Your Five Favorite Duke Games

[dukiejay]

I saw @DiehardDukeFan4Life make a post about this in another thread...and I thought it was a good idea for one of its own. We don't play until tomorrow night and I think it would be a fun thread. Everyone has their list of favorites for a different reason, which makes it unique.

Off the top of head, these would be my five favorites....

1 - The national semifinal game against UNLV in 1991. It was the game that finally put Duke over the top. I'll never forget the three Bobby hit. He had stones before Tyus.

2 - The national championship game in 2001...mainly because I was there and was back at the team hotel afterwards. It was some party.

3 - It's hard to leave the 1992 regional final game off any top five list. I think every Duke fan who is old enough to remember can tell you where they were, who they were with and what was for dinner that night. It went from the ultimate of lows to an unparalleled high within a matter of minutes.

4 - The 2016 game vs. Virginia. Kind of random, I know....but it was the first time I took my wife to a game at Cameron and it was Valentine's weekend. We have a family connection to the basketball program and we got to live it up in a good way....including my wife getting to play a pickup game in Cameron. Everything about that weekend was excellent until there was 11 seconds left and we trailed by one....then Grayson made sure to make it even more perfect than it already was going to be.

5 - The 2010 national championship game. That group had been through so much, including three unspectacular seasons while our main rival was cleaning up. At the senior dinner late in the season Coach K asked each guy what their favorite memory was of playing at Duke. Jon Scheyer replied, "It hasn't happened yet." Gives me chills every time.

 

[Dukeman]

I saw @DiehardDukeFan4Life make a post about this in another thread...and I thought it was a good idea for one of its own. We don't play until tomorrow night and I think it would be a fun thread. Everyone has their list of favorites for a different reason, which makes it unique.

Off the top of head, these would be my five favorites....

1 - The national semifinal game against UNLV in 1991. It was the game that finally put Duke over the top. I'll never forget the three Bobby hit. He had stones before Tyus.

2 - The national championship game in 2001...mainly because I was there and was back at the team hotel afterwards. It was some party.

3 - It's hard to leave the 1992 semifinal game off any top five list. I think every Duke fan who is old enough to remember can tell you where they were, who they were with and what was for dinner that night. It went from the ultimate of lows to an unparalleled high within a matter of minutes.

4 - The 2016 game vs. Virginia. Kind of random, I know....but it was the first time I took my wife to a game at Cameron and it was Valentine's weekend. We have a family connection to the basketball program and we got to live it up in a good way....including my wife getting to play a pickup game in Cameron. Everything about that weekend was excellent until there was 11 seconds left and we trailed by one....then Grayson made sure to make it even more perfect than it already was going to be.

5 - The 2010 national championship game. That group had been through so much, including three unspectacular seasons while our main rival was cleaning up. At the senior dinner late in the season Coach K asked each guy what their favorite memory was of playing at Duke. Jon Scheyer replied, "It hasn't happened yet." Gives me chills every time.

Actually you are referring to the 92 Regional Final game rather than 92 Semi Final game?

 

[dukiejay]

Actually you are referring to the 92 Regional Final game rather than 92 Semi Final game?

Fixed. Good catch. I need a proofreader sometimes.

 

[jwill133]

Does the 2015 Final-Four game between Wisconsin and Kentucky count??

 

[Canadian Dukie]

5 TITLE GAMES........91,92,01,10,15 Best games ever

 

[dukiejay]

5 TITLE GAMES........91,92,01,10,15 Best games ever

That's taking the easy way out.

 

[LetsGoDuke301]

"The shot"

82-50

RIVERS!!!!!!!!

2010 FF game vs WV. Just because of the crap that came out of their mouths after beating us two years earlier.

The comeback vs Maryland in the FF game in 2001.

If I spent more time, it would probably be different. But that's my quickie pick.

 

[Mac9192]

1-The 92 Regional game with Kentucky. Greatest game ever.
2-91 final 4 vs UNLV. Hurley and Laettner were great. Grant was the 3rd piece. Hurley had ice water in his veins. Best floor leader ever.
3-92 Championship. Laettner was horrible in the 1st half and Hurley let him know it too. Laettner got the message.
4-Win in Chapel Hill in 16. Allen and Ingram led Duke to a win. Should never have won that game.
5-15 title game. Game looked to be slipping away until Grayson came in. Then Tyus finished them off.

