginia. Yikes! Had we played Georgetown later in the season, we would have beaten them, easily.

I agree that almost all losses to unc are hard to get over; by extension, so is any loss to a Roy Williams-coached team (ku, '03 sweet 16). @unc in '94 was kind of a big one, as it was #1 vs. #2 (we were #1) and no one knew yet how the rest of the year would play out.

1992 @Wake really bothered me. Some terrible calls in that one (think Laettner's T for allegedly hanging on the rim).

Tops on my list is the '94 championship game. I realize this is a minority opinion. I was prepared (or maybe inured) for the '05 and '09 sweet 16 losses, so they don't bother me as much as a couple other faceplants we've had.

[NovaScotian]

Any loss to UNC is hard to handle.

i agree. also, the 07/08 loss to pitt (and dejuan blair's booty) at msg absolutely killed me, as it was my senior year and the team was just beginning to show signs it wasn't as invincible as i had hoped.

i do agree that the 09/10 loss to wisconsin didn't hurt too bad as it was just the first loss of that season and almost no one win's at Kohl or whatever, although it sealed the deal on the first ACC loss in the ESPN challenge.

[Dukehky]

I think that by far the two hardest games for me to get over were the losses to UCONN in the finals in '99 and '04 in the final four.

Naturally, both games I thought were miserably officiated, but then again I was pretty young. But the '99 team I have always thought was the best team Duke has EVER had with all the talent, athleticism, and experience we had, and that loss was devastating. In the '04 semis we just completely tanked, ruining forever my thoughts on "stall ball." THey also gave Calhoun 2 ships that I didn't think he really earned and with the last one, he is classified as one of the greatest of all time, which he's just not. But those were two games that took the wind out of the sails of my life.

'02 loss to Indiana was horrible too, giving up a 17 point lead and losing it on a missed free throw from Jay and a few missed putbacks by Booze. That team was something special and I genuinely feel bad for all of those guys... and myself.

The easiest big loss I thought we sustained was the loss to LSU in the sweet 16 in '06. I felt like JJ and Shelden went into that game with a bit of a sense of entitlement to a championship and we were just outplayed the entire game, nothing else to really be said, no controversy, just outplayed by a more athletic team that figured a way to put it all together to pull a really big upset.

[ricks68]

I haven't gotten over any of them.

I agree with dd. I also think that is why the thread has evolved into the kinds of answers you are getting.

ricks

[gam7]

Glad to see the 2010 Maryland game on the list. This game immediately came to mind when I saw this thread. Duke played consistently great defense all game, but Maryland kept hitting shots that they had no business even taking. The game made me think that that Duke team was not going to beat itself and that it would take an extraordinary effort to beat them the rest of the way. It was an extraordinary effort by Maryland and you just had to tip your hat to them for that game.

[devildeac]

This one still bothers me because I was at that game, as an undergraduate. And gas prices had run up due to Saddam's invasion of Kuwait. On the way back I recall paying $1.43 in the middle of nowhere in Virginia. Yikes! Had we played Georgetown later in the season, we would have beaten them, easily.

I agree that almost all losses to unc are hard to get over; by extension, so is any loss to a Roy Williams-coached team (ku, '03 sweet 16). @unc in '94 was kind of a big one, as it was #1 vs. #2 (we were #1) and no one knew yet how the rest of the year would play out.

1992 @Wake really bothered me. Some terrible calls in that one (think Laettner's T for allegedly hanging on the rim).

Tops on my list is the '94 championship game. I realize this is a minority opinion. I was prepared (or maybe inured) for the '05 and '09 sweet 16 losses, so they don't bother me as much as a couple other faceplants we've had.

One minor quibble. IIRC, Laettner's T was for "holding" the ball/delay of game after a made Duke FG and K was absolutely furious about the call. It was a point of emphasis starting that year and had been called rarely, if at all, yet, in a close game like that, one of the fine () acc refs decided to call it. It had occurred more than once earlier that game after made WFU FGs so K made it a point in one of his books (now which one I just can't recall) to state how incensed he was with the inconsistent nature/enforcement of that call/rule. That's the game also (I think) when Grant and Christian practiced their ~75 foot pass/catch/shoot that led up to "The Shot" later that season. IIRC, K also ripped Laettner a new one after that game when he had 4 boards, saying something like, "nobody in the NBA wants a 6'11" white kid who gets 4 rebounds a game." He was quite the rebounder after that apparently having no more games the rest of the year with less than 7-8 rebounds. (Disclaimer: I have not looked up the game stats for the rest of that year. That is going on recall from the book I read over 15 years ago.)

