DUKE AT THE
MEADOWLANDS
18-1 Record ... 10-0 Record in the NCAA Tournament
MEADOWLANDS
MAGIC
The Story of a Modest Arena in New Jersey
Leaving A Lasting Imprint on Duke Basketball
By Dave Bradley
T
here were other that you have a game of this runs have gone through East
arenas Duke could magnitude in March,” Coach K Rutherford including his first
have considered for said about playing the seventh- in 1986. Duke is unbeaten in
the annual December ranked Musketeers. “That’s 10 NCAA Tournament games
home-away-from-home game why you schedule it, and you in the last traditional arena to
in the New York-New Jersey schedule it in a place that loves host the Final Four (1996).
area. The world-famous basketball and has been the “We’ve been fortunate to play
Madison Square Garden has site of many NCAA games.” some of the biggest games in
hosted 23 Duke games (and In addition to serving the history of our program
17 Blue Devil wins) in the as the site of more NCAA in that building,” Coach K
Coach K era, and both Seton Tournament regional remarked. “Every time I either
Hall Basketball and the NHL’s championships than any fly over it or drive past it or
New Jersey Devils moved into other arena in the modern obviously play in it, it conjures
the state-of-the-art Prudential era (11), East Rutherford’s up memories of some great,
Center when it opened in Meadowlands complex has great games -- some of the best
Newark in 2007. Duke instead provided a stage for Duke to games really in the history of
tipped off against Xavier, make history. Opened a few college basketball.”
where Meadowlands magic months after Coach K wrapped On the way to an 18-1 record
happens. up his first season as Duke at the Meadowlands including
“It’s one of those games that Head Coach in 1981, five of the an 8-1 mark against ranked
you play in December in hopes Hall of Famer’s 10 Final Four teams, some of the all-time
DIFFERENT NAMES, SAME RESULT
The Meadowlands arena has had three offi-
cial names since it opened in 1981, includ-
ing Continental Airlines Arena from 1996-
2007. It is currently called the Izod Center.
30
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