Memory machine: SU - Duke in BE/ACC Challenge ...

[SU94]

My memories of that game (we were #1, they were #6, both undefeated) ...

We jumped out to a big lead and they rallied in last 5-6 minutes. Close win. Road game.

But my greatest memory of that game is Ala Abdelnaby (sp?) airballed a 2-handed dunk/stuff attempt because of the presence of DColeman (who did not jump IIRC). He was scared stiff.

I am telling you, it happened and even if my memory is faulty, that's how I will always see it in my mind.

Last thought is that, prior to that season, Rutgers must have paid Earl Duncan a lot of money to transfer, because he would have been famous as the starting PG on that team. We were stacked, but Stevie was not a lead guard (or a guard for that matter, he was a 6-foot-2 small forward).

 

[doc05]

Billy basically playing the 2 at 6'9 lol.

 

[bballbeadle]

I was at that game. It was thrilling! So many stars on both teams. My Duke friend stood up on the arms of his chair screaming. His wife won't go to any games with him. And we won!

 

[BuffOrange]

The Duke board is complaining about the nerve of Classic airing that game. I guess they feel the '98 showdown featuring such stars as Elvir Ovcina would make for more excitement.

 

[HoustonCuse]

This game is on ESPN Classic this afternoon (and may be repeated tonight as they tend to replay them a couple times). I have it set to record on my DVR. Looking forward to watching it as a pre-game prep. Really, what a huge win that was. It was vintage Duke at the height of their powers and played in Greensboro.

 

[SU94]

This is a great AP game story from that game.
You won't believe some of the quotes from Billy O. and Boeheim.
Fun times those were...

COLLEGE BASKETBALL ROUNDUP : Syracuse Holds Off Duke's Charge, 78-76
December 07, 1989|From Associated Press
The calendar read Dec. 6, but Syracuse and Duke made it seem like March.
In a game with the intensity of an NCAA tournament game, top-ranked Syracuse used David Johnson's two free throws with three seconds to play Wednesday night to beat No. 6 Duke, 78-76.

The victory by the Big East's Orangemen (5-0) evened the ACC-Big East Challenge series 3-3 with two games to play tonight at East Rutherford, N.J., including the matchup of No. 3 Georgetown and 17th-ranked North Carolina.
"It was very intense out there," Syracuse's Billy Owens said. "This was the all-hyped-up Big East-ACC Challenge. I'll be rooting for Georgetown--the last time I ever root for Georgetown."
The game was tied, 73-73, after Christian Laettner made two free throws to bring Duke (3-1) even with 3:05 to play.
LeRon Ellis then made one free throw with 1:47 left and, after Laettner missed two free throws with 1:28 left, Derrick Coleman made both ends of a one-and-one opportunity to give Syracuse a lead of 76-73, the only margin greater than two points in the final 16 minutes.
Coleman missed a free throw with 39 seconds left, and Phil Henderson made one of two to get the Blue Devils within 76-74.
Henderson then scored on a drive with 14 seconds left to tie the game after Syracuse had turned the ball over while trying to run out the clock.
Syracuse called a timeout with 10 seconds left. As Owens was bringing the ball upcourt he stumbled and appeared to walk but no call was made.
He got the ball to Johnson, who was fouled by Laettner and made both free throws. Duke had a last chance, but a long jump shot by Billy McCaffrey fell short at the buzzer.
Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski was impressed by the physical play of the Syracuse front line.
"I hate to use the word pro," he said. "It's a mature team and they play a good style for that type of team."
Syracuse Coach Jim Boeheim was one of the few people upset by the intensity of the game.
"I want to play nine or 10 people and get them ready as much as I can in December for the conference," he said. "I don't want to get sky-high on Dec. 6."
Krzyzewski had just the opposite reaction.
"To be put in that arena at this time is good for us, and it was good for them, too," he said.
Stephen Thompson led Syracuse with 21 points, and Owens had 18. Robert Brickey led Duke with 21 points, and Laettner had 19.

