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Complete Retrovision - Basketball Broadcast Schedule
1986 College Basketball
Louisville vs. Cincinnati
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It's time to remember the Metro with a flashback to January 20, 1986. At that time a match-up between Cincinnati and Louisville wasn't a Conference USA showdown or a future Big East fixture for that matter but instead a glimpse at the best the Metro conference had to offer. After a slow start to the 1985-86 season — they lost their first two games — Louisville was starting to put it together. They owed much of their resurgence to a 6-9 freshman from Savannah, Georgia named Pervis Ellison. Ellison's smooth play and cool demeanor had earned him the nickname "Never Nervous Pervis" but opponents were plenty nervous. Opposing Denny Crum and the Cardinals were the Cincinnati Bearcats who just two days earlier had endured two overtimes in defeating conference foe Virginia Tech. They were ready for another battle and the Cardinals were willing to oblige.
1985 College Basketball
Duke vs. St. John's
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It only seems like Duke has been a top-10 team forever. But as the 1985-86 season began, it was 17 seasons since the Blue Devils had been to the national title game. Mike Krzyzewski's brilliant third recruiting class of Johnny Dawkins, Mark Alarie, Jay Bilas and David Henderson were now seniors, while junior Tommy Amaker ran the point. The first ever preseason Big Apple NIT would be the test for a budding powerhouse. After defeating Lamar and #20 Alabama-Birmingham, Duke found itself up against hometown favorite St. John's. While Chris Mullin had graduated after the 1985 season that had ended so painfully in the Final Four, Walter Berry and Mark Jackson returned to the Redmen lineup. And in this game, Berry was to show the form that made him one of the most exciting players in college basketball.
2000 College Basketball
Gonzaga vs. Arizona
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Every year Gonzaga's basketball program moves a few steps farther away from "Cinderella" and in doing so closer to the more fitting label of "perennial power". By the 2000-2001 season that progression was well underway. The world got to know the Bulldogs in 1999 when they came with in a few points of advancing to the Final Four but the small school from Spokane, Washington proved to be more then just a flash in the pan advancing to the Sweet Sixteen the following year. Arizona, meanwhile, has never been anyone's Cinderella. Under Lute Olsen the Wildcats were a tournament mainstay and usually one of the top ranked teams in the country. In December of 2000 they were loaded with talented players like Jason Gardner, Luke Walton, Gilbert Arenas and Richard Jefferson when they played host to the Zags who didn't have as many big names but would give Arizona all they could handle.
1999 College Basketball
UConn vs. St. John's
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Mike Jarvis and Jim Calhoun go back a long way. Both are Boston natives, both got their start at mid-major schools in their hometown (Jarvis at Boston University and Calhoun at Northeastern) and both eventually ended up coaching in the Big East. By 1999 Calhoun was well established as the savior of a once floundering program at UConn. He'd taken the Huskies from perennial doormats to NCAA Tournament regular and by the time they faced Jarvis' St. Johns team in January of 1999 they were well on their way to capturing another Big East Regular Season championship thanks in large part to Richard ³Rip² Hamilton and the teams fearless point guard Khalid El-Amin. Jarvis on the other hand was in his first season as head coach but the Red Storm didn't need much time to adjust, they headed into the game with a 17 and four record and would get their shot at the Huskies on familiar ground — Madison Square Garden.
1990 College Basketball
Loyola Marymount vs. LSU
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In retrospect (this is retrovision after all) a game between Loyola Marymount and LSU from 1990 is a story about what was and what might have been. At the time it featured two of the best players in the nation in LSU's Shaquille O'Neal and Loyola-Marymount's Hank Gathers. Both players dominated the paint and flourished in their teams up-tempo, high scoring offenses. So when the two met on February 3, 1990 sparks were bound to fly. While Gathers got a lot of the attention he shared the spotlight with teammate Bo Kimble, the nations leading scorer. The Lions were rarely held under 100 points and their opponents featured more options on offense then just O'Neal. Chris Jackson put up huge numbers for the Tigers and was named SEC player of the year both of his seasons in Baton Rouge (1989, 1990). Unfortunately, with the death of Hank Gathers later that same season, this game would have a tragic epilogue but even that can do little to diminish the star power on display.