[pfrduke]

While losing is never fun, here's my take on the losses in the Coach K era that were easiest to absorb.

The ones from 89-91 stand out to me because we were such young teams, playing physically superior opponents on the road.

Similarly, the 2009 and 2010 losses at Wisconsin (which just played out of their minds), Wake and Maryland were strong efforts against high quality opponents that had everything to play for at home -- Wake for a #1 ranking and Maryland for the conf. title in one of Vasquez's last home games.

Comments welcomed.

Duke's 25 Least Troubling Losses Under Coach K

(1) 1989-1990 - @ Michigan (113-108) (ot)
(2) 1990-1991 - @ Georgetown (79-74)
(3) 1989-1990 - Syracuse, @ Greensboro (78-76)
(4) 1991 - @ Arizona (103-96) (2ot)
(5) 2009-2010 - @ Wisconsin (73-69)
(6) 2009 - @ Wake Forest (70-68)
(7) 2010 - @ Maryland (79-72)

(8) 1990-1991 - Arkansas, Pre-Season NIT Semis (98-88)
(9) 1990 - @ Clemson (97-93)
(10) 1996-1997 - Indiana, Pre-Season NIT Final (85-69)
(11) 1984 - Maryland, ACC Tournament Final (74-62)
(12) 2005 - @ Wake Forest (92-89)
(13) 1997 - @ North Carolina (91-85)
(14) 1987 - Indiana, NCAA Sweet Sixteen (88-82)
(15) 2007-2008 - Pitt, @ MSG (65-64)
(16) 1992 - @ Wake Forest (72-68)
(17) 2006 - @ Georgetown (87-84)
(18) 2009 - @ North Carolina (79-71)
(19) 1991 - @ N.C. St. (96-91)
(20) 1996 - Wake Forest (57-54)
(21) 2008 - Clemson, ACC Tournament Semis (78-74)
(22) 1998 - @ North Carolina (97-73) (without Elton; cut 20 point deficit to 4 before Carolina pulled away)
(23) 2009 - North Carolina (101-87)
(24) 2003 - Kansas, NCAA Sweet Sixteen (69-65)
(25) 1994 - @ North Carolina (89-78)

I would fill this list with games from the 1995-96 and 2006-2007 seasons, since it was just apparent that we were not that great. Those losses didn't really sit with me the way others before and since have - being bad is certainly more frustrating than being good, but losses when we're bad are, on an individual level, less frustrating than losses when we're good.

Others for me would include the 1999-2000 season opening losses to Stanford and UConn (because we were so young), the 2OT loss to Wake Forest in 2003 (after all, we had 5 players foul out), the 2004 loss to Purdue in Alaska (made easier to get over by the subsequent 18-game winning streak), and the 2003 St. John's loss (because it was just odd - play that game 99 more teams and we win all 99 - and because it was a weekend afternoon game, and those are always somehow easier to deal with).

I can never include a season-ender (like the Kansas and Indiana losses above) - too sad to know that we'll be without Duke basketball for 6-7 months.

[Reilly]

...
I can never include a season-ender ... too sad to know that we'll be without Duke basketball for 6-7 months.

When I saw the thread title, I thought it was *only* going to be a listing of season-ending losses, and which were the most painful, and which the least. Would be interesting: a small list (what, 27 games for K?), and nearly every game quite memorable for alot of folks. What's more crushing: VCU's buzzer beater over our not so great team, or Arizona's steam-rolling over our loaded squad ... '99 is the hardest for me to take; I could see folks saying '86 or '94 ...

[Nugget]

I would fill this list with games from the 1995-96 and 2006-2007 seasons, since it was just apparent that we were not that great. Those losses didn't really sit with me the way others before and since have - being bad is certainly more frustrating than being good, but losses when we're bad are, on an individual level, less frustrating than losses when we're good.

