WVU Postgame Reaction
WASHINGTON -- Here are some West Virginia quotes:
March 22, 2008
Offensive Offense
Washington -- We're waiting for West Virginia Coach Bob Huggins and a few Mountaineers to come out to the dais, and we're also waiting for stats, but here is my question: What was Duke doing on offense?
West Virginia Knocks Out Duke
WASHINGTON -- A strong second half performance which saw the Mountaineers outscore Duke by 11 gives West Virginia a big upset over the second-seeded Duke Blue Devils. Joe Alexander scored a game-high 22, Alex Ruoff added 17, and Joe Mazzulla had an amazing 13 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists. Back with more shortly.
West Virginia Senses It
WASHINGTON -- With Joe Mazzulla (the undisputed player of the game) at the line to put the Mountaineers up 12 with less than a minute left, the WVU players got on their feet and started raising the roof. They seem to sense that the upset is imminent. Each team has one timeout remaining as there are now 55 seconds left and a 10-point game.
Duke's Free-Throw Shooting Betrays Them
WASHINGTON -- Duke has missed three of its last four free throws after not missing in the first half. They're fortunate to be getting to the line; they can't keep missing.
Sweet Dime by Mazzulla
WASHINGTON -- On a broken play, Joe Mazzulla, trapped in the paint, somehow muscled a pass through three Duke defenders to little-used Cam Thoroughman who kissed in a layup to put WVU up 11.
Battle of the Fans
WASHINGTON -- With play stopped to correct a timing error, Duke fans started their customary Let's-Go-Duke cheer. Quickly, West Virginia's John Flowers got up off the bench and started waving to the Mountaineer fans to get a Let's-Gooo-Mountaineers rendition started.
Joe Mazzulla Wants it More
WASHINGTON -- Joe Mazzulla is quietly putting together one of the most well-rounded performances we've seen in D.C.
Foul Trouble Intrigue
WASHINGTON -- There's only nine minutes gone by in the second half, but already both teams are dealing with foul trouble.
The Joe Alexander Show
WASHINGTON -- Joe Alexander is taking over this game.
Today, They Really Are Free
WASHINGTON -- Until Kyle Singler missed the second of his two free throws moments ago, both teams were perfect from the line. The Blue Devils made their first 13 freebies, while West Virginia is 3-for-3.
Halftime: WVU Can't Buy a Bucket
WASHINGTON -- The Mountaineers shot uncharacteristically poorly in the first half but trail by just five.
Brendan Haywood Doesn't Play for Either Team
WASHINGTON -- Shortly before this game started, Brendan Haywood meandered down the hallway near the media work room heading towards the workout room here at Verizon Center. A member of the arena security personnel, who evidently doesn't watch a whole lot of Wizards basketball, tried to direct him to either the Duke or WVU locker room before he flashed his ID.
Continue reading "Brendan Haywood Doesn't Play for Either Team" »
Meet Ed Hightower
WASHINGTON -- The refs didn't forget to pack their whistles for Washington, D.C.
Paulus is Hot, Huggins is Angry
WASHINGTON -- Greg Paulus, who finished 2-of-7 from three against Belmont, made his first two threes, one off a screen, one off the dribble, and Duke leads 10-4. After Paulus' second three, WVU Coach Bob Huggins tried to get a 30-second timeout, didn't get it, and at the next stoppage of play, was hit with a technical.
Duke, WVU Will Shoot for Sweet 16
WASHINGTON -- Welcome back to the nation's capital where Duke and West Virginia will tip at 2:10 to officially get the second round underway. The Mountaineers will be looking to build on the Big East's early round success and to garner their 26th win of the season. The Blue Devils are trying to get back to the Sweet 16, somewhere they've been 23 times ... but not since 2006, which is like an eternity in Durham.
March 20, 2008
Whew! Duke-Belmont Aftermath
WASHINGTON -- Verizon Center is still reeling from the game of the tournament. How did Belmont play Duke so close? How did Gerald Henderson get such an easy layup at the end of the game? What on earth was Alex Renfroe thinking passing the ball right to Duke with four seconds left? All questions that are still lingering.
Duke Escapes a Thriller
WASHINGTON -- After DeMarcus Nelson missed the front end of a one-and-one that could have given Duke some insurance, Belmont missed a 40 footer that would have won the game as time expired. Belmont is getting a loud, resounding standing ovation from the Verizon Center crowd. What a game. Back with more shortly.
Duke Takes the Lead
WASHINGTON -- Duke took the lead on a coast-to-coast layup by Gerald Genderson after forcing Belmont into a bad shot with 10 seconds left. Now, after missing a contested runner but getting the ball on the arrow, Belmont has four seconds to win it.
The Verizon Center is Rocking
WASHINGTON -- Verizon Center is full now, and about 85 percent of it is rooting on Belmont as the Bruins look for an historic upset. With the clock stopped at 1:03, Belmont up one and playing defense, this place is electric. I'll try to post as much as I can in the final minute. Duke has to be the more nervous team, right?
Belmont Has the Lead and the Ball
WASHINGTON -- With 1:40 left, Belmont's Justin Hare just knocked down two free throws and the Bruins got Duke to miss at the other end. They lead by one and have the ball with 100 seconds remaining.
Wicke For Three!
WASHINGTON -- Wicke just nailed a three from the corner, 10 feet away from me tops, to pull within one. And now, Belmont has the ball. What a shooter he is. And what a game. Amazing.
At the Final Media Timeout, Still a Game
WASHINGTON -- Two minutes 44 seconds remain at Verizon Center, and 15-seed Belmont is still very much in this one. They'll be going to the line down three when we come out of the break.
Continue reading "At the Final Media Timeout, Still a Game" »
Duke Leads Belmont by One
WASHINGTON -- Unfortunately, some technical issues prevented me from updating in the last couple minutes, but we've got an exciting one here at Verizon Center. Forget the seeds, forget the history, this one could go down to the wire.
Belmont Still in This One
WASHINGTON -- Dribbling aimlessly at the top of the key and defended by 7-foot-1 Brian Zoubek, Jon House glanced over at his coach, Rick Byrd, and saw him waving frantically towards the hoop and yelling "drive."
