5/23/2002 - Men's Basketball
ESPN Classic To Air Classic 1986 Navy Win

Links associated with this release:
0
0
0

ESPN Classic will air Navy's 71-70 heart-stopping victory over Cleveland State in the 1986 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 game on May 30 at 9 p.m. EST. In addition to the game itself, ESPN Classic will air features about then-Navy star David Robinson and postgame interviews with victorious Navy players.

Navy, propelled by Robinson's 12 points in the final 5-1/2 minutes of the game, sunk Cleveland State 71-70. Robinson's 22 points included the game-winner with five seconds left. Cleveland State led for most of the second half behind the penetration Ken "Mouse" McFadden, their quick freshman guard.

In addition to hitting the game-winning shot in Navy's 71-70 win, Robinson came within one blocked shot of a triple-double. Robinson had 22 points, 14 rebounds and nine blocks vs. Cleveland State. The nine blocks at the time were the most-ever in an NCAA Tournament game, however that total has since been surpassed by Shaquille O'Neal (11 blocks) for LSU vs. BYU in 1992 and by Shawn Bradley (10 blocks) for BYU vs. Virginia back in 1991.

Robinson, the 1986 CAA Player of the Year, led Navy to a first-round win over #10-seed Tulsa , 87-68 before the 12-point victory over the second-seeded and Pearl Washington-led Orangemen, 97-85. The No. 7 seeded Middies then defeated #14-seed Cleveland State en route to the Elite 8. Navy fell to top-seeded Duke in the regional finals, 71-50.