 

[OrangeTarheel]

Noone can take the air out of anything like JB. I bet William H Macy's character in the movie "The Cooler" was based on JB.

 

[Shawn91111]

Owens to DJ right off the tip for the alley oop slam was great.

 

[Frozen]

View attachment 7268

Is taking photos off people's Facebook pages a thing now?

 

[tbonezone]

amazing watching that squad running the floor 1st half. i think raf called it "5 second retaliation"

 

[HoustonCuse]

I'm just past the under 16 timeout in the 1st half. Holy crap does this Syracuse team run. The craziest thing I have seen is the pre-game stat that Duke was averaging 112 points per game and Syracuse 94 for the season. W.T.F.?? I realize that was probably against mostly cupcakes, but good god, they didn't have a 6 point line!!

 

[LennX6]

I'm just past the under 16 timeout in the 1st half. Holy crap does this Syracuse team run. The craziest thing I have seen is the pre-game stat that Duke was averaging 112 points per game and Syracuse 94 for the season. W.T.F.?? I realize that was probably against mostly cupcakes, but good god, they didn't have a 6 point line!!

Games were routinely in the 90's back then. The party line was that SU was in trouble with a game in the 60's, and, though it didn't happen often, it was weirdly close to reality.
Two games in just a notch below this one from the 80's, both home games, were Oklahoma and Houston.
It's funny how things evolve. Within the last 6-10 years we gave up over 100 pts to Depaul and UMass. Does that even seem fathomable through today's lenses?
Remember several games cheering on walk-ons to break the 100 pt barrier.
Another note , JB's Senior year in 1966 , SU came within a whisker (fell short by 2 pts) if averaging 100 pts per game for the entire regular season, then followed it up with 94 and 81 in the NCAA.

 

[CaptainJ]

Noone can take the air out of anything like JB. I bet William H Macy's character in the movie "The Cooler" was based on JB.

lol I'd like this multiple times if possible, even though I am am for the most part a fan of JB. Good movie, and I believe in coolers.

As for me, the William H Macy character on tv's Shameless isnt a far stretch from me on some nights.

Kinda cool remembering Cuse and Georgetown both ahead of Duke and UNC. Big East pride, for those here old enough to know(and young enough to remember) what that is!!

 

[BludOrange]

It use to be free french fries when we scored 100, now is a free taco at 75 points.

 

[thebigeast44]

If only Sherman Douglas had redshirted his freshman year. If he was the point guard on that team, no doubt it would have been the best team in Syracuse history. What talent we had on that team. I wonder how they would have played in a 2-3 zone all the time with that length. One thing I did notice was that JB was more than 100 games ahead in the wins column over Coach K when that game took place. A testament to Duke's success that Coach K caught up and surpassed him. Not that I'm happy about that of course!

 

[orange79]

Ahhh, Dave Johnson - who stepped to the line, on the road, vs. Duke, game tied and under 10 seconds left, as a freshman, and calmly hit 2 FT's to win the game. He is truly an underrated and under-appreciated member of the Orange family.

 

[texascpa]

watching the game right now. Man, that had to be the best fast-break SU team ever.

And didn't Johnson have something like a 43" vertical?

 

[IthacaMatt]

If only Sherman Douglas had redshirted his freshman year. If he was the point guard on that team, no doubt it would have been the best team in Syracuse history. What talent we had on that team. I wonder how they would have played in a 2-3 zone all the time with that length. One thing I did notice was that JB was more than 100 games ahead in the wins column over Coach K when that game took place. A testament to Duke's success that Coach K caught up and surpassed him. Not that I'm happy about that of course!

They didn't used to play zone exclusively back then. Aren't you watching the game?

 

[tbonezone]

"If only Sherman Douglas had redshirted"

only thing that team lacked was a true point guard. michael "chickenhead" edwards was the achilles heel.
and stevie t. for all his gifts was never gonna a point . anyone else remember the dj "jailbait" chants?