European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 30, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse Lae test Miracle laettner s Buzzer beater in of lifts Duke into final four again the stars and stripes March 30,1992 c Page 28 by Jim of Connell Philadelphia a Christian laettner a s made the shots of two lifetimes. The All americ ended one of the greatest cd Liege basketball games Ever with a turnaround jumper at the overtime Buzzer giving defending National Champion Duke a 104-103 Victory Over Kentucky and a fifth straight trip to the final four. It was the second time that Laett nor had made a last second shot in overtime to Send Duke to the final four. A i can to believe it happened to me twice in a career a laettner yelled As he was pounded by teammates and fans. A we beat a very determined and great basketball team Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said. A it was an unbelievable game where kids made great this Victory Means a fourth final four appearance in As Many years for laettner and fellow senior Brian Davis. It Means the top ranked Blue devils who next face Indiana a 106-79 Winner Over Urcla on saturday have a Chance to become the first repeat National champions in 19 years. And it also Means laettner has earned n Niche in history As the Man who hits the biggest of the big shots. A it was a designed play. We had a few different options but i was the first option a laettner said sounding like he was describing just any shot. Maybe it does come easily for the 6-11 Center who beat Connecticut in 1990 with a jumper at the Buzzer on an inbound play that also gave the Blue devils a regional championship. He is also the Mcaa tournaments career scoring Lead. Eras his 10th Point of the game was the 359th of his career to surpass Elvin Hayes of Houston. See Page 23 for the All time top 10 scorers Duke 31-2 had the Ball and a one Point deficit with 2.1 seconds left. Sean Woods had Given Kentucky a 103-102 Lead with 2.5 seconds left on a one handed drive he banked in from just inside the foul line. After a timeout giant Hills baseball pass from the far Baseline found laettner at the foul line. He faked right spun to his left and his 15-footer hit nothing but net As the spectrum exploded with Joy and Relief As the game ended. A i was just trying to catch the Ball a said laettner who did no to miss a shot a 10 from the Field 10 from the free throw line a and finished with 31 Points. A this seemed to take a lot longer than the Connecticut shot. After i shot it i did no to see it go in but i knew it did. There can to be a better feeling than Dukes final four run seemed at an end against a team which Hadnot been to the Mcaa tournament in three years the last two because of probation. The inside sports shoulder injury shelves Hrbek Page 21 bullets snap Streak at seven Page 22 Galaxy nips monarchs with Field goal Page 25 czechs knot . In Davis cup Page 27 Indiana Routs Urcla Story on Page 26 wildcats 29-7 had played the Best game of a season few expected three years ago when Rick Pitino took Over. A i told the Guys a done to let two seconds determine your basketball life because its Worth a lot More than that a a Pitino said. A the made a Tough shot with a Man on him. Two seconds is a Long time. But he a a great player and he made the shot so we have to give him Woods shot was the fourth Lead change in the final 30 seconds. It had seemed to be one of the Best Ever made to win a regional championship a until laettner a. A we were probably a Little disappointed. As Lucky As my shot was be made an incredible shot because he shot it Over Bobby Hurley and me a laettner said. A obviously it would have been disappointing not to go Back to the final four. We just feel very Lucky and very Happy we re Able to go to Duke had looked to be taking easy Street to the twin cities when the Blue devils built a 79-69 Lead with 7 40 left on two free throws by laettner. However things unravelled quickly for the team that never gets rattled. Laettner had been assessed a technical foul just 26 seconds earlier for stepping on amino Timberlake when the Kentucky freshman had submarine the All american on a drive to the Basket. A a it a just a Case where i was a Little off balance a laettner Sid. A the kid was underneath me. I did no to even hit him hard. I did no to mean Kentucky turned on its vaunted press which it had avoided most of the night in favor of a 2-3 zone and it created turnovers As it had All season. The wildcats went on a 12-2 run Over the next 2 01 and suddenly thoughts of great upsets filled the Heads of everyone m the building. Woods hit a 3-Pointer with 5 28 left to tie the game 81-81 and neither team led by More than three Points thereafter. A when you make a mistake you done to think you la be punished for it every time but we were laettner said of Kentucky a game tying run. Dukes Christian laettner launches the game Winner Over Kentucky s Deron Feldhaus bearcats storm into final four Kansas City to. Up Herb Jones scored 23 Points and Nick Van Exel added 22 sunday giving the Cincinnati bearcats the Midwest Region championship with an 88-57 rout of the Memphis state tigers. Cincinnati beat Memphis state 23-11 four times this season in four different cities. While none of the games was closer than nine Points the 32-Point spread sunday was by far the largest difference in games Between the great Midwest conference rivals. The bearcats 29-4 going to the final four for the first time since a runner up finish in 1963, Advance to the National semifinals against the Winner of the Southeast Region. Ohio state and Michigan played for that title later sunday. Memphis state claimed the three game losing Streak to Cincinnati meant nothing and seemed to live by that Over the games first 12 minutes As the tigers led a Light game 26-25. But the bearcats outscored Memphis state the rest of the half 21-10, and through the first 11 minutes of the second half 24-12. Van Exel gave Cincinnati the Lead for Good with a 3-Point shot from left of the top of the Circle making the score 27-26 with 7 21 to go. Van Exel had two 3-Point shots and Jones eight Points As the bearcats pulled away Early in the second half. Jones connected on 9 of 13 shots in route to his game High total
