Congratulations to Coach K and the Blue Devils! Thanks for a Great Year and Many Wonderful Memories
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PAGE 2 1992 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP COMMEMORATIVE ISSUE THE CHRONICLE DUKE Everyone expected it. Even last year people were saying, "1992's the year," concedingthe 1991 title to UNLV. In 1992, after all, the Blue Contents Devils would be one year older, one year stronger, one year better. But it's pretty hard to be much better than a team which won the Victory Edition Front Page national championship, a team which pulled off what many consider Tuesday, April 7 the biggest upset in the history of college basketball, a thrilling 79-77 win over "unbeatable" Vegas. But they were better. Stronger too. And The Chronicle Front Page definitely older. Tuesday, April 7 , It wasn't so much the one year of age that made the Blue Devils older. It was the maturity, the experience gained through a year of Player Profiles highs and lows, mainly highs. What other group of a dozen young men, whose average age is not yet legal, had experienced so much over the The Chronicle Front Page course of 373 days? There was the defeat of UNLV and the subsequent victory over Tuesday, March 30 Kansas, capturing Duke's first championship after a long history of "might-have-beens." Duke Basketball Profile There were the transfers of Bill McCaffrey and Crawford Palmer, The Chronicle Front Page two players who were expected to contribute in 1992. More importantly, they could have shattered the feelings of family that Krzyzewski had Monday, April 6 always fostered among his players. Then, after months of international competition for half the Tournament Bracket squad, came the media onslaught. Will Duke repeat? Can Duke repeat? How could Duke not repeat, with all that talent returning? Photography Scrapbook Other, lesser teams might have buckled. Repeating, after all, is no easy feat. No team had accomplished it since 1973, when John Game Summaries Wooden's UCLA Bruins won the last of their titles. And that was a time when the NCAA tournament bore little resemblance to the current Season Schedule format. Sure, there was a round orange ball, two metal hoops, and a long wood floor, but that's about where the similarities end. There were Coach Krzyzewski Profile... 47,000 fans in Indianapolis last year. Over 50,000 this year in Minneapolis, seemingly half of them reporters. Can you repeat? Can you repeat? Staff Well, yes. The 1992 Blue Devils were seemingly put together by a higher Editor Assistant Editors power with the purpose of repeating. Don't use the word "defend" in Kris Olson Brian Kaufman front of Coach K Krzyzewski, the master of mental preparation, Mike Robbins preferred instead to say that the team was trying to win this year's Contributing title, just like everyone else. Defend? You defend only what people can Writers Photography Editors take away from you. Last year's championship was Duke's forever. Jon Blum Cliff Burns Krzyzewski divided the season into various goals, month by Brian Doster Mark Wasmer month, week by week. The team achieved along the way to the title— Tom Enstice Cover Photo 17 straight victories to open the season, including a blowout over sixth- Chris Hurtgen Chris Barry, ranked St John!s-and tough road wins at Michigan and Florida State. After their first defeat, at North Carolina, the team went into Bayou Brian Kaufman The Chanticleer Country without injured point guard Bobby Hurley and toppled Kris Olson Other Contributing Shaquille O'Neal and the LSU Tigers. Without Grant Hill the Blue Mike Robbins Photographers Devils came away from Pauley Pavilion with a victory over UCLA. And Marc Sacks Paul Orsulak then came the two victories over Carolina, the latter winning the ACC Barry Svrluga Chad Sturgill tournament in decisive fashion. By the time March rolled around the Blue Devils had gotten over the adversities—the injuries, the lackluster Jim Woodring Advertising performances—and were a team in the true sense ofthe word. Production Manager Manager The injuries, to Hurley, Grant Hill and Cherokee Parks, served a Alan Welch Sue Newsome similar purpose as Krzyzewski's coaching—they may have led to a few Student Advertising losses, but come tournament time, the team was ready. And they were Production Assistant Manager tough. As tough as it is to defend a Christian Laettner fallaway jumper. Pressure? This team thrived where others would have melted. Merri Rolfe Elizabeth Wyatt Last year, the Blue Devils defeated two Big East teams en route Business Manager General Manager to the Final Four. This year, in the Final Four in Minneapolis, they David Morris Barry Eriksen defeated two Big Ten teams. Next year. Who knows? Maybe a new dome, maybe two Big Eight