Duke By Seven at the Break
WASHINGTON -- Thanks to 10 points from Jon Scheyer, a 19-14 rebounding advantage and an 8-0 edge in fast-break points, Duke leads those pesky Belmont Bruins by 7 at half.
How to Beat Duke
WASHINGTON -- Two years ago, in this very building, Georgetown used backdoor cuts to take advantage of Duke's aggressive man-to-man defense and upset the No. 1 Blue Devils, who had been 19-0. Tonight, Belmont seems to have a similar strategy.
Big Block by Belmont
WASHINGTON -- Jordan Campbell stands just 6-foot-5. He's a freshman and he's listed as a guard forward. He blocked a grand total of nine shots all season. But just now, he rejected 7-foot-1 Brian Zoubek with authority, bringing fans to their feet.
Forecast: Raining Threes in D.C.
WASHINGTON -- With Duke set to lineup across from Belmont, you can expect an up-tempo shootout to take place.
March 19, 2008
NCAA Tournament Preview: Washington
Verizon Center has seen its fair share of memorable college basketball games the last few years. It has seen Georgetown upset No. 1 Duke in January 2006, the ultimate Cinderella, George Mason, take down mighty Connecticut later that spring, and Roy Hibbert beat those Huskies on an unexpected three pointer just a couple months ago. With the eight teams the NCAA has sent to Verizon for the first weekend of this year's tournament, there is a good chance that the District is one again the site of a few classics.
March 15, 2008
ACC: Don't forget the Tigers
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - After his team beat Duke for the first time since 1997 -- a span of 22 games -- Clemson senior Sam Perry was anything but at a loss for words.
"We've seen on SportsCenter, Bob Knight and Dick Vitale, we've seen them talk about the Duke-North Carolina rematch. They haven't even mentioned our name," Perry said. "I tell you what, they have to mention our name now. We looked at USA Today or whatever paper it was, we were on the 12th page. Didn't even say nothing about us. I think we'll be on the first page tomorrow. We ain't done yet. They're talking about the Duke-North Carolina rematch, and I think they forgot all about us, but it's all right. Rematch with North Carolina and Clemson now."
ACC: Tigers headed to title game
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - After 22 losses in a row at the hands of the Blue Devils, Clemson picked a perfect time to win. The Tigers grabbed a 78-74 semifinal victory and advance to take on North Carolina in the title game. More to come...
ACC: Tigers up six
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Clemson went up six on a James Mays and-one, and forced a Duke miss before calling timeout with 4:15 to go. Everyone's banged up: Gerald Henderson is noticeably limping, and Clemson's Sam Perry looks like he rolled his ankle on the last rebound.
ACC: Purnell exhorts Tigers
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - We're tied at 66, and Clemson just got a big stop, after which Oliver Purnell called timeout. As the Tigers headed to the huddle, Purnell sprung out of his seat yelling, "Let's go!" in a bid to fire up his team. They could really use a bucket here with six minutes to go.
ACC: Pressure is on
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Both teams are employing a full-court press now, but there's still 11 minutes to go. We could really see a pair of tired teams when this game gets to the final minutes, which could be a factor if this game stays as close as it is. The Tigers are up 49-46 at the moment, though they were up seven only moments ago. Duke has the ability to go on a tear quickly, so perhaps the pressure is part of Oliver Purnell's strategy to avoid that.
ACC: Tigers tough inside
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Duke's inside play has been a concern all season, since their big men are more perimeter guys. Right now, the Clemson forwards are certainly taking advantage. Back to back baskets, including a nasty dunk, by Trevor Booker put Clemson up eight points. Duke has since gotten a pair of free throws from Gerald Henderson, but the Tigers have lots of confidence early in the second half.
ACC: Duke by one at half
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Clemson missed a three at the buzzer, so they go to the locker room trailing the Blue Devils 31-30. But at this point it looks like we might be on the way to yet another great semifinal finish.
ACC: Clemson hanging tough
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Clemson's Cliff Hammonds just hit a three and Brian Zoubek traveled at the other end, getting the orange-clad Clemson fans in the house something to cheer about. Before that, all they had was complaints about the officiating in this 20-19 Duke-led game.
ACC: Paulus gets on the board
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Greg Paulus' first points of the day came on a 3-pointer that put the Blue Devils up 14-12 against Clemson, though Paulus' next three ball was way off the mark. Clemson hasn't beaten Duke since 1997, so the Tigers will want to stay close to have a chance to snap that streak.
March 14, 2008
ACC: This looks familiar
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - A familiar sight for anyone who has seen Duke win big this year: The Blue Devils are already spending the better part of each possession passing it around the far outside, just eating clock until finally attacking in the final seconds (often with success). They're up 13 right now, and with less than four to go, it likely won't get a whole lot closer than that.
ACC: Blue Devils back in control
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - So much for Georgia Tech's comeback bid. Yes, there are still eight minutes left. But when Duke first got itself some breathing room back, that sucked the life right out of the Jackets, it appeared, and now Duke is up 66-56.
ACC: Jackets within a basket
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Lewis Clinch just hit a jump shot that pulled Georgia Tech within two points of Duke, 52-50. And man did this place get loud. Granted, a lot of those cheers were coming from North Carolina fans as opposed to Tech fans, but either way, the arena was (and still is) lively.
ACC: Jackets attack
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Georgia Tech is mounting a run here, and it's largely thanks to getting into the paint and driving at the basket. That also opened up some outside shots, since Duke now has to respect the drive. Maurice Miller just hit a three to cut Duke's lead to 10 and Gani Lawal followed with a hook shot to make it 52-44.
ACC: On paper, Tech stinks right now
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - It really is amazing that Tech is only down 15 at the half to Duke. I know, "only" doesn't seem appropriate when you're behind that far, but consider what the Devils did in the first half (or what Tech didn't do, depending on your perspective) and it all makes sense.
GT shot 37 percent, while Duke hit 57 percent of its shots. Duke even made twice as many 3-pointers (six) as it missed (three). The Blue Devils also have triple the points in the paint of the Yellow Jackets and more than double the boards. Bottom line: There is nothing Tech is doing better than Duke.
ACC: Tech hanging tough
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Maybe Georgia Tech hasn't given up hope just yet. After trailing by as many as 20 points, the Jackets have a hit a few shots and actually done some defending on Duke to pull back within 12 points.
ACC: Ramblin' Wrecked?