Others for me would include the 1999-2000 season opening losses to Stanford and UConn (because we were so young), the 2OT loss to Wake Forest in 2003 (after all, we had 5 players foul out), the 2004 loss to Purdue in Alaska (made easier to get over by the subsequent 18-game winning streak), and the 2003 St. John's loss (because it was just odd - play that game 99 more teams and we win all 99 - and because it was a weekend afternoon game, and those are always somehow easier to deal with).

I can never include a season-ender (like the Kansas and Indiana losses above) - too sad to know that we'll be without Duke basketball for 6-7 months.

Thanks for all the comments. These are ones for sure worth considering. I have to disagree slightly regarding the 1999-2000 early losses to Stanford and U.Conn, which I recally having the feeling of "the cupboard really might be bare with the defections after 99 and all these freshmen." At least to me, at the time it wasn't as obvious that good things were in store for the future as it was in the early parts of the 89-91 seasons.

I included a couple of the losses to Carolina only because it seemed clear to me in watching those games that they were simply superior -- we played well in each of them, but Carolina (with dominant players like Jamison, Rasheed or Hanstravel and Lawson) were just better.

[The Gordog]

While losing is never fun, here's my take on the losses in the Coach K era that were easiest to absorb.

The ones from 89-91 stand out to me because we were such young teams, playing physically superior opponents on the road.

Similarly, the 2009 and 2010 losses at Wisconsin (which just played out of their minds), Wake and Maryland were strong efforts against high quality opponents that had everything to play for at home -- Wake for a #1 ranking and Maryland for the conf. title in one of Vasquez's last home games.

Comments welcomed.

Duke's 25 Least Troubling Losses Under Coach K

(1) 1989-1990 - @ Michigan (113-108) (ot)
(2) 1990-1991 - @ Georgetown (79-74)
(3) 1989-1990 - Syracuse, @ Greensboro (78-76)
(4) 1991 - @ Arizona (103-96) (2ot)
(5) 2009-2010 - @ Wisconsin (73-69)
(6) 2009 - @ Wake Forest (70-68)
(7) 2010 - @ Maryland (79-72)

(8) 1990-1991 - Arkansas, Pre-Season NIT Semis (98-88)
(9) 1990 - @ Clemson (97-93)
(10) 1996-1997 - Indiana, Pre-Season NIT Final (85-69)
(11) 1984 - Maryland, ACC Tournament Final (74-62)
(12) 2005 - @ Wake Forest (92-89)
(13) 1997 - @ North Carolina (91-85)(14) 1987 - Indiana, NCAA Sweet Sixteen (88-82)
(15) 2007-2008 - Pitt, @ MSG (65-64)
(16) 1992 - @ Wake Forest (72-68)
(17) 2006 - @ Georgetown (87-84)
(18) 2009 - @ North Carolina (79-71)(19) 1991 - @ N.C. St. (96-91)
(20) 1996 - Wake Forest (57-54)
(21) 2008 - Clemson, ACC Tournament Semis (78-74)
(22) 1998 - @ North Carolina (97-73) (without Elton; cut 20 point deficit to 4 before Carolina pulled away)
(23) 2009 - North Carolina (101-87)(24) 2003 - Kansas, NCAA Sweet Sixteen (69-65)
(25) 1994 - @ North Carolina (89-78)

I think you are out of your mind to include ANY Carolina games in this list. Same with season enders. The only games that belong here are non-conference games, but not any games vs. G'town (since I live near DC) or Michigan (I used to have a bet with a guy who is from Michigan) IMHO.

[hurleyfor3]

One minor quibble. IIRC, Laettner's T was for "holding" the ball/delay of game after a made Duke FG and K was absolutely furious about the call. It was a point of emphasis starting that year and had been called rarely, if at all, yet, in a close game like that, one of the fine () acc refs decided to call it. It had occurred more than once earlier that game after made WFU FGs so K made it a point in one of his books (now which one I just can't recall) to state how incensed he was with the inconsistent nature/enforcement of that call/rule.

