This Date in Hoosier History: Indiana Claims 1987 Sweet Sixteen Victory Over Duke

March 20, 1987 — Cincinnati, Ohio

Bob Knight and Mike Krzyzewski go back a long way.

In 1966 Krzyzewski joined Knight’s Army program as a guard where he played for three years and averaged 6.2 points per game. Krzyzewski joined Knight on the IU staff for a memorable 1974-75 season before returning to Army to lead that program until 1980.

When Krzyzewski took over at Duke in 1980, it took him a few years to get things going. But after reaching the national title game in 1986, the Duke head coach had started to establish the Blue Devils on the top shelf of the college basketball hierarchy.

Knight and Krzyzewski were bound to cross paths, and it happened in the first ever meeting of Indiana and Duke in the round of 16 of the 1987 NCAA Tournament.

Duke got off to a fast start, taking a 29-21 lead ten minutes into the game behind a 4-for-4 outburst from behind the three-point line and six early Indiana turnovers. Indiana All-American Steve Alford was held to one point during that opening stretch.

IU responded with a quick 14-2 run that included a five minute Duke scoring drought as the Hoosiers stepped up their defensive intensity.

Leading the way offensively for the Hoosiers was local Cincinnati product Ricky Calloway. After a slow start Calloway would make 8 of his last 10 shots from the field including several mid-range jump shots in the last ten minutes of the first half.

The IU run became 28-10 as the Hoosiers closed the first half with a 49-39 lead. Calloway had 10 points in the last 6 minutes of the half.

The Hoosiers would stretch the lead out to 12 points but Duke kept coming behind 23 points from Tommy Amaker and 20 from Danny Ferry. The Blue Devils pulled to within 78-76 after Ferry and Amaker three-pointers. The duo combined to go 7-of-7 from behind the arc.

But Indiana responded all night with a balanced attack to hold Duke off and clinch the 88-82 victory in front of the pro-Indiana crowd. All five IU starters reached double figures, with Calloway and Keith Smart leading the way with 21 points apiece. Alford pitched in 18, Daryl Thomas 15 and Dean Garrett 11.

The Hoosiers won with .561 overall shooting and held a 38-28 rebounding margin. Garrett led the way with 9 rebounds for IU.

Next up, Indiana would face LSU with the Final Four on the line.

BOX SCORE