In the Building
The List: Duke games I've attended
The List is a new series where I’ll cover my favorite items from various Duke Basketball topics. I prefer tiers over rankings and each list will cover only the Coach K era. Since he took Duke to 13 Final Fours, I’ll narrow each list down to 13 items and include a few that just missed.
When referring to attending a sporting event, my dad loves the phrase “in the building.” Hence the title. He’d say, for example, “I was in the building at the 1987 Final Four. Let me tell you about…” and proceed to tell me stories about being at those games (bonus points if you know what happened at that Final Four1). I’ve been fortunate to go see Duke play a lot over the years.2 It was difficult to narrow down the list, but here are my favorite games I’ve seen in person.
Just Missed
March 13, 2005
#5 Duke vs. Georgia Tech
MCI Center
This was the first ACC Tournament ever held in Washington, D.C. It was quite the contrast to go from tailgating in the Greensboro Coliseum parking lot, to riding the metro to the MCI Center (Foggy Bottom to Gallery Place) and taking the escalator up to the arena. Duke built a 13-point lead in the second half, but the Yellow Jackets cut the lead down to just two points with 1:27 remaining. Led by J.J. Redick’s 26 points, including 10 of 10 from the free throw line, Duke would outlast Georgia Tech in the final minute. Shelden Williams capped off his 16 point, 13 rebound performance by tipping home a missed free throw to secure the 15th ACC Tournament title for the Blue Devils. Final Score: Duke 69 Georgia Tech 64
March 21, 2009
#6 Duke vs. Texas
Greensboro Coliseum
This is the only NCAA Tournament game I’ve ever attended. Coming off their run to the ACC title in Atlanta the week before, Duke was in a familiar setting in Greensboro. The Blue Devils built a 10-point lead with just over five minutes to go, before Texas tied the game at 69. Jon Scheyer stripped an offensive rebound away from the Longhorns, chased down the loose ball deep in the corner, and flung a behind-the-back pass the length of the floor toward Duke’s basket. Scheyer’s steal and save led to two free throws from Gerald Henderson, sending the Blue Devils to the Sweet Sixteen. Final Score: Duke 74 Texas 69
March 12, 2015
#2 Duke vs. NC State
Greensboro Coliseum
In the ACC quarterfinals, Duke jumped ahead 15-5 and led 49-22 at the break. Six Blue Devils finished in double-figures, including 15 points from Quinn Cook and 12 points from Marshall Plumlee on 6 for 6 from the field. It was awesome to see this team in person right before their run to the National Championship. Final Score: Duke 77 NC State 53
January 14, 2019
Syracuse at #1 Duke
Cameron Indoor Stadium
A Duke loss is an unlikely candidate to be on my list of favorite games I’ve attended, but this was the last time my dad and I went to a game in Cameron. It was his 72nd birthday and, after he had taken me to ballgames all my life, I was taking him to a Duke game for just the second time. It may sound strange, but I was particularly fond of that role reversal. Cam Reddish was ruled out during warm-ups due to illness, Tre Jones played just six minutes after injuring his shoulder diving for a loose ball, and Syracuse made a full-court heave to end the first half (those three points turned out to be huge). Duke shot just 9 of 43 from long distance, and Syracuse won in overtime behind 32 points from Tyus Battle. It’s a great example of why I love sports. Spending a few hours with my dad, talking basketball and reminiscing about old games, makes this a great memory regardless of the outcome. Of course we were disappointed with the loss, but still shared a chuckle as I sarcastically told Dad “well…Happy Birthday” as we were walking back to the car. Final Score: Duke 91 Syracuse 95 (OT)
The List
Tier 3
January 13, 1999
#2 Duke at Wake Forest
Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum
An older gentleman in my parent’s neighborhood had season tickets at Wake Forest, but he rarely used them. Somehow, my dad arranged for us to pick him up and drive to Winston-Salem for a Wednesday night ACC game. He had four tickets, so I got to bring a friend (the same buddy who went with me to the 2009 ACC Tournament) and, even better, we got to leave school early to make sure we had plenty of time - typical dad move. Trajan Langdon led Duke with 24 points and Will Avery added 19. I don’t remember much else about the game, but my buddy and I still laugh about our pre-game meal at the IHOP. The gentleman had been sampling various syrups, pouring just enough for one bite of pancake before giving us a critical review of each flavor. The sampling came to an abrupt end when the boysenberry syrup unexpectedly came flooding out as he poured, soaking the rest of his food. He didn’t miss a beat, exclaiming “Geez, I hope I like boysenberry!” We’ve only repeated that line about a thousand times since. Final Score: Duke 82 Wake Forest 72
