Greatest single-game performances in Duke history

[mike88]

Thinking about Ryan's game last night, I would definitely put it in the top 5 for single game performances by a Duke player that I have seen (starting in my freshman year 1984). If we use the criteria of both outstanding performance and quality of the opponent / importance of the game, I would list:

Laettner vs Kentucky 1992

JJ Redick, ACC championship vs Boston College 2006 (more important / better opponent than the Texas game, IMO)

Ryan's game last night

Jason Williams, gone in 54 seconds game

help me out - I am sure I am missing some other recent ones, plus any from the pre-Coach K era

[Tripping William]

Danny Ferry has 58 good reasons why his name belongs in this thread.

[NashvilleDevil]

Laettner's epic East Regional game is number 1 and you can take your pick for 2nd

[willywoody]

Ferry's 58 is número uno in my book. Wasn't that at Miami? I remember listening to it on the radio.

[Bob Green]

Fred Lind's performance in Duke's 1968 triple overtime win over North Carolina has to be in the discussion.

[Indoor66]

Fred Lind

Artie's final in Duke Indoor Stadium - vs unc.

[Starter]

Thinking about Ryan's game last night, I would definitely put it in the top 5 for single game performances by a Duke player that I have seen (starting in my freshman year 1984). If we use the criteria of both outstanding performance and quality of the opponent / importance of the game, I would list:

Laettner vs Kentucky 1992

JJ Redick, ACC championship vs Boston College 2006 (more important / better opponent than the Texas game, IMO)

Ryan's game last night

Jason Williams, gone in 54 seconds game

help me out - I am sure I am missing some other recent ones, plus any from the pre-Coach K era

I differ on a couple of things: Texas was No. 2 when Redick lit them up. They ended up in the Elite 8, so it wasn't that they fell off a cliff either.

In terms of Jason Williams, I'd have to put his game against Kentucky in the Meadowlands over the Maryland comeback just in terms of a total performance. He carried them that night the way Kelly did last night.

On a somewhat lesser recent scale, I'll throw Nolan Smith's game against Carolina at home his senior year in there. They needed a breakout game from Curry, too, but Nolan was magnificent that day.

[mike88]

Ferry's 58 is número uno in my book. Wasn't that at Miami? I remember listening to it on the radio.

It was a great performance, but I put it lower than the others mentioned here b/c the significance of the game was lower. Same with Redick vs Texas - very good opponent, but an early-season game.

[willywoody]

Thanks for the YouTube . That's the first time I've seen any of that game.

[willywoody]

It was a great performance, but I put it lower than the others mentioned here b/c the significance of the game was lower. Same with Redick vs Texas - very good opponent, but an early-season game.

Yes, I agree that Miami of then does not equal Miami of this year. Is it true Chris Wenke tried to walk onto the Miami team or is that just a rumor I'm starting?

[Matches]

Laettner vs. Kentucky is the best, taking into account everything including circumstances.

Ferry's 58 was amazing. JJ's Texas performance was outstanding, but he had a game against UVa his senior year where he went for 41 points - on 14 shot attempts. Low-stakes game, relatively speaking, but geez...

[Papa John]

Danny Ferry has 58 good reasons why his name belongs in this thread.

...that one was also against Miami (in Miami, though).

[Jarhead]

Some of you have grandparents that weren't born yet when Dick Groat did 48 points against UNC in the final game of the '51-'52 season 61 years ago. In those days, 40 points was a good score for a whole team. According to Wikipedia, he still does basketball color commentary for the Pittsburgh Panthers, soon to be in the ACC.

[hurleyfor3]

Hurley's last game against Berkeley.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

The fact that there is a debate including a number of such special performances by Duke players reflects the rarefied level from which Duke has drawn players for decades. With such riches, determining which is the finest would require the acumen of a King Salomon.

[captmojo]

...determining which is the finest would require the acumen of a King Solomon.

And, an imagination. Just imagine if Bob Verga had played with a 3-point shot and a shot clock.

[OldPhiKap]

I seem to remember a game at State, where Mike Dunleavy outscored them for the first half (maybe 23 a 22 or something like that).

Billy King's defense on Marc Macon was a performance for the ages as well.

[roywhite]

Gary Melchionni had 39 to spark an upset of Maryland at CIS in 1973.

Art Heyman had 40 points and 24 rebounds on Senior Day vs the Heels in 1963.

Just my opinion, but I think Ryan's performance was the best ever by a Duke player at CIS, esp. with the consideration that he was coming off a 7-week injury absence.

[juise]

Just my opinion, but I think Ryan's performance was the best ever by a Duke player at CIS, esp. with the consideration that he was coming off a 7-week injury absence.

I don't know... Shav's debut vs. Army... calling Jason Evans.

[Duke76]

Gary Melchionni had 39 to spark an upset of Maryland at CIS in 1973.

Art Heyman had 40 points and 24 rebounds on Senior Day vs the Heels in 1963.

Just my opinion, but I think Ryan's performance was the best ever by a Duke player at CIS, esp. with the consideration that he was coming off a 7-week injury absence.

I was there on the front row where Bucky Waters now sits so I am biased. I have written about it many times, the other four Duke players just went to the four corners and Gary took on all comers and no one could stop him...they had len elmore tom macmillan and john lucas...he mainly torched Lucas I believe but the others tried to stop him as well...had the most beautiful left handed turn around floater time and time again...Md was ranked in the top 3 that yr...was that the yr NCST won everything but MD was favored to win it all...anyway what Ryan did was 1a for me but only because I will never forget Cameron that night being there for the whole game it was so loud you tears came to your eyes...nothing like Cameron in person...nothing...well for a sports event