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Man, Duke can turn a game into a laugher in a hurry. One minute the Yellow Jackets had cut the Blue Devil lead to eight, and the next minute -- on a run capped by a Gerald Henderson 3-pointer -- Duke is up 33-16. If it keeps going this way (i.e. Duke shooting well, Tech forgetting to rebound anything), this game will be over before halftime.
ACC: Devils off to hot start
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Apparently missing Kyle Singler because of those early fouls didn't do much to alter Duke's game plan. Eight minutes into the game, the Blue Devils are already up a dozen on Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets are allowing Duke entirely too many second-chance opportunities to win. On one early possession, Greg Paulus managed to get three 3-point attempts up in quick succession (the last went in). Duke is too good a team to give extra chances to if GT hopes to win.
ACC: Oh, hey Kyle
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Duke freshman Kyle Singler picked up two fouls in the first 31 seconds of play, so Coach K has already had to dip into his bench and send 7-footer Brian Zoubek onto the floor.
ACC: Game 3 on the way
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - No. 2-seed Duke and No.7-seed Georgia Tech only met once during the regular season, and not surprisingly, Duke won. Why "not surprisingly?" Well, the Blue Devils have won 22 of the last 24 against the Yellow Jackets, so Tech fans might not want to get their hopes up. But, hey, that's why they play the games. This one tips off in three minutes.
February 07, 2008
Balanced Blue Devils Take Control Of ACC Race
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- This time there was no blood and no last-second mayhem. But there was also no Ty Lawson for North Carolina. That was certainly a factor in No. 2 Duke stealing a game on their arch-rival's floor, beating No. 3 North Carolina 89-78 on Wednesday night at the Smith Center.
Still, North Carolina's coach and his players didn't blame their loss on missing Lawson.
They blamed it on giving way to many open looks to the Blue Devils, who took full advantage, knocking down shots all night and getting six scorers in double figures.
Duke's offense is successful when players can drive and kick out for open looks, and they did it all night against UNC, which couldn't seem to stop dribble penetration. When the help came, that left somebody open.
In more than a few instances that somebody was point guard Greg Paulus, who scored all of his 18 points from beyond the arc, where he was 6 for 8.
The Blue Devils hit 13 threes in all, hitting at almost a 45-percent rate.
"We did a poor job of defending the ball," UNC forward Marcus Ginyard said. "Obviously, they're a great shooting team, so the lack of ability to guard the ball really hurt us."
That ability to put the ball in the basket helped the Blue Devils (20-1, 8-0 in the ACC) offset another huge game by UNC forward Tyler Hansbrough, who finished with 28 points and 18 rebounds.
But every time Carolina looked like it was going to make a move, the Blue Devils -- who led for the entire second half -- answered with either a stop or a big bucket.
"This is a game where there are so many points where the game can go the other way," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "It just seemed like when it was going to turn, one of our guys made a play."
While the media picked UNC to win the league in the preseason, Duke is now in the driver's seat in the ACC race now that it's two up on the Heels in the loss column.
"It's a good win for us," Paulus said. "It's a big ACC win, and it's an even bigger win doing it on someone else's home court. It's a good sign for us, and hopefully we can keep it going. We don't want to stop there. We want to keep building on it and keep getting better."
Of course, the season-ending matchup in Durham should be an exciting one, assuming Lawson is healthy and the Tar Heels are back to their top offensive speed.
"They ran their stuff a little differently," Duke's Gerald Henderson said. "Their transition wasn't as fast because of him. He's a real jet, so it's unfortunate that he's hurt. (But) we still had to go out there and execute our game plan and not worry about him not being in the game."
The Blue Devils did just that. And in the process they showed that right now they're the team to beat in the ACC.
February 06, 2008
Duke Hangs On For Road Win Vs. UNC
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Maybe those students were right, sort of. Carolina certainly made it interesting by pressuring Duke in the backcourt. A Danny Green three after a Duke turnover cut the lead to five with 54 seconds to go. But that's as close as the Tar Heels would get, as Duke hung on for an 89-78 win.
Duke Looks To Be In Control
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- The Tar Heels still can't buy a bucket. Wayne Ellington had a three go just about all the way down before jumping back out of the basket. Hansbrough is missing free throws. And Duke is in full stall mode. Things are certainly looking good for the Blue Devils, up nine with two minutes to play.
In typical Carolina fashion, a good portion of the crowd is starting to filter out, prompting the student section to start a chant of "Game's not over."
But it sure looks like it is.
Paulus' Shooting Carrying Devils
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Greg Paulus has had an unbelievable shooting night for the Blue Devils.
After UNC cut the Duke lead to six and starting feeling a little momentum, Paulus bagged a fall-away three-pointer in front of his own bench to push the lead back to nine. It wasn't the first fall-away he has hit from beyond the arc tonight, where he has been nearly perfect.
With an eight-point lead, Duke is now content to slow things down and milk some clock. If UNC has any tricks up its sleeve, now is the time to use them.
UPDATE: Deon Thompson just fouled out of the game with 4:26 to go.
Hansbrough Remains Key For UNC
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- When the Tar Heels are passing it to Hansbrough, they look a heck of a lot better on offense. Duke can't seem to stop him -- but in the Devils' defense, not many teams have -- and Carolina has gotten the big man the ball on the last two possessions.
The result?
Two baskets. It's still a five-point Duke lead, but those scores were enough to prompt Coach K to call a timeout and discuss with his team how to slow down UNC's big man.
UNC Offense Not Looking Good
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- The Tar Heels are getting Duke to miss, but they're not taking advantage.
Instead, turnovers and missed shots are all Carolina is getting at the offensive end, allowing Duke to hang on to a seven-point lead. This is where not having Lawson really hurts UNC. Ginyard just can't do the things that Lawson can do, and neither can Thomas, though the Heels seem to fare better when the senior is in.
That said, Thomas just committed a turnover and foul, and the Blue Devils don't look like they're going to give up this lead no matter how many shots they miss.
Thompson Picks Up Pair Of Cheapies
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Bad news for the Tar Heels: Deon Thompson, who combined with Tyler Hansbrough to go 13-of-18 in the first half (mostly Psycho T, though), picked up a pair of cheap fouls within 30 seconds. The second of the two was his fourth of the game, which could hurt UNC's inside advantage.