1985 College Basketball
Duke vs. Kansas
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After getting past #18 St. John's in the semifinals, sixth-ranked Duke found itself up against #5 Kansas in the finals. The Jayhawks had been tested early in the tournament by Pepperdine and Washington, but the brilliant play of sophomore sensation Danny Manning had carried them into the finals. Duke was missing starting center Jay Bilas, so Kansas wanted to use the power of 6'11 Manning and 7'1 starting center Greg Dreiling to take advantage of the height disparity. The Blue Devils were expected to rely on perhaps the nation's best backcourt in Johnny Dawkins and Tommy Amaker. But as is often the case in great matchups, it was an unlikely hero hoisting the Tournament MVP Trophy at the end of the night.
1982 College Basketball
Virginia vs. North Carolina
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Though his pro career was cut short by injury there haven't been many college basketball players better then Virginia's Ralph Sampson. The 7-foot-4 center was a four-time All-American for the Cavaliers and led them to national prominence including a pair of appearances in the Final Four. In January of 1982 Sampson and the Cavs were looking for redemption as they visited North Carolina. The last time the two teams met it was in the national semifinal and the Tarheels came out on top, a game in which Sampson was held to just nine points. A year later Dean Smith's team returned players like Sam Perkins and James Worthy and featured a precocious freshman named Michael Jordan. When the Tar Heels faced Virginia on January 9, 1982 both teams were undefeated but North Carolina held the top spot in the poll. It would be a perfect opportunity for the Cavaliers to exact some revenge.
1981 College Basketball
Notre Dame vs. Maryland
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Maryland and Notre Dame were stacked with talent for the 1980-81 season. The Irish boasted three future NBA stalwarts in Kelly Tripucka, John Paxson and Orlando Woolridge, while the Terrapins were anchored by big man Buck Williams, who would go on to play 17 seasons for the Nets, Blazers and Knicks. In late January of 1981 they all got together at Cole Field House in College Park, Maryland and slugged it out. In the almost 50 years that Cole hosted college hoops, few were as good as this one.
1985 Preseason NIT Semifinal
Kansas vs. Louisville
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The Preseason NIT has become a fixture on the calendar of college basketball fans. Every year, the 16-team event attracts some of the country's top programs and has become as much (or more) of a draw then its postseason sibling. In 1985, it was all brand new, but no less appealing. Duke, led by head coach Mike Krzyzewski, made its way to the finals of the first event, and the Blue Devils would face the winner of Louisville and Kansas. That other semifinal between two of the most storied programs in college basketball featured two players who would eventually lead their respective teams to championship glory in the NCAA tournament: Louisville's Pervis Ellison and Kansas' Danny Manning.
1993 College Basketball
Michigan vs. Indiana
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Nobody knew (but they may have suspected) that the 1992-93 season would be the last for Michigan's "Fab Five." With a trip to the championship game already under their belt, Chris Webber and his classmates were already contemplating a jump to the NBA when the season was over. So those sitting in the stands at Assembly Hall in early February 1993 must have known this could be their last chance to see a phenomenon. Of course if you were an Indiana fan, your cupboard wasn't exactly bare either. With players like Calbert Cheaney, Brian Evans, Greg Graham and Matt Nover leading the way, Indiana was #1 in the nation coming into their home contest with the Wolverines. A visit from Webber and Co. would more then test their mettle.
1981 College Basketball
LSU vs. Kentucky
all broadcast dates for this game
For as long as most college basketball fans can remember, Kentucky has been the dominant force in the SEC. From Adolph Rupp to Joe B. Hall to Rick Pitino and Tubby Smith, the Wildcats have spent most of the last half century at or near the top of the standings. That was not the case in 1981. While Kentucky fielded a very strong team, the LSU Tigers were the class of the conference. Led by Rudy Macklin and Howard Carter, the Tigers arrived in Lexington riding a 26-game winning streak and looking to become just the second team in SEC history to finish the regular season undefeated. Plenty of history has been made at Rupp Arena but very little at the expense of the Wildcats.