Damn I'm fired up now.

 

[OldasdirtDevil]

There are a lot of great ones, but here goes.

Duke/UNLV '91 That was so sweet after losing by 30 (a record) the year before. I recorded the '90 game between Duke & UNLV...I beat the tape with a hammer, and hurled it about 50 or 60 feet out into a field of weeds (my property). So winning the return game was salve to a wound for me.

Duke/Kansas '91 This game has to be linked to the UNLV game in my mind because this was our 1st championship (after so, so many disappointments). The UNLV game would mean very little if we didn't get that monkey off our back with this win against our future rival coach, Ol'Roy. I remember K not wanting the Duke players to celebrate so much against UNLV because of 'unfinished business'. That was very important IMO. Laettner had 'The Shot' against Kentucky in '92, but Grant had the 'The Dunk' against Kansas in '91. I honestly thought after seeing that incredible 'oop' in the early going...it was going to finally be our time, and it was. The first is always the sweetest.

Duke/Kentucky '92 Don't have to say anymore, it's all been said.

Duke/Maryland '01 Miracle Minute, and it certainly was.

Duke/UNC Austin Rivers shot.

OFC

 

[DukefanKY]

1. The shot
2. 1991 championship
3. Miracle minute
4 1992 championship. Loved winning back to back!
5. 2015 title

 

[Duke1783]

"The shot"

82-50

RIVERS!!!!!!!!

2010 FF game vs WV. Just because of the crap that came out of their mouths after beating us two years earlier.

The comeback vs Maryland in the FF game in 2001.

If I spent more time, it would probably be different. But that's my quickie pick.

I’m from WV and they still won’t talk about that game lol. They still say that they would have won had Butler not torn his knee. I have to remind them we were up 9 and in control of the game when he went down. Of course these are the same people that still say they would have beaten ND in the ‘89 Fiesta Bowl has Major Harris got gotten hurt

 

[DukeRulesBasketball]

1. Duke Maryland in the 2001 Final Four
2. The miracle Minute
3. Grayson’s game winner against UVA
4. Tyus Jones Comeback against UNC
5. JJ 41 pt game against Texas in the Meadowlands

 

[GTHC_ GTH!]

1. Has to be The Shot. It’s the greatest game ever. Most iconic shot ever

2. 1991 UNLV game. It’s what made Duke, Duke that day.

3. 82-50.

4. Miracle Minute.

5. Rivers shot. It made Carolina people cry

 

[Dukeman]

91 UNLV.

 

[Canadian Dukie]

Ya your right D.J. picking the 5 championship games was kinda lame (but I'm not changing my mind tho!) however,my all time favorite game was 91 final 4 vs U.N.L.V.i was a Duke fan before that game,but I was "all in" after it....whooping the "fab 5" the next year was kinda special too.

 

[QC Dukie]

2018 National championship

 

[langdon for 3]

Everyone mentioned lots of my favorites, so here are five of mine that weren't listed yet ...

2010 Elite 8 against baylor - the final four 'drought' felt really long back then

2004 @ UNC - duhon with the full court sprint for the layup

2015 @ virginia - announcers (bilas) talking about how being down 7 was like being down 20 to a normal team, and then coming back to win anyway (and tyus' last three is one of the greatest swishes i can remember)

2010 vs Maryland - Zoubek comes alive and beat vasquez

1999 @ UNC - beat unc to go perfect in conference to end the regular season

 

[BlueDaveil]

1. 2015 NC game with Grayson saving our season, I still sometimes watch that second half for fun.

2. 2001 Miracle Minute- favorite game from my favorite Duke team

3. 2011 win 903- my wife and I were at MSG for this game and we got to beat Michigan State to do it!

4. 2012 ‘The Shot’- love a good comeback, especially against UNC

5. 2017 ACC tournament- 4 wins in 4 days!!

 

[DukeRulesBasketball]

2018 National championship

And 2019 National Championship

 

[ajmitch81]

That 2nd half vs UNC is pretty darn memorable.

1) 2015 title game, I just loved that team

2) the final four thrashing of MSU in 2015, they played so well

3) the 2017 ACC tourney win vs UNC

4) the 98 come back at Cameron vs UNC

5) JJs explosion vs Texas

So many more but those stand out immediately.

