Top Duke Basketball Moments of the Decade: No's 4 and 3
The next two entries on the Top Duke Basketball Moments of the 2010s both came from the same season: 2011-12.
4. The Austin Rivers Game:
Duke’s second in what’s been a long string of one-and-done freshman stars was Austin Rivers, son of NBA coach Doc, who was a frequent guest at Blue Devils games all season long. Rivers quickly became the team’s top scorer and locker room alpha dog.
As the team headed to Chapel Hill in February, Duke was struggling a bit, having lost its last two ACC home games, to FSU and Miami.
UNC, meanwhile, was rolling, No. 5 in the country and with stars at every position on the court, including future NBA first rounders Tyler Zeller, Harrison Barnes, Kendall Marshall and John Henson.
The Heels appeared to have the game in hand, but Duke made a late run, with a little help from Zeller, who accidentally tipped in a ball for Duke while trying to get a defensive rebound. His missed free throw then set up the final play. Rivers brought the ball up court, ignored an open Seth Curry, who was calling for the ball, and put up a buzzer beater than went in for a dramatic upset of Carolina. The shot went over Zellar, who was caught on a switch and forced to defend the perimeter.
3. Krzyzewski passes Knight:
Earlier in the 2011-12 season, Duke traveled to Madison Square Garden for the Champions Classic against Michigan State. The Blue Devils won, giving Coach K career win number 902, moving him past his own coach, Bob Knight, for the most coaching wins in history.
Knight was courtside, calling the game for ESPN, and the two embraced afterward. The NBA was also on lockout, giving many of Krzyzewski’s former players the chance to be there for the game as well.