North Carolina trails, 55-51, at the moment and absolutely must get it to Hansbrough, who had 18 points at the half.
Blue Devils Hold Halftime Lead
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- The crowd here, which hit a HUGE lull when Duke opened up a decent lead, woke up a bit as the Tar Heels did some work in the final two minutes of the half. Thanks to a pair of Ginyard free throws and consecutive buckets by Tyler Hansbrough, the Tar Heels pulled within three, 42-39 at the half.
Devils Up By 10
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Some fans here at the Smith Center have begun holding up VCU shirts -- the Rams knocked Duke out of last year's NCAA tourney -- when the Blue Devils shoot free throws. But other than that little bit of enjoyment, it hasn't been great fun for the Carolina fans, as their team went down by nine.
The Blue Devils are trying to get to Marcus Ginyard with a full-court press, and it seems to have had at least some affect on the fill-in point guard (normally a forward). Ginyard did hit a big three, though, to keep things from getting too bad. But as it stands, Duke is up by 10 -- the first double-digit lead of the game.
Duke Pulls Ahead Behind Threes
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Duke broke the tie with back-to-back threes and then added another after a Quentin Thomas layup, and suddenly the Blue Devils had a seven-point lead.
While Duke is killing it from outside, Roy Williams is starting to show a little frustration with a few of Thomas' passing decisions. But UNC has been tough on defense inside the arc and are going to the line -- after a timeout -- to try to cut into Duke's 27-22 lead.
Knotted At 18 In The Dean Dome
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Duke briefly took a one-point lead on a three-pointer from Nolan Smith after a UNC turnover, but Deon Thompson answered back quickly with a jump shot to put UNC back on top.
Thompson and Hansbrough scored 16 of Carolina's first 18 points, proving that even with Lawson out, the focus will be to get the ball inside. But Jon Scheyer hit a three that just tied the game at 18 and quieted this crowd a bit.
Heels Take Early Lead On Duke
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- The fans here are booing just about everything that Gerald Henderson does (except when he missed a jumper on Duke's second possession). But hostilities aside, this is already shaping up to be quite a game.
While the Carolina offense hasn't looked perfect, and the Heels really haven't gotten out in transition, Thomas appears to be handling himself fine. And UNC's big men are having their way underneath against the smaller Blue Devils.
Duke, though, is doing its usual good job from the outside. Thanks to a pair of threes, they trail the Tar Heels by just two, 12-10 five minutes in.
Lawson Will Not Play
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- With just 15 minutes to go before tipoff, we just got an update: UNC sophomore point guard Ty Lawson will not play. That means Quentin Thomas will get the start against a Duke defense that leads the league in steals.
UNC, Duke Set To Renew Rivalry
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- The Duke-North Carolina rivalry is always guaranteed to be a big game, and it's even bigger with the Blue Devils ranked second in the country and the Tar Heels checking in at No. 3. But for all the things we know about this rivalry, there is one lingering question tonight here at the Smith Center: Will UNC point guard Ty Lawson play?
Carolina coach Roy Williams has said Lawson won't go unless he's at least 90 percent, but it's hard to keep a kid out of this rivalry game if he really wants to play. If Lawson doesn't go, it will be senior Quentin Thomas, who played 36 minutes in relief of Lawson in a win against Florida State the other day.
The good news for the Tar Heels (21-1, 6-1 in the ACC) is that Thomas' cumulative stats against the Blue Devils (19-1, 7-0) in the last two years are: 29 minutes, eight assists and one turnover. But there's a huge difference between spot duty and 40 minutes of handling Duke's pressure.
The other big question coming in to tonight's game is what kind of reception Gerald Henderson will receive (Hint: It won't be a warm one). After Henderson's flying elbow broke Tyler Hansbrough's nose last season, unleashing a torrent of blood onto the floor of the Dean Dome, you can bet the Tar Heel faithful will be targeting him from the get-go.
Other than that, what is there to say with a little more than an hour to go before tipoff? Carolina has won three straight games in this rivalry, but once the ball tips, all bets are off.
January 13, 2008
Duke Clobbers Virginia, 87-65
DURHAM, N.C. -- Duke's 87-65 win tonight over ACC rival Virginia at Cameron Indoor Stadium was never in doubt with the Blue Devils taking a 12-point lead into halftime. With the win, Duke improves to 13-1 overall and 1-0 in the ACC. Virginia, on the other hand, falls to 10-4 and 0-1.
DeMarcus Nelson led all scorers with 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the floor and 3-of-4 from three-point range, as three other Blue Devils scored in double figures. Gerald Henderson was one of those players, hitting seven of his 12 shots (1-for-3 from three) for 18 points, and Kyle Singler and Jon Scheyer finished with 13 and 12, respectively.
Singler and David McClure led the Duke effort on the glass, as both tallied six rebounds to help the Blue Devils claim a 35-34 edge on the boards. The Blue Devils also held the advantage shooting the ball, hitting 50.7 percent (34-of-67) of its field goals while UVA made 42.4 percent (25-of-59) and 28.4 from long range.
For the Cavaliers, senior guard Sean Singletary was the team's high scorer with 18 points after going 6-for-12 from the field and 2-for-4 from three. Backcourt mate Calvin Baker, meanwhile, dropped in 13 before going down late in the game on a drive to the basket, and Mamadi Diane bolstered Virginia's frontcourt play with 11 points and six rebounds in 32 minutes of action. Senior forward Adrian Joseph led the Cavalier effort on the glass, posting nine rebounds in 30 minutes, but never got a chance to get loose on the offensive end in contributing only three points.
As we wrap things up here in Posting Up, make sure to check out a more in-depth look at this game in Hang Time, so until then, we say goodnight from Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Duke Downs UVA, Goes 1-0 In ACC
DURHAM, N.C. -- The Cameron Crazies are singing goodbye to Virginia and telling the Cavaliers to "drive home safely" after Jon Scheyer just knocked down a three with one second left on the shot clock to put the Blue Devils up, 85-64, with one minute remaining.
Duke will leave here tonight with a 1-0 mark in ACC play and a 13-1 record overall as the buzzer sounds with a final score of Duke 87, Virginia 65.
We'll be back with some notes along with a column in Hang Time after the press conferences.
