Sports Then and Now

With only five games left to play in the college basketball regular season, Syracuse has little room for error if they hope to make the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament and/or the NCAA Tournament. While the later will be more difficult to attain, qualifying for the ACC Tournament is still attainable for the Orange. Syracuse currently stands in 11th place in the conference standings at 6-7 and is 15-11 overall. Only 15 of the 18 teams qualify for the ACC Tournament and the Orange will likely need to win two or three more games to assure they avoid a bottom-three finish in the ACC.

Their next opportunity at a conference win comes tonight as Syracuse is in Durham, NC to face No. 4 Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The game will be broadcasted on ESPN at 7:00 p.m. Both the Orange and the Blue Devils enter the game on two-game winning streaks and are looking to continue the momentum. Duke sits atop the ACC standings at 12-1 and is 23-2 overall for fourth-year head coach Jon Scheyer, who played on the Blue Devils’ 2010 national championship team.

While this matchup used to be more of a marquee attraction featuring the coaching brilliance of the now retired hall of fame head coaches in Mike Krzyzewski of Duke and Jim Boeheim of Syracuse, it is still a matchup of legendary programs. In the case of the Orange, Syracuse seeks a return to the Orange Standard that saw them compete for conference championships and play in games of great significance deep into March annually. Third-year coach Adrian Autry has had his work cut out for him in trying to return a Syracuse program to its customary place of the NCAA Tournament. The Orange have not received an NCAA bid since 2021, a four-season drought which is the program’s longest absence since a six-year absence from 1967 through 1972.

A win over the Blue Devils tonight would be a feather in the cap for Autry and Syracuse and possibly put the Orange on the bubble for the NCAA Tournament with still more work to do. As of games played through Feb. 15, Syracuse stands 69th in the Pomeroy College Basketball ratings listed at kenpom.com while Duke is listed second. That disparity reflects a huge gap in the ratings of the Orange and the Blue Devils but anything can happen during a college basketball season. Consider that an unranked Syracuse team won 95-91 in overtime at No. 1 ranked Duke on Jan. 14, 2019 and that sparks belief for any team. Furthermore, it was just two years ago that a North Carolina State team finished 11th in the final ACC regular season standings and became the first double digit seed as a No. 10 seed to win the ACC Tournament. In doing so, the Wolfpack became just the second team ever (UConn in 2011) to win five games in five days. The five wins came over top tier schools (Louisville, Syracuse, Duke, Virginia, and North Carolina) that had each won a national title in the 2000’s. The Wolfpack then went on a miraculous run in the 2024 NCAA Tournament and reached The Final Four. There is inspiration from this that any team or coach can draw on and the Orange should keep this in mind.

To dethrone the Blue Devils on their home court tonight, it will take a monumental effort by Syracuse in several areas. Duke allows just 63.1 points per game, the third-best defensive mark in the nation while the Orange score an average of 13.4 more points per game at 76.5. Something will have to give there and in order for it to swing the way of Syracuse, the Orange will have to win the rebounding battle. That means 6-9 senior forward William Kyle III and 6-9 sophomore forward Donnie Freeman will have to outduel 6-9 freshman forward Cameron Boozer and 6-11 sophomore center Patrick Ngongba II on the glass. The Syracuse guards will also need to secure loose balls on deflections. Holding the Blue Devils off the offensive glass to prevent them from potential second chance points will also be critical for the Orange. Syracuse is 10-3 overall and 4-2 in the ACC when they outrebound their opponent this season.

The Orange play their best when they push the ball ahead with players like 6-4 senior guard J.J. starling, 6-3 junior guard Naithan George, 6-5 redshirt senior guard Nate Kingz, and 6-5 freshman guard Kiyan Anthony getting to the basket or creating for others. Taking advantage of fast break opportunities when they are there will aid the cause of Syracuse and their half court offense will need to be productive. Freeman will need to be effective with his mid-range game and inside scoring while the Orange will need perimeter scoring from Kingz and 6-8 sophomore forward Tyler Betsey, their two main 3-point threats. Kingz shoots 36.7 percent from the three-point line and has a team-high 51 triples on the season while Betsey is the team’s most efficient shooter from behind the arc at 39.4 percent (39-for-99).

Freeman leads Syracuse with 17.6 points per game and pulls down 7.2 rebounds per game while Kyle scores 8.9 ppg and leads the team with 7.7 rpg. Starling adds 12.1 ppg and Kingz scores at a 11.7 ppg clip. George adds 10.5 ppg and leads the team with 5.6 assists per game.