 

[crazyduke3]

I limited it to only the games I've actually seen.

1. 2015 NC game

2. 2010 vs WV. So many NCAAT struggles in years past but man that game righted a lot of wrongs. Couldn't believe we were moping the floor with them and I was watching with some serious WVU fans. They were not happy to say the least.

3. ACCT vs ND last year. ND has frankly had our number for some time and they were pretty dang good last year also, but to finally really stick it to them and FINALLY reclaim an ACCT crown was very, very sweet.

4.2009 game vs Texas. Our boys just fought and clawed for that victory and it was great.

5. 2008 at Maryland. Gerald laid that hammer after Nolan got cheap shotted and man... if that didn't get you off the couch as a Duke fan, nothing will.

 

[madrussian]

There are like 25 "top 5" games

1. "The shot" - most call this the best basketball game ever played

2. 1991 UNLV - a close second, played a flawless game against a team that decimated us a year earlier

3. 2001 national semi against the Turtle. Down 17.

4. 2010 vs. WVu; played almost a perfect basketball game and beat the team that mocked us. Payback is a bitch.

5. 1989 regional final against Georgetown, Phil Henderson's dunk over Lo Mourning marked a changing of the guard in college basketball.

sorry but the miracle minute was a terrible game. 39 minutes of bad basketball and one good minute.

 

[skysdad]

To be honest my favorite 5 are all the NCAA championships. What I'm going to do is put them together as one of my favorites.The next 4 not in order are.

Gene Banks and Kenny Dennard senior day when Banks hit the big shot for Coach K's 1st win over unc. Dennard and Banks. so long and thanks. (sign one of the students held up.)

82-50. Love the blowouts especially when it's unc. That was a relaxing game for me.

Laettner's shot against UK. How can that game not be a favorite.

Austin's big shot at chapel hill at the buzzer. From the dream dome in a frenzy to total silence. That was wonderful.

The miracle minute game has to be a favorite of every one's simply because of Jay Williams output in one minute. I missed that game because I was taking a disabled friend to his cousins induction into the North Carolina Softball Hall of fame. Great thread.
OFC

 

[GillJET]

5. Dockery’s game winner against VT.
I ask the older Duke fans, did we ever have any other half court or full court shot game winner?

4. The Miracle Minute.
That really was a great rivalry we had with the Terps back then. I was in high school, and I would always call in sick to my job if I was scheduled to work during the UNC or Maryland games.

3. Any win against UNC.

2. 2015 National Championship Game.
Believed in that team all year long. Loved that freshman class.

1. 2001 National Championship Game.
My first title as a Duke fan. I was too young for 91-92.

 

[Voldukie]

Top 5 -

5) 2012 Regular Season @ UNC-CH - Sub Zero Wins...FATALITY

4) 2001 National Semifinal vs University of Maryland - Don't Call it a Comeback...Duke wins.from down 17

3) Regular Season vs U of Maryland - Miracle Minute, Gone in 60 Seconds, Battier, Nate James with Icewater on the line, in front of those idiots in our last game in their beloved Cole Hole Fieldhouse

2)'92 Elite 8 vs University of Kentucky - The Shot, The Perfect Game, The Stomp whatever...Eff Kentucky Forever

1) '91 National Semi vs UNLV - I watch it 3-4 times a year still....The fight in those kids gives me chills...Hurley's near tackle of Hunt in the first half set the tone

 

[dbav]

Easy answer is the final game of the season in 1991, 1992, 2001, 2010, and 2015.

Better answer:

1. 82-50
2. Miracle Minute
3. Final Four against Maryland when we came back from a 20 point deficit to win.
4. 2010 NCAAT game against Baylor. No one gave us much of a chance and Dawkins was clutch at the end of the first half.
5. 2001 NCAA Championship game because I was at Duke when it happened. We started the bonfire after the win.