Pettinella Air-Ball Gets Crazies Going
DURHAM, N.C. -- Virginia forward Ryan Pettinella just air-balled what looked to be one of the ugliest free throws that Posting Up has ever seen in its history of watching organized basketball, and the Cameron Crazies are certainly letting him know about it now.
In the meantime, it's Duke still holding onto a 20-point lead with 4:30 remaining, and the Blue Devils are milking the clock and not allowing Virginia to make any sort of a late comeback.
Cameron Going Crazy
DURHAM, N.C. -- Kyle Singler just threw down a jam on a Duke fast-break and the Blue Devils are now up 20 on Virginia at 7:37 in the second half, leaving the Cavaliers with little hope of a comeback in this one.
The Cameron Crazies are dancing during this timeout as the Blue Devil mascot runs back and forth in front of the Posting Up perch and his cape has swiped by our screen more than a few times tonight.
On the court, the Blue Devils have managed to stay out of foul trouble with Lance Thomas as Duke's high man with three fouls to this point, while Singletary has also acquired three of his own at the seven-minute mark.
Duke Lead Up To 19
DURHAM, N.C. -- Nolan Smith's reverse layup has Duke back out in front by 16 with the score at 67-51 with 10:17 left to play, and the Cameron Crazies are giving a small group of Virginia fans behind Duke's basket a hard time, razzing them with waving hands as we come out of a timeout.
DeMarcus Nelson has just knocked down another three from the right corner for his 17th point of the night, and Duke has its biggest lead at 19.
Sean Singletary is still sitting on 18 points and Calvin Baker is the other UVA player in double digits so far with 13.
Singletary Working Hard But Cavs Still Trail
DURHAM, N.C. -- Sean Singletary is doing all he can to keep Virginia in this game, as Duke continues to lead big, 62-48, with less than 12 minutes remaining.
The Blue Devils are getting it done with some strong play by senior guard DeMarcus Nelson who has hit shots from all over the floor tonight and managed to power his way to the basket on several drives.
Kyle Singler and Gerald Henderson both have 11 for Duke, and Singletary, in the meantime, has 18 for Virginia.
Blue Devils Pulling Away
DURHAM, N.C. -- Duke is starting to pull away from Virginia in its ACC opener here at Cameron Indoor Stadium, as the Blue Devils continue to shoot lights out from three with a 58-41 lead at 15:03 in the second half.
Taylor King just hit a three from the top of the key off a nice drive and kick from senior DeMarcus Nelson and Nolan Smith also hit a smooth jumper six feet out in transition on the previous possession.
The Cavaliers are going to need to respond now if they hope to have any chance of getting back in this game, and it's going to need to start with senior leader Sean Singletary.
Speaking of Smith, the freshman from Marlboro, Md., just went down after knocking his head along with scorer's table and Charles Thomas has replaced him for the time being.
Duke's Press Causing Fits For UVA
DURHAM, N.C. -- Duke has come out strong in the second half, playing with a lot of energy as Virginia continues to struggle against the Blue Devils' pressing defense with scoreboard reading 51-38 in favor of the home team.
Mike Krzyzewski has to be pleased with the way his team has come out with the intensity that it has shown through the first 25 minutes of this ballgame, and unless the Cavaliers start turning things around in a hurry, they'll be leaving Durham with an 0-1 mark to start ACC play.
No. 9 Duke Leads 43-31 At Halftime
DURHAM, N.C. -- With some hot three-point shooting, including eight makes from beyond the arc, ninth-ranked Duke leads ACC rival Virginia, 43-31, at halftime.
Junior point guard Greg Paulus has three of those for nine points, and DeMarcus Nelson has knocked down two from deep to tally a team-high 10 points to go along with four rebounds. Gerald Henderson is also looking to finish this game in double digits with seven at the break, as the Blue Devils shot 47.1 percent (16-for-34) from the floor and 44.4 percent (8-for-18) from three-point range.
For Virginia, sophomore Calvin Baker is leading the way with 10 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the floor and senior Sean Singletary has registered eight points on 2-of-4 shooting, including 4-for-4 from the free throw line. The Cavaliers are shooting a dismal 16.7 percent (1-for-6) from behind the three-point line but is shooting much better from inside the arc at 46.2 percent (12-for-26).
But the second half is about to start so let's turn our attention to center court.
Duke Claims Double-Digit Halftime Lead
DURHAM, N.C. -- With two minutes remaining here at Cameron Crazie Court -- my own new name for this "holy place" -- it's Duke still leading by double digits with Jon Scheyer taking it inside on Virginia for an easy score around the goal.
Sean Singletary, at the other end of the floor, just missed a fall-away jumper but Duke was unable to capitalize on the final possession, as Taylor King missed from deep, leaving the Blue Devils up by 12 at halftime with the scoreboard reading 43-31.
I'll be back with halftime stats in a few minutes once they get printed and handed out.
Baker Keeping UVA Close
DURHAM, N.C. -- Sean Singletary is playing his final game at Cameron Indoor Stadium, and he's hoping to make it a memorable one after hitting a pair of free throws to pull Virginia to within 11 at 32-21 at 4:30 in the first half.
Greg Paulus has just knocked down a three from the left wing to extend the lead back to 14, and the Cavaliers don't seem to be able to get a stop after a basket.
Calvin Baker, the 6-foot-2 transfer from William & Mary, has managed to keep the Cavs somewhat close, getting a layup in traffic and then finding Ryan Pettinella down the lane for another one to trim the lead back down to 10 at 35-25 with 3:17 left before halftime.
Smith Boosting Blue Devils
DURHAM, N.C. -- Nolan Smith has hit a 15-foot jumper on a curl off an in-bound pass along with a pair of free throws to put Duke up, 27-15, over Virginia with seven minutes remaining in the first half.
After a Jon Scheyer breakaway layup and a three-pointer from DeMarcus Nelson, the margin has grown to 15 with six minutes remaining and Virginia is going to need to turn defense into offense in order to get back into this one before halftime.
Duke Extends Lead, Singler Goes Out
DURHAM, N.C. -- Duke is enjoying a comfortable 21-11 lead at 11:47 in the first half, and it's been largely due to Coach Mike Krzyzewski's pressing defense, which has forced Virginia into a few bad decisions already.
