THE SHOT THAT LIVES FOREVER
Last-second miracle still goes in, 28 years later
PHILADELPHIA — In one of the great games in NCAA Tournament history, it had to be decided by a perfect play, made by a perfect player.
Christian Laettner had done enough when he caught a fullcourt heave with 2.1 seconds left, his back to the basket, and Duke about to lose it all.
He had made all nine of his field-goal attempts and all 10 of his free throws, so he would have been excused for missing the last shot of Duke's season.
But it wasn't enough. He had to beat two Kentucky players for the ball, dribble once, fake to both sides, turn around and just before the buzzer, make perhaps the most dramatic 17-foot jumper in tournament history to beat the Wildcats in overtime, 104-103, last night in the championship game of the East Regional.
The remarkable finish gave Duke (32-2) its fifth straight trip to the Final Four. For Kentucky (29-7), it was a devastating finish to a game for the ages.
“I think we've all been part of one of the greatest games ever,” Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “You hope someday you're a part of something like this. I was just standing around afterward, figuring what a lucky son of a gun I am.”
“I don't realize what happened,” said a stunned Laettner, who scored 31 points with seven rebounds. “I just caught the ball, turned around and made the shot.”
As great a play as Laettner made, Kentucky's Sean Woods had nearly equated it seconds earlier. With Duke holding a 102-101 lead, Woods took an inbounds pass, blew by Bobby Hurley and lofted a banker over the lunging Laettner that went through the net with 2.5 seconds left.
Duke's chances to become the first team to repeat as national champion since UCLA in 1973 seemed dead. But when Krzyzewski called his players into a huddle after a timeout with 2.1 seconds left, he had a message they took to heart.
“I just said we were going to win,” Krzyzewski said. “When you come out, you have to have the expression on your face and the words in your mouth, whether you completely believe it or not.”
The play Krzyzewski called for was for Grant Hill to take the ball out under the Kentucky basket, and to look to throw a baseball pass to Laettner at the opposite foul line. Kentucky opted not to put a man on Hill, and that allowed the Duke for
ward a clear view of the court.
Hill executed the play perfectly. He fired a high lob to Laettner, who beat John PelphreyandDeronFeldhausin the air. In what had to be the longest 2.1 seconds in NCAA history, Laettner faked both ways, and the Kentucky defenders backed off. Duke's AllAmerica left his feet and lofted a ball that swished through the net and saved a season.
“Grant threw a perfect pass, and I just concentrated on catching the ball,” Laettner said. “After I caught the ball, I tried to create some distance and shoot the ball up. I couldn't see the ball go through the hoop because all these kids were flying around.”
It did.