 

[dukegrad02]

Mine from my time at duke

Certainly both games against MD in 2000-2001 (miracle minute and Final Four comeback win). I grew up outside of College Park and a ton of my friends went there, so these were extra sweet

Others would have been captured by previous posts, but a random one that is ingrained in my memory is Duke v Florida Dec 9, 1998. That was such a great season with so many blowout victories. I will never forget Corey Maggette's dunk and the energy at that game

 

[dbav]

Mine from my time at duke

Certainly both games against MD in 2000-2001 (miracle minute and Final Four comeback win). I grew up outside of College Park and a ton of my friends went there, so these were extra sweet

Others would have been captured by previous posts, but a random one that is ingrained in my memory is Duke v Florida Dec 9, 1998. That was such a great season with so many blowout victories. I will never forget Corey Maggette's dunk and the energy at that game

View embedded media

I was at that game. It was my freshman year. It was insane.

 

[timo0402]

Mine from my time at duke

Certainly both games against MD in 2000-2001 (miracle minute and Final Four comeback win). I grew up outside of College Park and a ton of my friends went there, so these were extra sweet

Others would have been captured by previous posts, but a random one that is ingrained in my memory is Duke v Florida Dec 9, 1998. That was such a great season with so many blowout victories. I will never forget Corey Maggette's dunk and the energy at that game

View embedded media

I was still in HS but remember watching that game thinking that was as loud as I’ve heard Cameron via TV.

 

[HeLooks2MuchLikeDave]

Surprised 2010 champ game v Butler is not getting more traction. That felt like a freebie Championship in the fact that I never thought we had a chance to win the title that year. Plus it was signaled the end of UNC's 5-6 year period of dominance as they failed to capture the NIT crown. 2015 UNC at home (Tyus Jones game) and 82-50 are non-tournament games that stand out to me. 2011 against MSU (Kyrie Irving game) was really fun because I thought we were going to win back-to-back that year. I have no way to measure these games. Most of the best ones have been mentioned.

My Least Favorite 5 games are wayyyy easier to figure out....
1. 1999 against UCONN
2. 2002 against Indiana
3. 2011 against Arizona
4. 2006 against LSU
5. 1998 against Kentucky

 

[DukefanKY]

i would have to add '94 against Arkansas in my least favorite...

 

[HeLooks2MuchLikeDave]

i would have to add '94 against Arkansas in my least favorite...

I didn't include that because we were still fresh off a couple championships and I didn't expect to win that game. But during the game I felt we had a real chance...

 

[TopCatCal]

Our program is a complete joke and I’m and idiot.

 

[Wojoman]

1) 2010 Duke vs Baylor - random but i just DID NOT think we would win that one. Just had a horrible feeling before the game. So relieved when they won and had gotten back to the final 4. Watch that game over and over again.

2) 2010 Duke vs West VA - only game i watched more that the Baylor game. That game was perfect. Duke was playing with all cylinders firing. Scheyer, Singler, and Smith all played so good. They wouldve beaten any team in the tournament by 15 points that day. so fun to watch.

3) Duke vs UNC 82-50 - So satisfying

4) 2015 Duke vs Wisky in the finals. - just a great game

5) 2001 Final 4 comeback against Maryland. - What a great 2nd half.

Wanted to put "The Shot" on their but i was pretty young and really only actually remember the shot. Not much of the rest of the game

Miracle Minute was amazing but i pretty much hated the entire game other than that last minute and over time so i didnt include it.

 

[jwill133]

Surprised 2010 champ game v Butler is not getting more traction. That felt like a freebie Championship in the fact that I never thought we had a chance to win the title that year. Plus it was signaled the end of UNC's 5-6 year period of dominance as they failed to capture the NIT crown. 2015 UNC at home (Tyus Jones game) and 82-50 are non-tournament games that stand out to me. 2011 against MSU (Kyrie Irving game) was really fun because I thought we were going to win back-to-back that year. I have no way to measure these games. Most of the best ones have been mentioned.

My Least Favorite 5 games are wayyyy easier to figure out....
1. 1999 against UCONN
2. 2002 against Indiana
3. 2011 against Arizona
4. 2006 against LSU
5. 1998 against Kentucky

2004 Final-Four loss against UCONN is right up there at the top for me. Stupid refs.

 

[Wojoman]

Surprised 2010 champ game v Butler is not getting more traction. That felt like a freebie Championship in the fact that I never thought we had a chance to win the title that year. Plus it was signaled the end of UNC's 5-6 year period of dominance as they failed to capture the NIT crown. 2015 UNC at home (Tyus Jones game) and 82-50 are non-tournament games that stand out to me. 2011 against MSU (Kyrie Irving game) was really fun because I thought we were going to win back-to-back that year. I have no way to measure these games. Most of the best ones have been mentioned.

