During Amaker's junior year (1985–86), Duke won the inaugural NIT Season Tip-Off (then known as the preseason National Invitation Tournament) and Amaker had nine assists in the championship game against a Danny Manning-led Kansas team. In the March Carolina–Duke rivalry game against North Carolina Amaker stole the ball from Jeff Lebo and made a layup that gave Duke a late first half three-point lead it never surrendered. The win clinched Duke's first regular season ACC Championship since 1966. According to ESPN college basketball color commentator Dick Vitale, Amaker had a reputation for putting pressure on the ball. That year, he helped the team win the 1986 ACC men's basketball tournament, including a championship game victory over the Price-led Georgia Tech.
