![](\"http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/msnbc/Components/Art/SPORTS/040315/royal_dukes_header3.gif\")
";
spt_DukeVsUCLA.appNavStyle = 3;
spt_DukeVsUCLA.bDhtml = 0;
spt_DukeVsUCLA.appLayout = 3;
spt_DukeVsUCLA.copyHeight = 450;
spt_DukeVsUCLA.copyWidth = 490;
spt_DukeVsUCLA.copyMargin = 9;
spt_DukeVsUCLA[i++] = new Array("","","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/msnbc/Components/Art/SPORTS/040315/royal_dukes_default.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "bg", "", "", "450", "490", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_DukeVsUCLA[i++] = new Array("","the players","","","","", "sub", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
spt_DukeVsUCLA[i++] = new Array("","UCLA 1967-69 vs.He wasn’t a one-man show, either. These Bruins featured stellar guards Luther Allen, Mike Warren and John Vallely, plus forwards like Lynn Shackelford, Kenny Heitz, Curtis Rowe and Sidney Wicks.
Duke would counter Alcindor’s inside dominance with the outside shooting and passing skills of center Christian Laettner. He might have trouble stopping Alcindor’s trademark sky hook shot, but Krzyzewski would encourage his quick-handed guards and forwards to try to prevent Alcindor from taking that shot.
Grant Hill’s slashing and leaping ability, plus full-court speed would be a challenge for the slower UCLA forwards. Heady Bobby Hurley, sharp-shooting Bill McCaffrey and defensive stopper Thomas Hill would have a size advantage of the Bruins’ backcourt players.";
spt_DukeVsUCLA[i++] = new Array("","UCLA 1972-73 vs.
Duke 1999, 2001","UCLA's Bill Walton","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/z_Projects_in_progress/040315_duke_ucla_app/040315_dukeuclaapp_1973walton.vmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "AP", "298", "170", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_DukeVsUCLA[i-1].body = "Bill Walton, the big red-head/ Dead Head (because of his musical tastes), is perhaps the best all-around center ever to play college basketball. He was an accurate shooter, a deft passer and a devastating shot-blocker. His fundamentals were impeccable. So were his first two seasons, as UCLA went 30-0 in both the 1971-72 and 72-73 championships seasons. Forwards Keith Wilkes and Larry Farmer as well as guards Henry Bibby, Tommy Curtis, Larry Farmer and Larry Hollyfield contributed to this juggernaut. The Bruins won 88 straight games, beginning in the 1970-71 season.
Duke’s most recent title team was anchored by Shane Battier, a versatile forward and dynamic leader who was a rare four-year player. Battier was a superb defender, willing passer and timely scorer. Elton Brand would have presented an interesting challenge for Walton, as an undersized center with tremendous low-post footwork and great strength.
The Blue Devils had more athletic guards than their Bruin counterparts in quick, multi-talented Jay Williams, William Avery and Chris Duhon. They also had a versatile forward in Mike Dunleavy and top talent off the bench in Corey Maggette, Carlos Boozer and Nate James.
The 2004 Devils squad that reached the Final Four had terrific talent in Duhon, Luol Deng, J.J. Redick and Shelden Williams, all of whom would have been excellent additions to this fantasy squad.";
spt_DukeVsUCLA[i++] = new Array("","other factors","","","","", "sub", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
spt_DukeVsUCLA[i++] = new Array("","The coaches","Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/040705/040705_krzyzewski_vlg_11a.vmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "Streeter Lecka", "Getty Images file", "250", "198", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_DukeVsUCLA[i-1].body = "The Wizard of Westwood vs. Coach K.
It’s hard to imagine a better battle of wits. Both coaches emphasize discipline for the players, on and off the court, and both have a calmer bench demeanor than many of their contemporaries, though Krzyzewski tangles with officials far more than Wooden did.
Both coaches prefer a fast-pace offense that emphasizes movement without the ball and neither neglects the defensive end. They both have exhibited class in a profession that is sometimes crass. Both Hall of Fame coaches built programs so successfully that prized recruits often came to them instead of the other way around.
The biggest difference – aside from Wooden’s edge in championships – is that the UCLA coach had the luxury of keeping all of his players for four years, although freshmen were not eligible during the Wooden era."; spt_DukeVsUCLA[i++] = new Array("","The competition","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); spt_DukeVsUCLA[i-1].body = "Here’s where the balance tips a bit in Duke’s favor. The Blue Devils play in the nation’s toughest conference, the ACC, with a spirited post-season tournament; the Bruins often cruised through what was then the Pac-8 and never had to endure the rigors of a conference tourney.
UCLA always played its early-round NCAA Tournament games in the West – the nation’s weakest region in those days – and sometimes played tournament games on its home court of Pauley Pavilion. The Bruins never had to worry about a tough team from the East being shipped into its region. UCLA had a bye in its early championship years and needed only four NCAA Tournament victories to win the title.
Plus, the tournament did not always include the best 32 teams in the nation since conference runner-ups were not invited to the tournament. Duke never had a bye and always needed six wins to cut down the nets on the final day.
The Devils never have an easy draw because out-of-region teams are moved around to create bracket parity. And with a 64-team field, ALL of the nation’s top teams are invited to the dance. This discounts the regular season when UCLA was rarely challenged in its conference and did not play as rigorous a non-conference schedule as Duke."; spt_DukeVsUCLA[i++] = new Array("","Who would win?","","","","", "sub", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); spt_DukeVsUCLA[i++] = new Array("","Our pick","UCLA's Lew Alcindor","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/z_Projects_in_progress/040315_duke_ucla_app/040315_dukeuclaapp_1968alcindor.hsmall.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "AP", "273", "241", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); spt_DukeVsUCLA[i-1].body = "So who would win? Despite Duke’s recent dominance, we think the Bruins would triumph because of centers Lew Alcindor and Bill Walton. They were so versatile and so dominant they would negate Duke’s advantages in speed and backcourt play.
If the two best UCLA teams ever met, we like the Alcindors over the Waltons because of an advantage in quickness and shooting in the backcourt. Taking the hypothetical to yet another level, pairing the best players from the best teams for an all-time game, choosing a winner is impossible. We’d simply want to watch the game."; spt_DukeVsUCLA[i++] = new Array("spt_0304_royaldukes","Your pick","","","","", "lv", "", "", "", "right", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); // END editorial data