My Least Favorite 5 games are wayyyy easier to figure out....
1. 1999 against UCONN
2. 2002 against Indiana
3. 2011 against Arizona
4. 2006 against LSU
5. 1998 against Kentucky

Cant decide which one was worse for me. 2002 or 2006. Probably 2002. Because i was on spring break with my college buddies and of all of my friends i am literally the only Duke fan. Most of them hated Duke and the ones who didnt, just didnt care either way but knew how big a fan i was so they rooted against Duke just to mess with me. It really sucks to be around a whole group of drunk guys who hate Duke when Duke gets upset.

At least in 2006 i was by myself and could just be miserable alone.

 

[Wojoman]

Surprised 2010 champ game v Butler is not getting more traction. That felt like a freebie Championship in the fact that I never thought we had a chance to win the title that year. Plus it was signaled the end of UNC's 5-6 year period of dominance as they failed to capture the NIT crown. 2015 UNC at home (Tyus Jones game) and 82-50 are non-tournament games that stand out to me. 2011 against MSU (Kyrie Irving game) was really fun because I thought we were going to win back-to-back that year. I have no way to measure these games. Most of the best ones have been mentioned.

My Least Favorite 5 games are wayyyy easier to figure out....
1. 1999 against UCONN
2. 2002 against Indiana
3. 2011 against Arizona
4. 2006 against LSU
5. 1998 against Kentucky

Butler game was good, but it was kind of an ugly game. And i still sort of get a nervous stomach when i think about all the what ifs, had Hayward made that shot. I know we won but all i can think about when i think of that game is "what if that ball went in". Duke would've still been with out a title after 10 years, that shot would've replaced Laettner's shot as the most memorable in the tourney, it probably would've been deemed the biggest upset ever, or at least top 3. They would've made 30 for 30's about that game. I know none of that happened, but for some reason i still get nervous about it (haha). i just prefer to know we were Champs and not think about it.

 

[youngman42]

Five favorite Duke games .... That's really tough because there are So many great ones ... Not even sure about this order, but ...

1. '91 title game against Kansas. I was stunned by the upset of UNLV but missed the game as I was traveling overseas. I was worried we would let down and lose, having been to so many FFs and not completed the deal. It was pure joy when we won that. Pure joy.

2. 2010 title game - I was beginning to wonder whether K would ever win another, so this felt really special. It elevated K to a special class among coaches (to say nothing of, at the time, doubling up both Dean Smith and Roy Williams' totals).

3. Game of the Century - Duke 104, UK 103. Felt like destiny to win it all after that.

4. 2001 title game - this was also very special as I still had a bad taste in my mouth from the loss in the '99 title game. Plus, like all Duke fans, Battier had become an all-time favorite player. Loved that team.

5. 1990 Elite 8, East region championship over UConn. I can still see Laettner's winning shot at the buzzer. Thought we had lost (similar to the UK game in 92). Laettner was Mr. Clutch so many times for Duke.

 

[youngman42]

Surprised 2010 champ game v Butler is not getting more traction. That felt like a freebie Championship in the fact that I never thought we had a chance to win the title that year. Plus it was signaled the end of UNC's 5-6 year period of dominance as they failed to capture the NIT crown. 2015 UNC at home (Tyus Jones game) and 82-50 are non-tournament games that stand out to me. 2011 against MSU (Kyrie Irving game) was really fun because I thought we were going to win back-to-back that year. I have no way to measure these games. Most of the best ones have been mentioned.

My Least Favorite 5 games are wayyyy easier to figure out....
1. 1999 against UCONN
2. 2002 against Indiana
3. 2011 against Arizona
4. 2006 against LSU
5. 1998 against Kentucky

My 5 least favorites -
1. '99 vs Uconn
2. '86 vs Louisville
3. '04 vs. Uconn
(We were good enough to win all three of those and should have).
4. '06 vs LSU
5. '90 vs. UNLV - embarrassing loss. I took grief a long time for that one from some friends. I expected UNLV to win but not by 30!

 

[DukeRulesBasketball]

2004 Final-Four loss against UCONN is right up there at the top for me. Stupid refs.

I try to forget that game! Still can’t believe Duke blew a decent lead with under 3 min left!