NEW YORK -- The greatest moment in the history of Iona basketball came last Feb. 21 at Madison Square Garden. Final score: Iona 77, Louisville 60.

Louisville eventually won the 1980 national championship and that made Iona's victory all the more meaningful. For in that one game, Jim Valvano, then coach of Iona, knew his five-year rebuilding program was a success.


On Friday night, Valvano returns -- under unique circumstances -- to the arena where he experienced 'the biggest thrill I've ever had in sports.'

Valvano is now the coach at North Carolina State and his Wolfpack, 5-2, takes on Iona, 3-5, in the second game of a double-header that opens the 29th ECAC Holiday Festival. Defending champion St. John's meets Pennsylvania in the first game, with the final scheduled for Saturday.

'It's certainly going to be an emotional game for me,' said Valvano, who was replaced at Iona by Pat Kennedy, his assistant at the school for three years. 'They way I see it, I'm in a can't lose situation. If Iona beats us, then it's a testimony to the strong program that I had a part in building over the last five years. If we win, then I'm just going to feel it's a great win for NC State basketball, and I'll be happy to be in the finals. In a personal way, I just can't lose.'

Valvano, an effervescent sort who becomes deeply involved in each game, said Tuesday at a news conference he is glad to be back in New York and is looking forward to going against his former team.


'I know everybody up here,' said Valvano, who grew up in New York and played at Rutgers. 'For Pat and myself it will be difficult. But I look at it as a couple of friends going against each other.'

Although the game has added incentive for the coaches and the Iona players, Valvano claims his team won't be able to understand the situation.

'My players don't know the feelings I have about the last five years,' he said. 'They won't understand it if the crowd boos me. I'm glad they aren't involved in this. They will just go out and play their game.'

The 34-year-old Valvano, with a 142-100 career coaching record, says he is enjoying his new life in Raleigh, N.C.

'I can't get the y'alls down yet and I think the people like me because they still don't understand what I'm saying,' joked Valvano. 'But it's been a lot of fun down there. The people in Carolina don't root for the team -- they love the team. You become part of their family. In New York, it's just not that way.'

Valvano then recalled an incident when he first took over at North Carolina State and was asked to speak to the Wolfpack booster club in Greenville, N.C.

'First off, I knew I had to wear red because that is the school color,' said Valvano. 'So I had my red blazer on with a North Carolina State patch and I got on a plane and flew to Greenville. I was going to speak to 400 boosters who give heavy money to the school and I was the new guy. I was replacing a guy that won 400 games.


'My plane landed and I went into the airport and noticed I was at the Greenville-Spartanburg airport. I was in South Carolina instead of North Carolina!

'I went to the ticket counter and said I would like to fly to Greenville, North Carolina and the guy looked at my red blazer and called to his buddy, 'Hey Burt, take a look at the new guy at State. Boy, is Clemson gonna do them in.'

Because of his love for New York, Valvano hopes to work out a schedule that allows his team to play in the metropolitan area at least once a year.

'I've been in touch with the people at the Garden and told them I would like to play in New York every year,' said Valvano. 'I hope something can be worked out because the Garden is the mecca of college basketball. My greatest thrill as a player came when I was introduced at the Garden and came running out onto the court.

'I know a couple of our kids are going to be awed. They know this place is something special.'