March 15, 2009
#9 Duke vs. #22 Florida State
Georgia Dome
Duke led 35-21 at the half, before Florida State cut the lead to six with a little more than 12 minutes remaining. Jon Scheyer responded with six straight points to start a 23-7 run, giving Duke control of the game for good. The Blue Devils finished 12 of 25 from three-point range, with Scheyer and Gerald Henderson combining for 56 points in the win. Scheyer was named tournament MVP, and Coach K was particularly happy for this group, saying “We're ecstatic about being ACC champs and really happy for these guys, especially the guys in our junior class. These guys have had to go through a couple of years where they didn't have any upperclassmen. I'm really pleased for them to win their first championship.” Final Score: Duke 79 FSU 69
February 13, 2010
Maryland at #8 Duke
Cameron Indoor Stadium
I’ve only had a few friends over the years who are Duke fans - one of them called me Saturday morning to see if I wanted to go to Cameron. I always call this “The Zoubek Game” in my head. Zoubs had 16 points and 17 rebounds in just 22 minutes, as Duke routed the Terps by 21. Jon Scheyer scored 22 points, while Nolan Smith added 14 and 6 assists. It also happened to be Coach K’s 1,000th career game at Duke and his 63rd birthday. Final Score: Duke 77 Maryland 56
March 4, 2015
Wake Forest at #3 Duke
Cameron Indoor Stadium
Quinn Cook’s senior night was a blast. Duke dominated the first half and Tyus Jones capped it off with a four-point play to give the Blue Devils a 52-15 lead at the break. Grayson Allen exploded for 27 points in 24 minutes, and Cook finished with 13 points in his final home game. Afterwards, Coach K said “Quinn has been so good for us and what a fabulous year.” It got even better. Final Score: Duke 94 Wake Forest 51
Tier 2
March 7, 1999
#1 Duke vs. #15 North Carolina
Charlotte Coliseum
With their win, Duke became the only team in ACC history to go 19-0 and began a streak of five consecutive ACC Tournament Championships. The Blue Devils completed the season sweep of Carolina, outscoring the Tar Heels by a combined 55 points in their three games. This game was also included in The List: Rivalry Games. Final Score: Duke 96 North Carolina 73
March 12, 2006
#3 Duke vs. #11 Boston College
Greensboro Coliseum
The final ACC game for J.J. Redick and Shelden Williams was a classic, with the seniors delivering another banner to the rafters in Cameron. Just like the previous year, Redick had 26 points in the championship game. Unlike the previous year, Duke trailed 71-68 with two minutes to go. But J.J. hit two three-pointers down the stretch, bringing his total to seven for the game, and finished as the all-time leading scorer in ACC Tournament history. Williams posted 18 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks, and Duke moved back to #1 in the final AP poll. Final Score: Duke 78 Boston College 76
March 14, 2010
#4 Duke vs. Georgia Tech
Greensboro Coliseum
I wrote about this game in detail a few weeks ago for Re-watch #13. But in summary, it was a defensive battle with Duke maintaining a two or three possession lead for most of the afternoon. Georgia Tech cut the lead to one-point with 0:48 remaining, before Jon Scheyer iced the game with a three. This is still the most recent ACC Championship I’ve seen Duke win in person. Final Score: Duke 65 Georgia Tech 61
November 13, 2021
Campbell at #9 Duke
Cameron Indoor Stadium
I feel very lucky to have made it to Cameron one last time with Coach K on the sideline. Wendell Moore went down on the first play of the game with a knee injury. It looked serious, and you could feel the concern in Cameron as Campbell built a 10-point lead. Thankfully, Wendell returned to the game and Duke led by four at halftime. Soon-to-be #1 pick Paolo Banchero finished with 18 points and 7 rebounds, while Moore posted 15 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals. It was Coach K’s 1,100th win at Duke. That team had such a special season. Final Score: Duke 67 Campbell 56
Tier 1
February 20, 1992
Maryland at #1 Duke
Cameron Indoor Stadium
This was my first Duke game ever. I had been a fan for a few years, but getting to see a game in Cameron with my dad took it to another level. Christian Laettner posted 30 points and 8 rebounds, out dueling Walt “The Wizard” Williams. I wrote about this game for Re-watch #4, but here is an excerpt from that article: …The thing I remember most was actually after the game. Security in those days was much different and after the horn sounded, my dad asked me if I wanted to walk down onto the court. I remember walking to mid-court and staring at that old Duke Basketball logo, ingraining it in my memory, then swishing a couple of imaginary free throws before we left hoops heaven. Final Score: Duke 91 Maryland 89
