Duke finished the legendary 1985-86 season at 37-3, losing in the championship game to Louisville.
It was a dominant run but there were some close games. Lamar was within four, losing just 66-62. Duke nipped St. John’s by just one, 61-60. And Notre Dame came to Cameron in February and also lost by just one, 75-74, on one of the great clutch plays in Cameron history.
It wasn’t an easy game and Notre Dame had David Rivers, a guard who had a brilliant college career (Incidentally, he also played at St. Anthony’s where he was coached by Bob Hurley, Sr. You have to think that his sons, Bobby and Danny, were already hanging around practice, possibly shagging balls for Rivers and others as they warmed up or shot foul shots).
The Irish just wouldn’t go away and at the end of the game, they had the ball at their end of the court with just six seconds left. Naturally, they gave the ball to Rivers, who was guarded by Johnny Dawkins. Rivers tried to spin and get a shot off, but Dawkins followed him up and got a clean block. Mark Alarie picked the ball up and threw it in the air.
You don’t see that kind of a block often by a guard. Dawkins just had a perfect play and kept Duke undefeated at home.
Notre Dame would go into the NCAA Tournament with a 22-5 record but were upset by Arkansas-Little Rock in the first round, 90-83.