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Between 1992 and 2001, Duke went from back-to-back national champions to a program in crisis and back again. This episode of Iconic Seasons covers the nine-year drought between Duke's second and third national championships, including Coach K's battle with a career-threatening back injury, a 4-15 season, the night he drove to his athletic director's house to resign, and the rebuilding process that produced one of the most dramatic championship runs in college basketball history.

The 2000-01 Blue Devils led by Shane Battier, Jason Williams, Carlos Boozer, and Mike Dunleavy Jr. overcame a broken foot to their starting center, reinvented their offense overnight, pulled off the "Miracle Minute" at Maryland, erased a 22-point deficit against Maryland in the Final Four, and beat Arizona for the national title.

Featuring stories from John Feinstein's reporting and archival interviews with Coach K, Shane Battier, Jay Williams, and Mike Dunleavy Jr.

Host: Aaron Meyer

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In this episode of Iconic Seasons, we explore the 1991-92 Duke Blue Devils and their journey to become back-to-back national champions. After winning their first title, Duke transitioned from the beloved underdog to the "Goliath" of college basketball, facing intense scrutiny as "the most hated program in college basketball history".

In this episode, we cover:

The Psychological Shift: How Coach K used the philosophy of "pursuing" rather than "defending" a championship to keep his team hungry.

Overcoming Adversity: The story of Bobby Hurley’s broken foot and Grant Hill’s temporary transition to point guard.

The Greatest Game Ever Played: A deep dive into the East Regional Final against Kentucky, featuring "The Stomp," "The Pass," and Laettner's perfect 10-for-10 performance.

The Mentor vs. The Student: The high-tension Final Four matchup against Bob Knight’s Indiana and the infamous "blow-by" handshake.

Dethroning the Fab Five: How a veteran Duke squad dismantled Michigan’s highly-touted freshman class in the championship game.

Featured Source: For more on the perspective of the Kentucky player involved in "The Stomp," listen to this interview with Aminu Timberlake: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1269236/episodes/9365468

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Did you know we are one of the Top 30 Collage Podcasts in the World!

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Iconic Seasons: Duke’s 1990–91 Redemption and Banner One

Host Aaron Meyer recounts the 1990–91 Duke Blue Devils’ transformation from humiliation to national champions. After being demolished 103–73 by UNLV in the 1990 national semifinal and losing key veterans, Duke was widely dismissed, but Mike Krzyzewski added freshman Grant Hill and relied on sophomores Christian Laettner and Bobby Hurley, whose leadership matured after a “whine tape” exposed his negative reactions. A tough early loss at Virginia prompted a punishing practice where Hill broke his nose, and Duke later found its defensive, disciplined identity, sweeping North Carolina in the regular season before being routed by UNC in the ACC title game, when Krzyzewski told them they would win it all. In Indianapolis, Duke upset unbeaten UNLV on late plays by Hurley, Brian Davis, and Laettner’s free throws, then beat Kansas for the championship, punctuated by Hurley’s lob that Hill saved for a dunk and Davis’s late dunk, earning Duke’s first title and launching a dynasty.

00:00 UNLV Upset Opening
01:39 Duke Written Off
03:05 Humiliation In Denver
04:53 Grant Hill Commits
06:24 Hurley Learns Leadership
08:15 Toughness Practice Turning Point
10:54 Beating North Carolina
12:53 ACC Title Loss Promise
15:05 Tournament Run To Indy
16:15 Reliving The 103 73 Film
17:47 UNLV Semifinal Miracle
21:56 No Celebrating Yet
23:09 Kansas Title Game Highlights
27:31 Banner One Legacy
30:12 Lessons And Farewell

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Did you know we are one of the Top 30 Collage Podcasts in the World!

https://podcast.feedspot.com/college_basketball_podcasts/?feedid=5529823&_src=f1_featured_email

Support the Pod or Binge the Entire Season Now!

• https://www.buzzsprout.com/1269236/support
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