Best Games Aughts

lefrakenstein · December 15, 2009, 12:59:37 PM

ESPN just came out with an article on the best games of the decade that got me thinking about the best d3 bball games of the decade.

I would nominate two that I was lucky enough to see in person:

The first would be the Amherst-Tufts sweet 16 game in '06 featuring Andrew Olson's Miracle Shot. Not only was this a barn burner of a game featuring a huge comeback capped by the aforementioned prayer, but it was also between two conference rivals playing for a chance to get to Salem. (both teams knew their elite 8 challenger would not be a significant challenge) Also, it was made even better by the fact that it was the second time in just three weeks that the two teams had played an overtime game featuring a huge comeback and enormous shots. It felt like the rematch with Apollo at the end of Rocky. Great game. Check out what is known at Amherst as 'The Shot':

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNLDBaUncQs&feature=related

The other game would be the national semifinal between Virginia Wesleyan and Wash U in '07. It was a great back and forth battle that featured some of the best and most memorable players of the decade including Troy Ruths, Sean Wallis, Brandon Adair and Ton Ton Balenga. Down by one Wash U's final shot was blocked, only to be caught and tossed into the hoop in right at the buzzer. After much deliberation, the refs decided to give the game to Virginia Wes, which turned out to be the right call.

Here's the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvJywznZmfA

Anybody else have any nominees?

Dave 'd-mac' McHugh · December 15, 2009, 04:07:19 PM

Lincoln-Guilford 3OT game at VWC in the Sweet 16 in '07. Not only was it a thrilling game (which I called) that just wouldn't end... but Ben Strong put up 59 points and Lincoln's Kyle Myrick also put on a show. The game also featured an unreal 35 to 40-foot shot by Jordan Snipes for Guilford to tie the game as the 2nd half buzzer sounded... Strong was pretty much the offense in the OT's... Lincoln has multiple chances to win in all three OT's, including several misses within ten feet... I could keep going (we won't mention the post-game activities, either). Even ESPN was on hand, following Lincoln for a D3 tournament story!

It ended up being Lincoln's last game in Division III... and the much anticipated game between Mississippi College and Virginia Wesleyan ended up being dull and was practically was over at the half (I always have wondered how much the firtst game going 3 OT's affected Mississippi College after traveling to Virginia Beach in the first place).

It certainly is one of the best games I have attended in the last decade... and I think it could rank up there as being one of the best of the decade as well.

Hugenerd · December 15, 2009, 04:24:42 PM

Quote from: Dave 'd-mac' McHugh on December 15, 2009, 04:07:19 PM
Lincoln-Guilford 3OT game at VWC in the Sweet 16 in '07. Not only was it a thrilling game (which I called) that just wouldn't end... but Ben Strong put up 59 points and Lincoln's Kyle Myrick also put on a show. The game also featured an unreal 35 to 40-foot shot by Jordan Snipes for Guilford to tie the game as the 2nd half buzzer sounded... Strong was pretty much the offense in the OT's... Lincoln has multiple chances to win in all three OT's, including several misses within ten feet... I could keep going (we won't mention the post-game activities, either). Even ESPN was on hand, following Lincoln for a D3 tournament story!

It ended up being Lincoln's last game in Division III... and the much anticipated game between Mississippi College and Virginia Wesleyan ended up being dull and was practically was over at the half (I always have wondered how much the firtst game going 3 OT's affected Mississippi College after traveling to Virginia Beach in the first place).

It certainly is one of the best games I have attended in the last decade... and I think it could rank up there as being one of the best of the decade as well.

Sorry to point this out, but Kyle Myrick didnt play in that game. He was a senior the year before. You may be thinking of Tyreek Byard.

http://www.guilford.edu/sports/Mbasketball/2006-07/HTML/gcm-28.htm

Dave 'd-mac' McHugh · December 15, 2009, 05:29:25 PM

hungred - thanks - that is who I was thinking about... just getting my Lincoln players from back-to-back seasons in Sweet 16 games at VWC confused - thanks!

John Gleich · December 15, 2009, 11:01:10 PM

Two games from '03-'04. In the best game nobody saw, UWSP beat Lawrence in Tacoma Washington 82-81 in OT. And then the national championship game UWSP vs. Williams.

