1979-80

24-9

No. 1 in the country, an ACC title from sixth place, a one-point win at Rupp Arena, and Bill Foster's last game.

Coach: Bill Foster • Foster Era • Elite Eight (#4 seed Mideast; beat Penn 52-42, Kentucky 55-54; lost to Purdue 68-60)

1979-80 Duke Roster

12
Total Roster
9
Profiled
5
New Arrivals
7
Returning

New Arrivals

55
Allen WilliamsNewProfile
Forward • 6'8" • Princeton, WV
14
Chip EngellandNewProfile
Guard • 6’2” • Pacific Palisades, CA
31
Mike TissawNewProfile
Forward • 6'8" • Fairfax, VA
22
Tom EmmaNewProfile
Guard • 6'2" • Manhasset, NY
11
Jim CorriganNew
Guard • 5'11" • Winston-Salem, NC

1979-80 Season Overview

24-9
Record
7-7
ACC
#3
Preseason
#14
Final
ACC Tournament
Champions (beat NC State 68-62, North Carolina 75-61, Maryland 73-72)
NCAA Tournament
Elite Eight (#4 seed Mideast; beat Penn 52-42, Kentucky 55-54; lost to Purdue 68-60)

Season Overview

Duke started the season third in the AP poll, beat second-ranked Kentucky 82-76 in overtime in its opener in Springfield, Massachusetts, and rose to No. 1. Senior Mike Gminski averaged 21.3 points and 10.9 rebounds, Gene Banks 17.3 points, and sophomore Vince Taylor 10.6.

The ACC season was uneven, 7-7 and sixth place. Then Duke won the ACC Tournament anyway, beating NC State 68-62, North Carolina 75-61 and Maryland 73-72 in Greensboro. Seeded fourth in the Mideast, Duke beat Penn 52-42 and top-seeded Kentucky 55-54 at Rupp Arena in Lexington before losing to Purdue 68-60 in the regional final.

Duke finished 24-9 and 14th in the final AP poll. Foster left after the season to coach South Carolina, and on March 18, 1980, Duke hired Army's Mike Krzyzewski. Banks, Dennard, Taylor, Chip Engelland, Tom Emma and Mike Tissaw were all still on the roster when he arrived.

1979-80 Schedule and Results

24-9
33 games
7-7
ACC
10-2
Home
5-5
Away
1979-80 Duke men's basketball schedule and results
DateOpponentResultRecord
Nov 17, 1979vs#2KentuckyneutralW 82-76OT1-0
Nov 30, 1979vsWake ForestneutralW 72-702-0
Dec 1, 1979vs#6North CarolinaneutralW 86-743-0
Dec 5, 1979vsPrincetonW 81-454-0
Dec 8, 1979vsEast CarolinaW 92-735-0
Dec 11, 1979atPennW 70-576-0
Dec 21, 1979vsBoston CollegeneutralW 70-64OT7-0
Dec 22, 1979atProvidenceW 82-788-0
Dec 28, 1979vsVermontW 92-679-0
Dec 29, 1979vsCincinnatiW 87-75OT10-0
Jan 5, 1980vsColgateW 73-4411-0
Jan 7, 1980vsGeorgia TechW 55-4212-0
Jan 9, 1980at#18ClemsonL 82-87OT12-1
Jan 12, 1980vs#15North CarolinaL 67-8212-2
Jan 16, 1980vsWake ForestW 67-6613-2
Jan 19, 1980vs#16NC StateW 67-5614-2
Jan 21, 1980atGeorgia TechW 56-4915-2
Jan 23, 1980vs#17VirginiaL 84-9015-3
Jan 26, 1980atPittsburghW 78-6916-3
Jan 30, 1980atWake ForestW 82-6117-3
Feb 2, 1980at#12MarylandL 69-7317-4
Feb 6, 1980at#18VirginiaL 69-7317-5
Feb 10, 1980vsMarquetteneutralL 77-8017-6
Feb 13, 1980atNC StateL 59-7617-7
Feb 16, 1980vs#8MarylandW 66-6118-7
Feb 20, 1980vs#12ClemsonW 87-82OT19-7
Feb 23, 1980at#8North CarolinaL 71-9619-8
Feb 28, 1980vs#19NC StateACC TourneyneutralW 68-6220-8
Feb 29, 1980vs#10North CarolinaACC TourneyneutralW 75-6121-8
Mar 1, 1980vs#7MarylandACC TourneyneutralW 73-7222-8
Mar 9, 1980vsPennNCAAneutralW 52-4223-8
Mar 13, 1980vs#4KentuckyNCAAneutralW 55-5424-8
Mar 15, 1980vs#20PurdueNCAAneutralL 60-6824-9

