What is your favorite Duke ...loss?!

[CameronBornAndBred]

OK...is there any game that you were at, or watched on tv, that Duke lost, but you still remember for whatever reason?

Mine is 1995, Duke vs. the heels. My dad called me about 45 minutes before game time, and said "your step-mom is sick, do you want to go to the game?" My driveway was literally a half mile long, but I'm pretty sure I was at the mailbox before the phone hit the floor after I dropped it. This was the game that produced Jerry Stackhouse's insanely sick windmill dunk (I don't care if he was wearing baby blue, that dunk was one of the best I've ever seen in Cameron). This was the game that Pete Gaudet coached while K was at home recovering from hip surgery. This was the game that Jeff Capel...recovering from receiving the loudest cascade of boos ever directed at a Duke player that I've ever heard (although they weren't for Jeff, they were for the decision to bring him back in) hit one of the most memorable shots in Duke history.
Duke lost in overtime, but I will never forget that game. That was the last unc game I saw before last year's blowout, and honestly, if I were asked if I could go back in time and see one of them again, I'd take that classic in 1995 sitting next to my dad.

[captmojo]

This could end up really thin.

[CathyCA]

It was March 3, 1984 at Carmichael in Chapel Hill. I was a senior at Duke, and it was our last regular season game. Coach K gave me tickets right behind the Duke bench, and I took my dad and my younger brother. Duke was playing very well. We were ranked #15 in the country (UNC was ranked #1) and to put this in its proper perspective, we had gone 11-17 the previous season and 10-17 the season before that one. At this point in our 1983-84 season, we were 22-7 and had won as many games in that one season as we had won in the two previous seasons COMBINED. Duke was GOOD.

The game was all tied up at the end of regulation as Danny Meagher had missed the front end of a one and one that could have--should have--won the game for us. Matt Doherty, a senior playing in his last game in Carmichael, hit a long shot that sent the game into overtime. We traded baskets in the first OT and had to play a second OT. It was truly an agonizing game up until that point. The second OT was the Michael Jordan show, in what turned out to be HIS last game in Carmichael. His Airness scored about 105 points in that second OT and UNC beat Duke by a score of 96 to 83.

ESPN routinely replays this game every year during Rivaly Week. It is the oldest Duke game in the ACC Vault: http://vault.theacc.com/

I love looking at the video of that game because I can see the two men I admire the most in all the world: my dad and Coach K. And I can see the players I loved (and still love) so much, who worked so hard to bring Duke Basketball back into the winning column, and who remain my friends to this very day.

My dad loved that game, even though we lost. He loved cheering for our Blue Devils. Although he is no longer with me, I can watch the recording of that game and be instantly transported back to an almost perfect day with my dad. I treasure that recording, I treasure the memories of that day, I treasure the friendships I made with those players, and I regard that loss as my favorite Duke loss. I wish it had been a win.

[devildeac]

Jon Scheyer, Brian Zoubek and Lance Thomas after the 2010 National Championship. Well, OK, three losses .

[Very Duke Blue]

Jon Scheyer, Brian Zoubek and Lance Thomas after the 2010 National Championship. Well, OK, three losses .

I'm with you.

[Lavabe]

Jon Scheyer, Brian Zoubek and Lance Thomas after the 2010 National Championship. Well, OK, three losses .

Well played, sir!

[EarlJam]

Favorite losses?

Greg Newton, Corey Maggette.

-EJ

[wilson]

Favorite losses?

Greg Newton, Corey Maggette.

-EJ

Couldn't agree more on Greg Newton. Also Josh McSoberts (although he's currently rehabilitating himself somewhat in my eyes by starting over and out-producing Tyler Hansjob).
If pressed to answer this question the way it was originally intended and pick a game, I guess I'd have to go with unc '95, but I have never exactly been known for taking Duke losses particularly well.

[bjornolf]

OK...is there any game that you were at, or watched on tv, that Duke lost, but you still remember for whatever reason?

Mine is 1995, Duke vs. the heels. My dad called me about 45 minutes before game time, and said "your step-mom is sick, do you want to go to the game?" My driveway was literally a half mile long, but I'm pretty sure I was at the mailbox before the phone hit the floor after I dropped it. This was the game that produced Jerry Stackhouse's insanely sick windmill dunk (I don't care if he was wearing baby blue, that dunk was one of the best I've ever seen in Cameron). This was the game that Pete Gaudet coached while K was at home recovering from hip surgery. This was the game that Jeff Capel...recovering from receiving the loudest cascade of boos ever directed at a Duke player that I've ever heard (although they weren't for Jeff, they were for the decision to bring him back in) hit one of the most memorable shots in Duke history.
Duke lost in overtime, but I will never forget that game. That was the last unc game I saw before last year's blowout, and honestly, if I were asked if I could go back in time and see one of them again, I'd take that classic in 1995 sitting next to my dad.

Gotta agree on that one. I was there as a sophomore at Duke. What a great game in a lousy season.

[robertduke32]

I'm going to agree with 2 of you and 1 more to be cherished.

#1 was the 1984 loss in Carmichael. It showed that Duke team that they could play with the TarHoles and propelled them in my mind to the win in the ACC Semi-Finals later against UNCheat (thank you Julius Hodge). How sweet it was sending MJ to the NBA with his last game against Duke a loss? I've reminded him of this in person...his reaction was less than kind. HAHA

#2 1995.

#3 1992 at Chapel Hell. Bobby Hurley playing with a broken foot and the 'Holes still barely escaped due to the practice run of the later play that would win the UK game in Philly - "Jump down dribble, shoot....SCOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORE!!!!!!!!!!" My favorite part though? Eric Montross' face after that game trickling blood....GTHC!!