1982 College Basketball
North Carolina vs. Georgia
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Michael Jordan and Dominique Wilkins were two of the most exciting NBA players of their day. While Jordan's career is unparalleled, Wilkins experienced plenty of success on his own and even got the better of Michael in a dunk contest or two. Before they wore the uniforms of the Hawks and the Bulls, however, the two met in college. Both were from North Carolina, but Wilkins had chosen to attend Georgia where basketball takes a backseat to football. Jordan stayed home to play for Dean Smith at North Carolina, but in 1982 he was not the big name on the Tar Heels roster. James Worthy was the engine that made UNC go and on this day, he would be the hero.
1993 College Basketball
Michigan vs. Michigan State
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Every year college basketball coaches across the country go in search of top talent. Those that are lucky sign one or maybe two of the top 50 high school players in the country, but heading into the 1991-92 season Steve Fisher and the Michigan Wolverines did much better then that. Chris Webber, Ray Jackson, Juwan Howard, Jalen Rose and Jimmy King, known simply as the "Fab Five," were the most highly-touted recruiting class in college basketball history. By the time their second season rolled around, they had already been to the NCAA championship (and lost to Duke) and appeared headed back to the Final Four. Before they made it to the Big Dance, though, they had to survive the Big Ten and a matchup with their in-state rivals Michigan State.
1981 College Basketball
Indiana vs. Ohio State
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In his 40 years prowling the sidelines, Bobby Knight has coached hundreds of student-athletes. In his time at Indiana, 23 different players under The General's tutelage won All-America and All-Big Ten honors. It's safe to say though that none of those players were as highly touted before or after their time in his care than a diminutive point guard from Chicago named Isaiah Thomas. By Thomas' sophomore season at Indiana, there was speculation that he would leave college early and enter the NBA draft. He did just that — but not before leading Indiana to the 1981 national championship, winning the tournament's MVP award along the way. Before they could cut down the nets, though, the Hoosiers had to survive a grueling Big Ten schedule that included a mid-January trip to Columbus, where the conference co-leaders the Ohio State Buckeyes awaited.
1992 College Basketball
LSU vs. Auburn
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It's a pretty distinguished club to belong to — the list of athletes who are recognizable by first name alone. Michael, Tiger, Arnie, Shaq. Shaquille O'Neal was a legend before he ever slipped on an NBA uniform. It began in Baton Rouge where O'Neal terrorized SEC opponents as a member of the LSU Tigers. The Tigers play their home games at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center, but coming down the stretch of the 1991-'92 campaign, their star player was the antithesis of Pistol Pete. While Maravich defined finesse, O'Neal was pure power. And on this day, the Auburn Tigers were in his way.
1996 College Basketball
Cincinnati vs. Arizona
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Few basketball coaches, whether in college or the NBA, ever reach the 500-win milestone. Arizona's Lute Olsen was on the brink of that magical number in 1996 when his Wildcats hosted Bob Huggins and Cincinnati in the Seven-Up Shootout. That season, the Wildcats were led by junior guard Miles Simon — who before his career was over would make a name for himself on the national stage, winning the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player award while leading Arizona to the 1997 national championship. But before the Final Four glory, there was the matter of Olsen's 500th win. Simon would play an important, and thrilling, role in that as well.
1985 College Basketball
UCLA vs. Indiana
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Madison Square Garden is a place where Reggie Miller has made himself very comfortable. Miller's professional exploits at the world's most famous arena are well-known (just ask Spike Lee). But Reggie first made noise there while still in college. Most basketball fans think of UCLA as a place where NCAA championship banners are as common as traffic jams and smog. By 1985, though, the Bruins were 10 years removed from their last title under John Wooden and were anxious to raise a banner of any kind. Left out of the NCAA tournament field, UCLA found itself vying for an NIT championship. Just one thing stood in the Bruins' way — Bobby Knight and the Indiana Hoosiers.
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