Boozer, the son of Duke legend Carlos Boozer, is a national player of the year candidate for the Blue Devils. He leads Duke with 22.8 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game with his scoring average also topping the ACC. Duke also gets 14.4 ppg from sophomore guard Isaiah Evans while Ngongba II scores 10.5 ppg and pulls down 6.2 rpg.

Defensively, the Orange will have to limit Boozer’s all-around game. The talented freshman is capable of knocking down the 3-point shot or taking defenders off the dribble and converting shots in the lane. Boozer can also post up and score inside with a variety of moves including a fundamentally strong drop step allowing him to get to the rim and convert.

Should the game be close in the closing minutes and fouling becomes a strategy for either team, Duke has the advantage. The Blue Devils shoot 71.7 percent from the foul line while Syracuse struggles at only 63.8 percent.

Duke’s two losses this season are by a combined four points. The Blue Devils lost 82-81 to Texas Tech at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 20 and fell 71-68 at North Carolina on Feb. 7. With this in mind, anyone’s chances to beat Duke rise in a very close finish.

As for the Orange, close games have brought mixed results this season. Syracuse is 3-4 overall and 1-2 in the ACC in games decided by one to five points. The Orange are on a bit more safer ground in games decided by 6-10 points where they are 5-3 overall and 3-3 in the ACC.

This game will likely be determined by the tempo of it. Halfcourt execution favors the Blue Devils while an up temp game with Syracuse pushing the ball and driving to the basket to score or draw fouls, favors the Orange. A margin of four to six points with three to four minutes left to play enhances the chances for Syracuse to pull off an upset whether they are down that much or ahead that much. As college basketball has shown us over decades, anything can happen.

I

t was a game that epitomized March Madness. The 1992 East Regional Final of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament between Duke and Kentucky was as thrilling a game as one can imagine. Basketball pundits and fans everywhere witnessed a game for the ages. It was an instant classic packed with as much drama as a play on broadway in New York City.

Actually, it was played in Philadelphia, PA at The Spectrum and featured the east region’s top two seeds. On Saturday March 28, 1992, the Blue Devils and the Wildcats battled in a game that is remembered as a theatrical masterpiece. Veteran broadcasters Verne Lundquist and Len Elmore called the game for CBS Sports and did a masterful job. With a trip to The Final Four on the line, the two nationally ranked powers went back-and-forth much of the game leading up to a frantic, thrilling, and dramatic finish.

Having just fallen behind by one point on a Kentucky basket after which they used their final timeout with 2.1 seconds left in overtime, Duke inbounded the ball under the Wildcats’ basket. Sophomore forward Grant Hill prepared to make the long inbounds pass which was nearly the full length of the court. The call by Lundquist sounded like this:

“There’s the pass to Laettner…puts it up…(Buzzer sounds) Yessssssssssss!

Hill’s long inbounds pass was caught by 6-11 senior forward/center Christian Laettner just outside the top of the foul line where he made a turnaround jumper as time expired. Echoes of Lundquist’s call have lingered on for decades since this fabled play.

Ecstasy resulted for the Blue Devils while Kentucky was left in anguish. Laettner’s basket, a swish, lifted Duke to an improbable 104-103 win and sent the Blue Devils to The Final Four for the fifth straight year. Wildcat senior forwards John Pelphrey and Deron Feldhaus, each standing 6-7, defended Laettner on the final play. Pelphrey made a reach for the ball before backing off to avoid fouling for Kentucky. Feldhaus was closer and raised both arms up on Laettner as he took the epic shot.

Syracuse versus Duke.

Coaching legends, hall-of-famers, and close friends in Jim Boeheim of the Orange and Mike Krzyzewski of the Blue Devils. The duo are the two winningest coaches in college basketball history and are coaching royalty. Cameron Crazzies and record-setting Carrier Dome crowds. Plain and simple it is must see television.

For nearly a decade the matchup has been a featured attraction in the Atlantic Coast Conference and all of college basketball. The sport welcomed the annual clash of titans when Syracuse joined the ACC in 2013. Since then this matchup has been nothing short of brilliant.

With March Madness cancelled, the entire sports world on pause and many public gatherings and places across the country and globe closed due to the COVID-19 virus, there are only so many shows on Hulu, Netflix, Disney+ and other streaming channels that we can watch before sports withdrawals are surely to kick in.

Fortunately, YouTube is home to a plethora of vintage sporting events that can help pass the time before live sports return.

In part 1 of a multi-part series, Sports Then and Now has selected 10 vintage conference tournament games that include some of the all-time moments and players in college basketball history. For each one we have included the records, rankings, coaches and notable players at the time of the game, but are not spoiling the game with a summary in case you don’t remember the outcome and want to enjoy the moment without spoilers.