1979-80 Team and Player Statistics

Team Averages

73.3
PPG
68.3
Opp PPG
+5.0
Margin
32.9
RPG
14.7
APG
50.6%
FG%
—
3PT%
74.6%
FT%
7.7
SPG
4.2
BPG

Individual Leaders

Scoring
1Mike Gminski
21.3 ppg704
2Gene Banks
17.3 ppg570
3Vince Taylor
10.6 ppg349
4Kenny Dennard
9.2 ppg221
5Bob Bender
6.4 ppg210
Rebounding
1Mike Gminski
10.9 rpg359
2Gene Banks
7.7 rpg254
3Kenny Dennard
5.2 rpg126
4Vince Taylor
2.1 rpg69
5Allen Williams
1.7 rpg54
Assists
1Bob Bender
4.8 apg159
2Gene Banks
3.1 apg103
3Vince Taylor
2.5 apg82
4Kenny Dennard
1.8 apg43
5Mike Gminski
1.1 apg35
Blocks
1Mike Gminski
2.9 bpg97
2Allen Williams
0.3 bpg9
3Gene Banks
0.2 bpg8
4Vince Taylor
0.2 bpg8
5Kenny Dennard
0.2 bpg6

Player Stats

PlayerClGPGSMPGPTS ▾REBASTSTLBLKTOFG%3P%FT%
Mike GminskiCenterSr33—36.121.310.91.10.92.92.353.8—84.1
Gene BanksForwardJr33—35.317.37.73.11.50.23.452.5—79.8
Vince TaylorGuardSo33—33.910.62.12.51.60.22.547.8—67.6
Kenny DennardForwardJr24—309.25.21.81.10.2255.0—58.3
Bob BenderGuardSr33—336.41.34.81.502.547.8—69.1
Chip EngellandGuardFr32—11.440.40.60.20.10.546.3—65.2
Jim SuddathForwardJr30—13.62.81.610.50.20.943.0—73.9
Allen WilliamsForwardFr32—102.21.70.10.20.30.547.3—65.5
Tom EmmaGuardFr26—6.31.80.20.30.300.856.7—85.7
Mike TissawForwardFr25—5.6110.100.10.444.4—45.5
Larry LinneyForwardJr13—3.40.50.40.10.200.317.6——
Jim CorriganGuardSr9—2.40.40.10.30.100.2100.0—100.0
Team Totals—33——73.332.914.77.74.21550.6—74.6
Opponents—33——68.332.513.4———45.9—72.7
Gold border = starter (20+ games started) · Bold = team leader (10+ GP) · Click column to sort

1979-80 Duke vs. North Carolina

2-2
vs UNC
GTHC
W 86-74vs #6 UNC
Dec 1, 1979
Greensboro Memorial Coliseum, Greensboro
L 67-82vs #15 UNC
Jan 12, 1980
Cameron Indoor Stadium, Durham
L 71-96vs #8 UNC
Feb 23, 1980
Carmichael Auditorium, Chapel Hill
W 75-61vs #10 UNC
Feb 29, 1980
Greensboro Memorial Coliseum, Greensboro

1979-80 ACC and NCAA Tournament

ACC Tournament

Champions (beat NC State 68-62, North Carolina 75-61, Maryland 73-72)
First RoundW 68-62vs NC State
SemifinalW 75-61vs North Carolina
ChampionshipW 73-72vs Maryland

NCAA Tournament

Elite Eight (#4 seed Mideast; beat Penn 52-42, Kentucky 55-54; lost to Purdue 68-60)
Second Round (Mideast)W 52-42vs Penn
Regional Semifinal (Mideast)W 55-54vs Kentucky
Regional Final (Mideast)L 60-68vs Purdue
Sources (4)
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