Most PAINFUL Duke loss

[Saratoga2]

1. 1999 Championship-K wore that great team down playing starters far too long in blowout wins-they were emotionally spent and ripe
for an upset Even so it took UConn playing far better than they were To beat us.
2. 2004 Uconn-maybe K’s greatest coaching job but robbed of chance to win by refs who fouled out all our bigs to get UConn to title.
3. 1974 UNCheats-17 seconds? Try about 29 thanks to UNCheats clock operator.

I vote for the 2004 loss to UCONN. Virtually all Duke starters fouled out while UCONN seemed to get a pass on fouling. I question the honesty of the refs in that game.

[budwom]

So many painful losses...but one of the earliest painful losses on my resume' would be in 1968, when only one ACC team could go the NCAAs. Our boys (ranked #10 in the final AP poll I believe) went up to the NIT in NYC, and got curb stomped by St. Peters, 100-71, a team I didn't even know existed. Splendidly crappy road trip, which also involved sleeping on the floor of the terminal in LaGuardia overnight while a vacuum hoovered past my ear...

Overall, my road trips have not been glorious, e.g. losing to UConn in the finals in that dank stadium in St. Pete, getting jobbed by the refs in Arizona at the Ferry vs. Lute game...

[jimsumner]

So many painful losses...but one of the earliest painful losses on my resume' would be in 1968, when only one ACC team could go the NCAAs. Our boys (ranked #10 in the final AP poll I believe) went up to the NIT in NYC, and got curb stomped by St. Peters, 100-71, a team I didn't even know existed. Splendidly crappy road trip, which also involved sleeping on the floor of the terminal in LaGuardia overnight while a vacuum hoovered past my ear...

Overall, my road trips have not been glorious, e.g. losing to UConn in the finals in that dank stadium in St. Pete, getting jobbed by the refs in Arizona at the Ferry vs. Lute game...

Maybe Duke should pay you to stay away.

[wilko]

Every loss has some pain/annoyance built into it.
Unc, acct and season ending losses sting more.

[jimsumner]

I haven't participated much on this thread, haven't even read all of it. But the 1986 title loss to Louisville is the most painful loss for me and by a very wide margin. That team traveled so far, accomplished so much, only to fall short at the end by such a tiny margin.

Proof that the universe doesn't care.

[budwom]

Maybe Duke should pay you to stay away.

I did attend our first football bowl win in half a century, so perhaps my luck is changing...

[Stray Gator]

I did attend our first football bowl win in half a century, so perhaps my luck is changing...

And your record for Duke basketball games at the ACC Tournament is outstanding -- at least for those at which we were both in attendance.

[budwom]

And your record for Duke basketball games at the ACC Tournament is outstanding -- at least for those at which we were both in attendance.

that's true, I'm undefeated at the ACC tournament in the last few decades, something like 15-0 or so...I do miss those days of only 8-9 teams..

[wsb3]

I haven't participated much on this thread, haven't even read all of it. But the 1986 title loss to Louisville is the most painful loss for me and by a very wide margin. That team traveled so far, accomplished so much, only to fall short at the end by such a tiny margin.

Proof that the universe doesn't care.

Yep.

[fathippo]

As many others have agreed here, the 1986 National Championship is the easy answer here. It was going to be the painful loss or the best win in program history. I was never so invested in a team over four years.

As an honorable mention I will say the 1999 National Champion loss capped the worst sports weekend of my life with both the men and women losing. I did not expect the women to win, but I started to feel like they would before the bottom fell out in the second half. Everyone expected the men's team to win; they were a 10 point favorite and I remember people referring to the tournament as the "Duke Invitational". It was extra painful because it was hard to be mentally prepared to lose that one.

[budwom]

As many others have agreed here, the 1986 National Championship is the easy answer here. It was going to be the painful loss or the best win in program history. I was never so invested in a team over four years.

As an honorable mention I will say the 1999 National Champion loss capped the worst sports weekend of my life with both the men and women losing. I did not expect the women to win, but I started to feel like they would before the bottom fell out in the second half. Everyone expected the men's team to win; they were a 10 point favorite and I remember people referring to the tournament as the "Duke Invitational". It was extra painful because it was hard to be mentally prepared to lose that one.

When I got to St. Pete, I really didn't enjoy seeing the Duke Invitational t-shirts...that's an absolute sports no-no. No good could from it, nor did it.

[sagegrouse]

When I got to St. Pete, I really didn't enjoy seeing the Duke Invitational t-shirts...that's an absolute sports no-no. No good could from it, nor did it.

You preferred the buttons that said, "The Final Three -- and Duke?" I am sure I have one somewhere.

[kako]

I don't want to read this thread because I will be reminded of other painful memories. But here's my list in no particular order:

1. Losing by 30 to UNLV in the 1990 final. I couldn't even watch the last few minutes, so I was lying face down on the couch - just listening. They say that UNLV may break the record of the biggest margin of victory in a final. I start to watch again, but UNLV keeps rolling and does get the record, against Duke. Depression, especially since that was the 4th loss in the Final Four in 5 years, and the 2nd loss in a row in the final.

2. Losing to UK in 1978 in the final. That was a cinderella season. As a kid, my whole identity was that team. That was the start of my hatred of UK, a clear but solid 2nd to UNC. And the name Goose Givens still gives me chills.

3. Losing to BC in the 1985 second round. My senior year at Duke.

4. Losing to Louisville in the 1986 final. I thought it would be redemption for 1985. I came back to campus to watch the Final Four. That team deserved to win. I hated Pervis Ellison from then on.

5. Losing to UConn in the 1999 final. Of all the Duke teams ever, that was the biggest loss on paper. So many future NBA players. The long winning streak. We had UConn's number until then. When Langdon turned it over at the end, depression set in.

6. Losing to KU in the 2018 Elite 8. Allen's shot came so close to winning it. It would have been redemption for him, and a great bookend story of his career. Malik Newman goes off for KU in OT, Duke loses.

7. Losing to UK in the 1998 Elite 8. Up 18 points at the midpoint in the 2nd half. It dissolves in what seems like an instant, 3's by guys who had no business making big shots. Wojo's career ends. Ugh.

8. Losing to IU in the 2002 S16. Duke folds, but gets a gift to steal the game. But JWill misses the FT (again). Boozer gets fouled, but they don't call it. No repeat.

9. Losing to MSU in the 2019 E8. With the ball, they have the chance to win. But Barrett misses the FT (again). Done.

10. Losing to UNC in 1984 in Chapel Hill on their senior day. Duke hasn't beaten Carolina at their place in many years (not to mention simply beating them in the last 3 years). Meagher can put the game away in OT with FTs. He misses (again). Doherty gets the board, dribbles down the court all by himself and makes the bucket to go into double OT. Jordan, Perkins, Smith, Daugherty - they are all on this team. Who makes the shot? Doh. D'oh!

I could go on, but that's enough. They are all painful. But from the last 3, if you notice me harping on FTs during a given season, that's probably why.

9F

[BlueDevilStop]

'99 against UCONN is the most painful for me. MSU in the elite 8 a couple years ago is up there as well.