March 16, 2003
#12 Duke vs. NC State
Greensboro Coliseum
The Blue Devils were going for their fifth consecutive ACC Tournament Championship - no other school had won more than three in a row. Duke was down by as many as 15 points, and trailed 55-43 with 10:11 remaining - 35 seconds later, J.J. Redick had cut the lead in half with back-to-back threes. Trailing since the midpoint of the first half, the Blue Devils finally regained the lead at 70-69 with 2:51 to go. A jumper from Dahntay Jones and a final three from J.J. put the game out of reach. Redick had 23 of his 30 points in the final nine minutes, before holding up five fingers to the Duke contingent in celebration. I made it back to my freshman dorm in time for our Sunday pickup game. Needless to say, I did one of my best J.J. Redick imitations that night. Final Score: Duke 84 NC State 77
February 7, 2006
#2 Duke at #23 North Carolina
Dean E. Smith Center
Thanks to the same buddy who invited me to all those ACC Tournaments, this was the first Duke/UNC game I attended during the regular season. I had been in the building for a few rivalry games in the ACC Tournament, but never one in Durham or Chapel Hill. After leading 40-35 at the break, Duke opened the second half on a 12-0 run to lead by 17. In rivalry game fashion, North Carolina responded with a 12-0 run of their own, and led 71-66 lead with 4:30 to go. J.J. Redick answered with five straight points to push Duke to a 76-75 advantage with 1:54 to play. Redick proceeded to hit a three-pointer from the top of the key and then, with 1:00 on the clock, a behind-the-back stepback three from the right wing. J.J. finished with 35 points, while Shelden Williams posted 13 points, 9 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 4 steals. It was Duke’s 16th win in their last 19 games against UNC. Final Score: Duke 87 North Carolina 83
March 2, 2013
#5 Miami at #3 Duke
Cameron Indoor Stadium
Ryan Kelly had missed the previous 12 games with a broken bone in his foot. It was known that Kelly had been rehabbing furiously and would likely return prior to the end of the season, but his playing status remained unknown coming into this top-five match-up. I’ve been to 20 games (and counting) in Cameron, and the loudest I’ve ever heard it was when Ryan Kelly was announced in the starting lineup. It was absolutely deafening in there as the announcer called out #34. Kelly was sensational and Duke needed every one of his career-high 36 points to hold off a really good Miami team. Quinn Cook added 15 points and 5 assists for the Blue Devils. Coach K remarked, “This was a great ACC game…Both teams were spectacular and then we were all privileged to see one of the performances of the ages I think by Ryan Kelly.” Final Score: Duke 79 Miami 76
December 20, 2018
#2 Duke vs. #12 Texas Tech
Madison Square Garden
My wife and I had our five-year anniversary trip to Charleston canceled in September due to Hurricane Florence, so we decided to visit New York City right before Christmas. Of course, I suggested we coincide our travel with Duke’s scheduled visit to MSG. And of course, she agreed because she’s the best. I was excited to see a game in Madison Square Garden for the first time, but I didn’t realize how much until we were walking in. It’s hard to describe, but a wave of basketball memories flooded through my mind - MJ scoring 55 points (while wearing #45), Reggie Miller’s eight points in six seconds, Coach K’s milestone wins (903 and 1,000), and Larry Johnson’s four-point play to name a few. I actually got a little choked up as my brain recounted all the great basketball played in the “Mecca”. It was a reminder to continue checking off items on my list of sports venues I’ve never been to. Duke raced ahead 8-0 but trailed by eight early in the second half. Jack White hit two big three’s, before Cam Reddish hit one of his own. Zion had 17 points and 13 rebounds, while Tre Jones posted 13 points, 5 assists, 5 rebounds, and 6 steals. The sold out Garden was electric. Final Score: Duke 69 Texas Tech 58
Thanks for reading, Go Duke!
Keith Smart hit the game-winning jumper from the left baseline to give Indiana a 74-73 victory over Syracuse for the National Championship.
By my count, I’ve been to 64 Duke games. The Blue Devils are 50-14 in those games, with a 30-2 stretch that included 18 wins in a row. Yes, I made a list.
Sources