Freshman forward Kyle Singler just got a cut on his face and will have to leave the game for a moment, and Lance Thomas has come into the game to replace the Medford, Ore., native.
DeMarcus Nelson has tallied seven points so far to lead Duke, and Calvin Baker has just hit a smooth fadeaway to cut the Blue Devils' margin to eight.
Three-Point Shooting Puts Duke In Front
DURHAM, N.C. -- Duke has gained control of the game early on with some sweet three-point shooting from DeMarcus Nelson and Gerald Henderson, who has five points in the first six minutes of play.
The Blue Devils currently lead by nine after turning the ball over, and Sean Singletary is struggling from the perimeter right now. Credit Duke's defense and particularly Nolan Smith, who is making sure it's tough for the senior from Philadelphia to get a good look at the rim.
Duke Storms Out Front
DURHAM, N.C. -- Duke has got off to a fast start with David McClure assisting DeMarcus Nelson on an outlet pass for an easy layin to put the Blue Devils up, 12-4, but Sean Singletary answered right back for Virginia to cut the early margin to 12-6 with 16:15 remaining in the game.
Virginia has had some good looks at the basket early on yet hasn't got the easy ones underneath the hole to drop.
DeMarcus Nelson, in the meantime, leads all scorers with four points.
No. 9 Duke Welcomes Virginia
DURHAM, N.C. -- Greetings from Cameron Indoor Stadium, where tonight we'll see No. 9 Duke and ACC foe Virginia open up conference play with a packed house on crowd for this Sunday night hoops game.
The Blue Devils are coming in with only one loss in non-conference, a one-point defeat to Pittsburgh in the Aeropostale Classic at Madison Square Garden, but longtime coach Mike Krzyzewski won't have 7-foot-1 center Brian Zoubek after the sophomore reinjured his foot this week in practice. At only 11 minutes a game, though, the Blue Devils will be relying on DeMarcus Nelson and Kyle Singler to pick up the slack on the glass against a feisty UVA squad.
Virginia (10-3), meanwhile, begins ACC play after getting blown out by 38 points, 108-70, at Xavier's Cintas Center. The Cavaliers, who have a dynamic scorer in senior guard Sean Singletary and have won four of their last five games, are hoping to steal a win tonight in the toughest place to play in America, and with this being my first appearance in Cameron, it's certainly louder than any place I've ever been in. Virginia will be looking to win its second straight ACC opener after defeating N.C. State last season, and the Cavaliers have proved to get it done against tough opponents with Virginia having won four consecutive games against AP ranked opponents. Last season, the Cavs were pretty good against Top 10 competition, winning two out of their three contests (No. 10 Arizona and No. 8 Duke), and this season, Dave Leitao's team has already knocked off Arizona back on Nov. 17.
One last stat to note: Virginia leads the nation in rebounding margin at 12.4+ per game
The action's about to start, so let's get ready for the tip.
December 20, 2007
No. 11 Pitt Stuns No. 6 Duke In OT, 65-64
NEW YORK -- In what was one of the best finishes we've seen this season, Brooklyn native Levance Fields topped off quite a homecoming by hitting a go-ahead three-pointer with five seconds remaining to lift No. 11 Pittsburgh to a 65-64 overtime over sixth-ranked Duke in the Aeropostale Classic at Madison Square Garden.
Jon Scheyer's heave on the ensuing play with two seconds left clanked off the back iron and the Panthers escaped Madison Square Garden with a victory that no one could have predicted after the sluggish start that Pitt displayed in the first half, one that saw the Panthers shoot just 36 percent from the floor and commit 11 turnovers.
On the stat sheet, Fields finished as the game's high scorer with 21 points on 7-of-13 shooting from the field, including 3-of-7 from three-point land, to go along with four assists and two steals, but the inside play for Pitt was just as big. In particular, the Panthers got a big boost from junior Sam Young, who finished 17 points and seven rebounds, but freshman DeJuan Blair proved to be just as crucial, tallying 15 points (despite shooting just 7-for-15 from the free throw line) and grabbing a game-high 20 rebounds.
For Duke, Gerald Henderson and freshman Kyle Singler, who looked rather bruised and battered after banging down low with Blair for much of the game, both finished with 17 points, while DeMarcus Nelson added 14 points in addition to six assists and five rebounds. But what really did the Blue Devils in was their struggles on the glass, getting pushed around by a bigger and more muscular Pitt team before losing the rebounding battle by a 53-39 margin. Couple that with some poor perimeter shooting, including a 1-for-9 mark from three after halftime, and it's not a surprise, at least to this reporter, that Coach K and his kids are headed back to Durham with its first loss of the season.
In any case, I will have much more on this game in the next couple of hours in Hang Time, so tune in there to hear remarks from both coaches on tonight's game.
Blair Fouls Out, Nelson Puts Duke Back In Front
NEW YORK -- It's back and forth here in overtime at Madison Square Garden with No. 6 Duke back in front by one, 63-62, on a three-point play by DeMarcus Nelson.
No. 11 Pittsburgh has now lost DeJuan Blair with the freshman forward-center committing his fifth foul on Nelson, and the Panthers are going to need someone to step in the final minute if they hope to leave the Big Apple with a huge victory over the Blue Devils.
Free Basketball At MSG
NEW YORK -- After Gerald Henderson failed to convert on his drive to the basket with five seconds left in regulation, we're headed to overtime for another five minutes of basketball between No. 6 Duke and No. 11 Pittsburgh.
And in the first 30 seconds, things are still as physical as ever with senior Mike Cook going down right in front of us on a drive to the basket.
From the way he's cringing in pain, it looks like the guard-forward from Philadelphia won't be coming back to the game after what looked like a knee tweak (or maybe, even worse, a tear). As the trainers carried him off, you couldn't help but feel for Cook and hope that his recovery, however long it might be, is speedy and successful.
He'll be happy to know, however, that his team currently leads by three.
Duke and Pitt Deadlocked Late
NEW YORK -- With 16.6 seconds left, we're all tied at 58-58 after Sam Young's baseline jumper with 1:10 left was answered by Gerald Henderson at the other end 10 seconds later.
Duke has ball on what could be the final possession, and we'll see if this one is headed to overtime.
