In 1986, Mike Krzyzewski took Duke to the Final Four for the first time since the 1978 team got there. Naturally, the immediate question after the championship game, which Duke narrowly lost to Louisville, was whether Duke was a flash in the pan. Was this a one-time thing, like it turned out to be for Jim Valvano at NC State and Bobby Cremins at Georgia Tech?
The 1986-87 team became crucial and by the end of the season, it made the Sweet Sixteen. Led by senior guard Tommy Amaker and star sophomore
Danny Ferry, the Blue Devils were again a tough out despite losing four starters.
And on January 24th, Duke went down to Clemson’t notorious Littlejohn Coliseum and got into one heck of a game.
This one went to overtime and with just seconds left and Duke up 105-103, Billy King was fouled. Clemson called a timeout and when the teams came back on the court, a new rule caused a problem: that year: teams had 15 seconds to get out of time out and in position at the foul line or it would be a turnover.
And that happened to King, much to his shock and dismay.
Clemson got the ball back and came up court and someone – we think Michael Tait – took a shot, and Ferry blocked it.
Duke played keep away for the last few seconds before the Tigers gave up.
Games like this showed that Duke was not going anywhere.
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