Ralph Turner · December 15, 2009, 11:22:41 PM

Quote from: PointSpecial on December 15, 2009, 11:01:10 PM
Two games from '03-'04. In the best game nobody saw, UWSP beat Lawrence in Tacoma Washington 82-81 in OT. And then the national championship game UWSP vs. Williams.

And the opening night game at UPS on March 12, 2004, Lawrence beat Sul Ross State 86-79 in OT.

The ~~undefeated~~ (24-4) Larry's crawl from 18 down (43-61) with 11:55 left in the game to go ahead by 2 with 68-66 with 4:27 left. Regulation ends tied at 74.

http://www.lawrence.edu/athletics/mbasketball/stats0304/ncaa3.htm

Quite a weekend for the Larry's!

EDIT: Thanks to Point Special for catching the error. +1!

Mr. Ypsi · December 16, 2009, 12:30:57 AM

Quote from: Dave 'd-mac' McHugh on December 15, 2009, 04:07:19 PM
Lincoln-Guilford 3OT game at VWC in the Sweet 16 in '07. Not only was it a thrilling game (which I called) that just wouldn't end... but Ben Strong put up 59 points and Lincoln's Kyle Myrick also put on a show. The game also featured an unreal 35 to 40-foot shot by Jordan Snipes for Guilford to tie the game as the 2nd half buzzer sounded... Strong was pretty much the offense in the OT's... Lincoln has multiple chances to win in all three OT's, including several misses within ten feet... I could keep going (we won't mention the post-game activities, either). Even ESPN was on hand, following Lincoln for a D3 tournament story!

It ended up being Lincoln's last game in Division III... and the much anticipated game between Mississippi College and Virginia Wesleyan ended up being dull and was practically was over at the half (I always have wondered how much the firtst game going 3 OT's affected Mississippi College after traveling to Virginia Beach in the first place).

It certainly is one of the best games I have attended in the last decade... and I think it could rank up there as being one of the best of the decade as well.

I immediately thought of that game, but could not recall the details. It was especially sweet since we were doing a 'Postseason Fantasy Contest' and the 3 or 4 of us who had Ben Strong were immediately in a different universe than everyone else! (While 30-40 was an excellent game for any player, he had something well over 100 that game!

)

Pat Coleman · December 16, 2009, 12:48:45 AM

Quote from: hugenerd on December 15, 2009, 09:51:44 PM
Quote from: Dave 'd-mac' McHugh on December 15, 2009, 05:29:25 PM
hungred - thanks - that is who I was thinking about... just getting my Lincoln players from back-to-back seasons in Sweet 16 games at VWC confused - thanks!

Is it really that amusing to you to misspell my screenname? Maybe the first time, but between this board and the Top 25 board, you have done it several times already. You can continue doing it if you really enjoy it that much, but it seems a bit immature to me.

Seems accidental to me. If you read enough of Dave's posts you'll see he is not one to re-read for spelling. Take it easy.

Wydown Blvd. · December 16, 2009, 01:42:12 AM

Quote from: hugenerd on December 15, 2009, 09:51:44 PM
Quote from: Dave 'd-mac' McHugh on December 15, 2009, 05:29:25 PM
hungred - thanks - that is who I was thinking about... just getting my Lincoln players from back-to-back seasons in Sweet 16 games at VWC confused - thanks!

Is it really that amusing to you to misspell my screenname? Maybe the first time, but between this board and the Top 25 board, you have done it several times already. You can continue doing it if you really enjoy it that much, but it seems a bit immature to me.

seems like a "private-message-type" convo to me...

nescac1 · December 16, 2009, 07:11:03 AM

I have to second Williams-Stevens Point game (even though the Ephs came out on the losing end). Although the prior year title game was also down to the wire, that game was choppy and a bit ugly, and free throws ended up winning the game. Williams really didn't play its best. In 2004, Williams was clicking on all cylinders, and so was WSP ... two absolutely dominant teams playing great ball, with numerous crazy momentum swings. You knew it would come down to whomever had the ball last, and WSP's star hit an extremely difficult shot to win the game. Considering those two teams had four All-Americans and combined to win three titles, no shocker that it was a great game.