Pitt Take Leads For First Time
NEW YORK -- Despite trailing by as many as 12 points earlier in the night, No. 11 Pittsburgh has really hung tough over the course of the first 35 minutes, and it's the Panthers who now who have a 50-49 lead after a pair of free throws from Sam Young.
Duke, in the meantime, has been flustered by Pitt's physical defense, and it's starting to show. Kyle Singler, for example, has had a hell of time trying to bang down low with all 265 pounds of freshman DeJuan Blair and is playing with four fouls as we go under three minutes.
But there could be some nerves for the Blue Devils, too, especially with the numbers that actually showed up tonight at the Garden. In fact, in all the games that I've covered in the last four weeks here at MSG, this game, by far, has had the biggest turnout of them all. Don't expect it to be that way next week when we return Friday and Saturday for the annual Holiday Festival, which features local schools St. John's and Hofstra along with the Poughkeepsie-based Marist and ACC rep Virginia Tech.
Pitt Charging Back
NEW YORK -- We got quite a game going here with No. 11 Pittsburgh cutting No. 6 Duke's lead to just three at the 8:26-mark in the second half. The Blue Devils have led by double digits for much of the game, but Jamie Dixon's kids continue to fight and it's paying off now.
That's largely because Duke has not been able to hit its perimeter shots much like it had in the first half, and without a consistent and reliable big man, Mike Krzyzewski is going to have to find other ways to get easy looks for his team if they hope to continue with its undefeated season here tonight.
Pitt Making A Run At Duke
NEW YORK -- The Panthers have finally started to make a run at No. 6 Duke with less than 12 minutes left in this one, and the Pitt faithful is starting to get behind it's team with it down by just seven after a free throw from DeJuan Blair.
The Blue Devils haven't found that hot hand yet in the second half and after a floater in the lane from Keith Benjamin at the other end of the floor, Jamie Dixon's team now trails by just five at 43-38.
Blair, however, just picked up a flagrant foul, his second personal, on Kyle Singler, and the Blue Devils are back up by eight with less than 10 minutes to go.
Duke Still Up By Double Digits
NEW YORK -- We're underway in the second half of the Aeropostale Classic at Madison Square Garden, and it's No. 6 Duke who is still holding onto a double-digit lead over No. 11 Pittsburgh at the 16-minute mark.
The Blue Devils, however, are already in the one-and-one with seven team fouls, and it will be free throws the rest of the way for the Pitt.
Meanwhile, the sloppiness continues for both teams after Taylor King just threw the ball away on a trip down the floor. And with the turnovers piling up, It should be interesting to hear what both coaches have to say about their teams' carelessness tonight, though it might have just as much to do with the defenses that both the Blue Dievls and Panthers have employed so far.
Duke Holds 34-22 Lead At Halftime
NEW YORK -- We're at halftime here at Madison Square Garden, and it's No. 6 Duke who is out to a considerable 34-22 lead on No. 11 Pittsburgh in the Aeropostale Classic.
The Blue Devils have got it done from the perimeter so far, knocking down 46.4 percent of their shots against the No. 11-ranked Panthers, who couldn't seem to find any of their own offensive rhythm in the first 20 minutes of play with a 36.0-percent shooting clip from the floor. Junior point guard Levance Fields and freshman big man DeJuan Blair have been the two Pitt players who have been able to penetrate a tenacious Duke defense and get their shots off. Fields is currently leading all scorers with nine points on 4-fo-5 shooting from the field to go along with two assists and two rebounds. Blair, meanwhile, has tallied five points but has been a monster on the glass, grabbing a game-high nine rebounds.
For No. 6 Duke, Kyle Singler and Gerald Henderson have both recorded eight points, and senior guard DeMarcus Nelson has dropped in seven points to go along with an impressive six assists in 17 minutes of action. On the defensive end, Jon Scheyer is leading the Blue Devils with four rebounds, something that Mike Krzyzewski couldn't probably have pictured after the solid game that sophomore center Brian Zoubek had on Monday against Albany. But Zoubek hasn't seen much action so far, registering only four minutes in the first half, and we'll see if he'll get more a chance to contribute when we pick things up after halftime.
Speaking of that, we're about ready to start the second half, so let's get back to the action.
Duke Pushes Lead Out To Nine On Pitt
NEW YORK -- No. 6 Duke has started to pull away in the final 10 minutes of the first half here at Madison Square Garden as the Blue Devils lead 22-13 with less than eight minutes remaining before halftime.
Greg Paulus hit a three from the top of the key and Pittsburgh has continued to turn the ball over before a shot even gets thrown at the basket.
If you're Pitt coach Jamie Dixon, you have to be concerned with the way your offense is struggling right now, but credit Duke's defense, which has made it hard for the Panthers to get any good looks at the basket in the first 15 minutes of play.
With less than four minutes left before halftime now, it's Duke 31 and Pittsburgh 15 after Taylor King just stroke another three from the right corner.
Duke Leads Pitt Early
NEW YORK -- With 11:35 remaining in the first half, it's sixth-ranked Duke up by three with the scoreboard reading 14-11. Both teams are really getting after it, and DeMarcus Nelson's three from the right wing is the difference in the ballgame right now.
Pittsburgh has switched between Levance Fields and Ronald Ramon as its points guard, and Sam Young and Gilbert Brown are showing some energy in the frontcourt for Jamie Dixon's team. Speaking of Dixon, I'm down here along the baseline next to the Pitt bench, getting to watch the former Ben Howland assistant work. While this game has had a couple of nice moments so far, Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski has surprisingly remained rather quiet at the other end of the court, standing up only a few times to bark orders at his team. Dixon, on the other hand, has been off his seat nearly the entire first 10 minutes, and from the way he's talking to his players, you can see just how badly he'd like to win this game over a Top 10, under the bright New York City lights and with conference play getting underway in less than two weeks. That should certainly prove to be some good preparation for the Panthers' conference opener Jan. 6 at Villanova.
Duke and Pitt Start With Defense
NEW YORK -- Both defenses have held their own in the early going of tonight's Aeropostale Classic at Madison Square Garden, and it's No. 6 Duke who holds a slight 7-5 lead over No. 11 Pittsburgh in the first five minutes of play.
The Panthers have missed out on a couple easy opportunities with DeJaun Blair missing two wide-open dunks, and the latter attempt was particularly embarrassing with the ball flying off the back of the rim and into the stands.
