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On This Date in Sports March 29, 1999: Top Dogs

Frank The Tank
Frank The Tank3/29/2023 4:00 AM

In collaboration with the Sportsecyclopedia.com

UConn is the top dog, edging Duke 77-74 in the NCAA Championship Game at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg. It is the first championship for Jim Calhoun and the Huskies in Men’s Basketball. Richard Hamilton leads the way for Connecticut, scoring 27 points in the final as he is named Most Outstanding Player. Both teams were #1 seeds, with Duke holding a record of 37-1 entering the game.

The 1998/99 season looked as if it was going to be the year of the Blue Devils, as Duke seeking a third National Championship under Mike Krzyzewski after posting a record of 32-1 during the regular season, with the only blemish coming against Cincinnati in the Great Alaskan Shootout. The Huskies of UConn were nearly as strong, compiling a record of 28-2, starting the season 19-0. The only blemishes for UConn were a pair of losses in February to Miami and Syracuse.

It was NCAA Tournament dominated by the top seeds, as Michigan State; also a #1, was joined by #4 Ohio State to round out the Final Four with UConn and Duke. The Blue Devils rolled through the East Region, starting the tournament with a 99-58 win over Florida A&M and beating Tulsa 97-56. In the Sweet 16, they beat Southwest Missouri State 78-61 before beating Temple 85-64 in the Regional Final at the Meadowlands. UConn had to play in the West Region because Duke got the #1 seed but breezed through the first two rounds beating UTSA 91-66 and New Mexico 78-56. The Sweet 16 would not be as easy as the Huskies held off Iowa 78-68. The Regional Final in Phoenix would be a dogfight as UConn held off Gonzaga 67-62 to reach the Final Four for the first time in school history.

Michigan State, led by Tom Izzo, was also a #1 seed, making their first Final Four since winning the tournament in 1979. The Spartans' road to St. Pete started with a 76-63 over Mount St. Mary’s; next was a 74-66 win over Ole Miss. In the Sweet 16, Michigan State smothered Oklahoma 54-46, then defeated Kentucky 73-66 in the Regional Final in St. Louis. Ohio State, coached by Jim O’Brien, coming out of the South Region was a surprise as they beat Murray State 72-58 and Detroit 75-44 to reach the Sweet 16 in Knoxville. From there, they upset #1 Auburn 72-64 and #3 St. John’s 77-74 to get the Final Four for the first time in 31 years.

In the semifinals, UConn won a nail-biter against Ohio State 64-58, while Duke held off a second-half charge to beat Michigan State 68-62.

Heading into the championship game, Duke was a nine-and-a-half point favorite, riding a 32-game winning streak. The first half showed all the makings of a classic as both teams appeared to be at the top of their game with six lead changes and seven ties as Duke led UConn 39-37. In the second half, Richard Hamilton stepped up when the Huskies needed him most, scoring a game-high 27 points with seven rebounds, earning the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player award. Trajan Langdon meanwhile led the way for the Blue Devils, scoring 25 points, while Elton Brand added 15. Late in the game, Khalid El-Amin made the big shots, as UConn answered every time Duke appeared poised to take the lead, including two clutch free throws in the final seconds to close a 77-74 win.


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Frank The Tank
Frank The Tank3/29/2023 4:00 AM