The fun part about watching vintage games is that it includes the original announcers, as well as showcasing some players who went on to greatness often before they had become household names, or as they were building their reputation. Players like Patrick Ewing, Ray Allen, Allen Iverson, Ralph Sampson, Tim Duncan, Jerry Stackhouse and many more are included in our selections.

There are certainly other great games to watch on YouTube, but we have chosen these partly because the entire game is available and the game epitomized the excitement of March Madness.

Enjoy!

1983 ACC Tournament Championship Game – Virginia vs. North Carolina State

Records Entering Game: Virginia 27-3; North Carolina State: 19-10

National Ranking: Virginia #2; North Carolina State unranked

Coaches: UVA: Terry Holland; North Carolina State: Jim Valvano

Notable Players: UVA – Ralph Sampson, Othell Wilson, Ricky Stokes, Rick Carlisle; NC State – Thurl Bailey, Sidney Lowe, Lorenzo Charles, Dereck Whittenburg, Terry Gannon

Committing three turnovers, four fouls, and shooting 0-for-3 including one missed layup – all which cause the head coach to make three substitutions over the first 3:02 of the game – is not a recipe for a win, especially against the number one team in the country on its’ home court. Add in the fact that you trail 12-0 before scoring your first point of the game and two of your team fouls are on your starting senior point guard who does not score in the first half, and you have even more of a hole to dig out of. However that is exactly what Syracuse did in a thrilling 95-91 road victory over No. 1 Duke on Monday Jan. 14 at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, NC. It was the first victory for the Orange over a No. 1 ranked team since Jan. 19, 2013 when it won at Louisville, 70-68.

Tyus Battle elevates for a breakaway dunk during Monday’s thrilling overtime victory over No. 1 Duke.

Junior shooting guard Tyus Battle lead the Orange (12-5, 3-1) with 32 points and had four assists while junior forward Elijah Hughes shot 4-for-9 on three-pointers en route to 20 points and grabbed five rebounds. Senior center Paschal Chukwu added a career-high 18 rebounds and scored 10 points. Battle’s 32 points represented the most points ever scored by a Syracuse player against the Blue Devils. Duke (14-2, 3-1) was lead by freshman forward Zion Williamson who had a career high 35 points and 10 rebounds while freshman forward RJ Barrett fell one assist short of a triple double with 23 points, 16 rebounds, and 9 assists. Williamson’s 35 points were the most ever by a Blue Devil freshman in a single game.

The Orange were coming off a sluggish performance in a 73-59 home loss to Georgia Tech just 48 hours earlier on Jan. 12 in which they had their worst shooting performance of the season  (18-for-57, .316) in dropping their first Atlantic Coast Conference game of the season. However all that was short lived as Syracuse made a quick turnaround to notch a marquee win. Meanwhile, Duke was coming off a thrilling 80-78 win at Florida State on Jan. 12, secured by a late three-pointer by freshman Cam Reddish with 0.8 seconds left to play.

Against the Orange, The Blue Devils assumed control early with a 12-0 lead three minutes into the game. However that would be the largest margin for either side the whole game. Although Reddish did not play at all and Duke starting point guard Tre Jones did not return to the game after suffering a shoulder injury while diving for a loose ball at the 14:23 mark of the first half, Syracuse still faced a major challenge. The Orange soon found its’ rhythm behind the play of Battle and Hughes who literally shot Syracuse back into the game. The Orange mounted a 17-6 run over the next five minutes to pull within one at 18-17. Battle and Hughes accounted for all of those points with Battle netting 12 and Hughes adding five. Each of them hit one three-pointer during the run. While the Blue Devils would push their lead to as many as six at the midway point of the first half, Syracuse would stay close. A 5-0 Orange run on a Hughes three and two free throws by Battle forced the game’s first tie at 29 with 6:38 left in the first half. A Battle free throw gave Syracuse its’ first lead of the game at 34-33 with 5:12 left. The teams would exchange leads over the last five minutes of the half which ended with Hughes converting a three-pointer on a three quarter court heave that beat the halftime buzzer bringing Syracuse to within one, 49-48. Read the rest of this entry →

Mike Gminski

The Sports Then and Now Vintage Athlete of the Month was a star big man who achieved great success at Camden Indoor Stadium in the era before Coach K and the One-and-Done big men became the norm at Duke University.

Much like recent Duke big men Marvin Bagley III, Jayson Tatum and Jahlil Okafor, Mike Gminski made an immediate impact for the Blue Devils. However, because he played 40 years earlier at a time when few players left college early, Gminski spent four years racking up stats and success in Durham. Read the rest of this entry →