Duke Basketball: Top 10 game-winning shots of the Coach K era
By Matt Giles
2. Christian Laettner vs. Kentucky
Date: March 28, 1992
Place: The Spectrum
Final Score: Duke 104, Kentucky 103 (OT)
This one doesn’t really need an explanation. After all, the ending of it is required knowledge for all Duke basketball fans. But just in case there are any Kentucky fans reading this, I believe it to be my duty to remind them of what took place.
Time: 2.1 seconds left in overtime.
Score: Kentucky 103, Duke 102
What almost happened: The Wildcats, fresh off NCAA suspensions and using several senior walk-ons with loads of heart, would have advanced to the ’92 Final Four by knocking off the defending national champions and No. 1 team in the country.
What didn’t happen: What I just typed.
What did happen: Following a prayer bank shot in the lane by Kentucky’s Sean Woods, Coach K called a timeout. Grant Hill would inbound the ball. Laettner stood at the other end in front of the foul line. Kentucky coach Rick Pitino decided not to have any of his players guard the inbound. So Hill calmly heaved it to Laettner, who calmly caught it and took one dribble to his right before turning to his left and putting up a fadeaway jumper — a true masterpiece.
Splash.
Kentucky players laid motionless in agony as Duke basketball fans worldwide celebrated in pure ecstasy. A week later, the Blue Devils cut down the nets — again.
The best game-winner in college basketball history.
But was it the best game-winning shot for a Blue Devil across the entire Coach K era?
Not even close. We must go back to the start of it all for No. 1…