The other Williams game that warrants consideration was the 2004 regular season home game against Amherst. Number 1 vs. number 3 in a rivalry game, Ephs were not playing their best, down 14 at one point, crazy comeback capped by Tucker Kain's game-tying three (crowd went absolutely bezerk) and Kain's amazing shooting display in OT. Although Williams and Amherst played more meaningful games in the mid-90's (including a final four game) this one was the most dramatic.

http://www.williams.edu/athletics/news.php?id=6991&sport=3&year=2003&type=general

Dave 'd-mac' McHugh · December 16, 2009, 03:28:15 PM

For the record... it is an honest mistake I didn't pick up when actually proofing (though, even proffing doesn't pick up spelling thanks to my learning abilities!). I have a keyboard that is acting up and somehow the "e" wasn't getting in there and "g" was (no idea - and just didn't pick up on it). Sorry for the confusion... it certainly wasn't a sign of "immaturity"... which honestly is a cheap shot at a poster (me) that has been around here a long time and not known to take cheap shots at anyone else.

stag44 · December 16, 2009, 03:42:35 PM

The game for me had to be Claremont-Mudd-Scripps vs Pomona-Pizter in the SCIAC Championship 2008.

For those who are unfamiliar with the CMS-PP rivalry; there are 5 colleges that share a campus in Southern California and among the 5 schools there are 2 athletic departments. So, you take could take classes and see opposing players and fans almost daily. Naturally there is a healthy rivalry between the two schools. Its the only road game I ever played in where we WALKED to the opposing gym.

The 2008 season was the first year of the SCIAC conference tournament and both CMS and PP upset the higher seeds to set up a one-game playoff for a tournament berth.

PP dominated the first 33 or so minutes of the game building up what seemed to be an insurmountable 15 point lead. CMS was shooting about 25% at that time, but slowly started chipping away. Down three with 15 seconds left, CMS had the ball and off a broken play Conner Faught hit a game-tying buzzer beater in right infront of the CMS student section to send the game into overtime. There was a legitimate 5 minute stoppage to control the crowds and restore order in the gym. In overtime, PP prevailed, but not before a Dan Winterbottom 3 rattled out at the buzzer. Outside of beating PP the next year, the best atmosphere I've been a part of.

dman · December 16, 2009, 04:40:42 PM

hard to rank my faves but here goes....
1. 2004- williams 78-holy cross 71- crotty, coffin, abba combine for about 70 of williams points and cole shuts down hc best player
2. 2003- williams over wooster in ot in nat. semi- wooster's bryan nelson makes headline the day before "i'm playing!" and pulls off a willis reed-like performance with cast on foot. coffin has monster game and demuth has putback at buzzer in ot to send williams to finals
3. 2003 nat. championship. turned to my brother with 4 min to go and said.."it's all over, let's go". although free throws won the game, there was a ton of drama and ga player actually missed two that probably would have won it....
4. any victory over amherst

Mr. Ypsi · December 16, 2009, 05:02:12 PM

You probably couldn't go wrong with any of the four games in Salem in 2006. I know IWU lost by 2, then won by 3; my memory says the other two games were equally close. Usually there is one dominant team (e.g., WashU last year), or at least one team that proves not to really belong; that may be the most balanced FF ever.

Hugenerd · December 16, 2009, 06:12:49 PM

Quote from: Dave 'd-mac' McHugh on December 16, 2009, 03:28:15 PM
For the record... it is an honest mistake I didn't pick up when actually proofing (though, even proffing doesn't pick up spelling thanks to my learning abilities!). I have a keyboard that is acting up and somehow the "e" wasn't getting in there and "g" was (no idea - and just didn't pick up on it). Sorry for the confusion... it certainly wasn't a sign of "immaturity"... which honestly is a cheap shot at a poster (me) that has been around here a long time and not known to take cheap shots at anyone else.

If it was an honest mistake then I apologize for the "cheap shot". I did not mean it to be that, I only thought that it may have been deliberate after the third time my screenname was misspelled (what are the chances of misspelling any word three times in a row without spelling it once correctly and not only in the order of the letters but in the number of letters as well? I guess greater than zero). Anyway, I did not mean for this to be a big deal, I was just curious as to the reason of the misspelling and I guess I used too strong a language. Also, to be honest, I havent read too many of your posts in the past (I really only follow the multi-regional and northeast boards), so I did not come in with any preconceptions about your reputation (with regards to whether you take cheap shots or not). I was not deliberately trying to take a cheap shot at you, but merely responding to what I thought was a cheap shot directed towards me. Again, sorry for the confusion.

Oh yeah, by all means Pat or Dave, delete these string of posts. In my eyes, this conversation is over and behind me. I hope that you feel the same way as well.