The T on the Duke bench for delay of game was on a different possession than Laettner's T for hanging on the rim was. As I recall, the delay-of-game T came without the customary prior warning. Thus demonstrating how terrible the calls were

The boxscore on this page shows three Duke T's, two for Laettner and one for the Duke bench. I don't remember what Laettner's other T was for.

http://www.sportsstats.com/bball/boxlines/DUKE/1992 (game of 2/23/92)

[sagegrouse]

You have cited the key aspect of the Wake loss. It was the dress rehearsal (complete with Spiderman dropping from the ceiling to go splat on the floor) for the "miracle shot" against Kentucky. Two other points about that game are that (a) Hurley was injured and did not play and (b) Wake fans swarmed the court like they had actually won something a lot more than an ACC home game (aren't Big Four teams supposed to win at home against a team missing a future All-American?).

One minor quibble. IIRC, Laettner's T was for "holding" the ball/delay of game after a made Duke FG and K was absolutely furious about the call. It was a point of emphasis starting that year and had been called rarely, if at all, yet, in a close game like that, one of the fine () acc refs decided to call it. It

That's the game also (I think) when Grant and Christian practiced their ~75 foot pass/catch/shoot that led up to "The Shot" later that season. IIRC, K also ripped Laettner a new one after that game when he had 4 boards, saying something like, "nobody in the NBA wants a 6'11" white kid who gets 4 rebounds a game."

sagegrouse

[devildeac]

The T on the Duke bench for delay of game was on a different possession than Laettner's T for hanging on the rim was. As I recall, the delay-of-game T came without the customary prior warning. Thus demonstrating how terrible the calls were

The boxscore on this page shows three Duke T's, two for Laettner and one for the Duke bench. I don't remember what Laettner's other T was for.

http://www.sportsstats.com/bball/boxlines/DUKE/1992 (game of 2/23/92)

Let me look through K's post-championship book tonight (my CRS syndrome is not allowing me to remember the title and I will be when I get home and find the book) and see if I can find that passage. The 2 Ts on Laettner makes me wonder how he was still in the game for the "practice pass." The box score helps explain the terrible calls/3Ts (ie. Dick Pooparo [sic]). The lack or warning (as you pointed out) AND the highly inconsistent reinforcement of the rule really, really irked K.

[devildeac]

The T on the Duke bench for delay of game was on a different possession than Laettner's T for hanging on the rim was. As I recall, the delay-of-game T came without the customary prior warning. Thus demonstrating how terrible the calls were

The boxscore on this page shows three Duke T's, two for Laettner and one for the Duke bench. I don't remember what Laettner's other T was for.

http://www.sportsstats.com/bball/boxlines/DUKE/1992 (game of 2/23/92)

Let me look through K's post-championship book tonight (my CRS syndrome is not allowing me to remember the title and I will be when I get home and find the book) and see if I can find that passage. The 2 Ts on Laettner makes me wonder how he was still in the game for the "practice pass." The box score helps explain the terrible calls/3Ts (ie. Dick Pooparo [sic]). The lack or warning (as you pointed out) AND the highly inconsistent reinforcement of the rule really, really irked K.

Some excerpts from A Season Is a Lifetime (thought that was it so CRS not as bad as I thought):

"Duke had been called for three technical fouls and Laettner was involved in a way with all three.

After getting a technical in the first half for complaining, Laettner was tagged with his second technical midway through the second half when he was called foir hanging on the rim after a slam dunk. It was the only time that was called in a Duke game all season.

It was the third technical that outraged Krzyzewski. In their game at chapel hill, carolina had gotten a technical when they complained about Laettner's touching the ball after Duke scored. Dean Smith pressed the complaint after the game. ACC supervisor of officials Fred Barrakat sent out an memo on the subject and national supervisor Hank Nichols even addressed the issue. For a couple of weeks, it seemed to Krzyzewski that this was the only thing the officials were paying attention to. It was the hot new felony on the college scene, and it was being called whether or not the touch was deliberate or interfered with the next play. It was ridiculous, and Krzyzewski suspected the enforcement wouldn't have been such a priority if Laettner hadn't been the original "offender," or if the original complainant had been someone less prominent.

Against Wake Forest, Dick Pooparo (sic) called a T on the Blue Devils for touching the ball after a Grant Hill basket. The penalty had been for delay of game. Ironically, the ball that had been touched went directly to a Wake Forest player, who was able to begin the play immediately anyway...

On the very next play after the Duke T, a Wake player touched the ball after a Deacon basket and nothing was called. Coach K didn't complain publicly, but he did talk to Barakat the next day."