teams. But in the meantime, the 1991- © The Chronicle, Duke University, 1992 1992 basketball season should be savored. - Matt Haies BACK TO BACK NATIONAL CHAMPIONS THE CHRONICLE 1992 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP COMMEMORATIVE ISSUE PAGE 3 NCAA VICTORY EDITION Double the pleasure Duke became the first team in 19 years to win back-to-back NCAA Men's Basketball Cham pionships with a victory over the Wolverines. THE CHRONICLDUKE UNIVERSITY DURHAM, NORTEH CAROLIN A CIRCULATION: 3,000 VOL. 87, NO. 125A TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 1992 (& SWEET REPEAT! Blue Devils 2 much 4 Michigan's Fab 5, 71-51 By KRIS OLSON MINNEAPOLIS—Too experienced. Too focused. Too legit. ' Two in a row. The men's basketball team captured its second consecutive national championship Monday night with a 71-51 victory over the Michigan Wolverines. The Blue Devils became the first team to repeat as national champs since UCLA in 1973. "It's just the best feeling to go out your last game at Duke as a national cham pion," said senior center Christian Laettner. The Blue Devils accomplished the feat with one senior co-captain, Brian Davis, slowed with a high sprain of his left ankle, and the other, Laettner, playing an abys mal first half. Duke's main savior was sophomore Grant Hill, who started in Davis' place. Hill had 18 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists. Ten of his points came in the final six minutes as Duke pulled away. Davis sustained the injury in Saturday's 81-78 semifinal win over Indiana. Davis did manage to compete in his final colle giate game, playing 10 minutes. Laettner, meanwhile, scored five first- half points on 2-of-8 shooting. He commit ted seven turnovers before the break. "[Laettner] was not himself," Krzyzewski said. "Seven turnovers in the first half- are you kidding me? But as a true veteran, he came back to lead us in the second half." Laettner would finish with a team-high 19 points. "Laettner's not going to lie down and not play," said Michigan head coach Steve Fisher. "He's a great, great player and they're a terrific team. My hat's off to them." The Duke defense was able to prey on an inexperienced Michigan team which started five freshmen. Michigan turned the ball over 20 times, as Duke came up with nine steals. But the "Fab Five," as Michigan's fresh men are known, were not the only ones with jitters in the early going. In fact, the most experienced player on the court, Laettner, committed six turnovers in the first 8:45. Both teams remained in a funk for most of the first half. Duke seemed poised to snap out of its stupor when Hurley pulled up and knocked down a jumper at the 7:31 mark to give Duke a 21-18 lead. In the first half, there were four ties and 12 lead changes. Laettner gave Duke the lead back at 30-29 with a catch-and-pivot hoop with 1:58 to play in the half. CLIFF BURNS/THE CHRONICLE Rose hit a jumper with 52 seconds left to give Michigan the lead heading into the Senior Brian Davis and head coach Mike Krzyzewski celebrate on the road to a second straight NCAA Championship. locker room at 31-30. PAGE 4 1992 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP COMMEMORATIVE ISSUE THE CHRONICLE CHAMPIONSHIP COVERAGE INSIDE Back to back NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS The Blue Devils left their markpn history by repeating as nati THE CHRONICLE champions. For more coverage, see Sports. TUESDAY, APRIL 7,1992 DUKE UNIVERSITY DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA CIRCULATION: 15,000 VOL. 87, NO. 125B Granted another Blue Devils become first repeat champions in 19 years By KRIS OLSON and got what they wanted, a MINNEAPOLIS — Grant- Michigan miss and an over-the- astic! back foul on Michigan's Chris Grant Hill rescued the men's Webber. Christian Laettner hit basketball team's place in history two free throws, and Duke's 23-6 from the clutches ofthe Michigan game-ending run was on. Wolverines. The sophomore As the clock ticked under four scored 18 points, grabbed 10 re minutes, Hill came up with the bounds and doled out five assists game's most spectacular play, an as Duke claimed its second con up-and-under jam to give Duke secutive national championship its first double-digit lead at 58-47. Monday night with As Michigan got a 71-51 victory over desperate, the lead Michigan. It was the grew, culminating first time a school with a Grant Hill has won back-to- scoop shot, produc back titles since ing the final 20- UCLA in 1973. point margin. His methods were "Grant Hill anything but subtle. causes problems for He exploded for 10 everybody," said points in the final Michigan head 5:41 as the Duke lead coach Steve Fisher. mushroomed from "He's so quick, ath five at 50-45 to the • letic and intelligent." final margin of 20.