Kyle Singler has provided a spark early for the Blue Devils with a couple buckets down low, but it's been turnovers and offensive fouls that have plagued both teams in the early going of this one.
No. 6 Duke Meets No. 11 Pitt For Aeropostale Classic
NEW YORK -- Greetings from The World's Most Famous Arena, Madison Square Garden, where tonight we have the pleasure of watching two undefeated teams go to-toe-toe in the Aeropostale All-America Classic.
No. 6 Duke has started the year at 10-0 for the third time in the last four seasons after claiming its third straight Maui Invitational championship last month and scoring wins over Davidson, Michigan and Albany in the month of December. Senior guard DeMarcus Nelson was the high scorer in Monday night's win over Albany, posting a season-high 23 points on 6-of-7 shooting from the field, including 4-of-5 from three-point range, to go along with with six rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block. Junior point man Greg Paulus also had a solid effort against the Great Danes, knocking down three trifectas to finish with 11 points. And with sophomore Jon Scheyer and freshman Taylor King knocking down six of their 12 attempts from long range, we could be seeing a lot of shots being put up from downtown tonight. That depends largely on how well Brian Zoubek can play for Mike Krzyzewski and company, and the sophomore center showed in his first start earlier this week that he can get it done down low with 13 points and seven rebounds. But that was against Albany, a team that doesn't exhibit anywhere near the kind of athleticism and talent that a No. 7-ranked Pitt team has.
Speaking of Pittsburgh, the Panthers are out to quite a start themselves, as Jamie Dixon's team comes into tonight's contest with an identical 10-0 record after a nailbiter in Seattle over Pac-10 foe Washington on Dec. 8 and a convincing 85-68 victory over Oklahoma State last Saturday. But starting strong is nothing new to Pitt. The Panthers have enjoyed outstanding starts that include a 18-0 record in 2003-04, a 15-0 record in 2005-06 and a 10-0 record in both 2004-05 and 2006-07. The Panthers have managed to outscore its opponents by a plus-23.5 margin and outrebound them by a plus-10.8 margin while averaging 82.1 points per game. Much of that production has to do with freshman forward-center combo DeJuan Blair, who registered his fourth double-double of the season last weekend against the Cowboys with 20 points and 10 rebounds in addition to five blocks.
But anyway, the layup lines are in motion and the tip is just a couple minutes away, so let's get ready for a great game.
November 27, 2007
Duke cruises to easy win vs. Badgers
DURHAM, N.C. -- With less than five minutes to go in the game, the crowd at Cameron Indoor Stadium started a chant of "A-C-C." By that time, it was already more than clear that seventh-ranked Duke was going to continue its dominance in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge on the way to a 82-58 win against No. 20 Wisconsin.
Devils finishing off victory
DURHAM, N.C. -- With just two and a half minutes to go and a 21-point lead, the crowd here at Cameron has started a chant of "our house" and it sure looks to be true. The Devils are just running clock now and will have an easy double-digit win. The only drama here is a Duke official asking the Crazies to return a Wisconsin shirt that a fan was forced to take off before the game started. No word on if they've located the shirt in question.
Slow going here at Cameron
DURHAM, N.C. -- Not much really to report here in the Duke-Wisconsin game. The Blue Devils have maintained a steady 18-20 point lead throughout the entire second half, and now it looks like Coach K is trying to get some of his younger players hands-on experience running plays, as he shouts instructions from the sideline. Not that 20 points is insurmountable, but the last eight minutes of this one might be nothing more than a glorified practice for the Blue Devils.
Butch has four fouls
DURHAM, N.C. -- As if the Badgers didn't have enough problems down 52-29, Brian Butch just picked up his fourth foul less than three minutes into the second half.
Coach K, cheerleader
DURHAM, N.C. -- Apparently, Mike Krzyzewski wasn't happy with the energy at the start of the second half. During a lull one minute into the second half, Coach K stood up and waved his arms, imploring the crowd to get fired up with a shout of "Let's go!"
It's a blowout at halftime
DURHAM, N.C. -- Just before the half, the Cameron Crazies were chanting about how the Blue Devils were doubling up the Badgers. While a few more points got scored after that, it was pretty close to being a 2-for-1 at the break.
Carolina infiltrates Cameron
DURHAM, N.C. -- A brief unrelated-to-the-game side note here, but it appears as if Duke's hated rival, North Carolina has a couple of players in the house tonight. Football players, that is. Mike Paulus, a quarterback who redshirted this season for the Tar Heels, is the younger brother of Duke point guard Greg Paulus. And it looks like Mike brought along another UNC freshman, Greg Little. Little is keeping a low-profile, it appears, no doubt because last weekend he ran for 154 yards and two touchdowns, including a game-winning 25-yarder, to beat Duke in overtime. Meanwhile, Duke has opened up a 20-point lead with less than four minutes to go in the half.
Turnovers hurting Wisconsin
DURHAM, N.C. -- Turnovers are starting to become a problem for the BAdgers, and Duke is quickly taking advantage. Freshman Taylor King turned an errant inbounds pass into a 3-pointer to put Duke up 33-18. A minute later, he buried another one to make it 36-18. The Badgers are starting to get back on their heels a little bit here, which is only feeding the fans' frenzy.
Henderson, Paulus spark Duke run
DURHAM, N.C. -- After a completely ridiculous blocked shot by Gerald Henderson -- he skied up to palm the top of the ball -- Greg Paulus hit a three, and then the Devils got another quick bucket to fire up the crowd here with a 25-14 lead. So far, Wisconsin has answered each time Duke looked like it was about to blow things open, so we'll see how they respond to this.
Blue Devils Take Early Lead
DURHAM, N.C. -- Wisconsin guard Trevon Hughes made a quick impact on the Blue Devils fans in the game's opening minute, burying a 3-pointer from so far away that the Crazies behind me remarked, "Man, that's J.J." -- a reference, obviously, to former Duke sharpshooter J.J. Redick. But the Blue Devils have recovered since then, despite some poor shot choices, to lead 10-7 four and a half minutes in.
Devils vs. Badgers In Durham
DURHAM, N.C. -- We're almost ready for tipoff at Cameron Indoor Stadium in a battle of two unbeaten teams, Duke and Wisconsin, in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. The Blue Devils have never lost a game in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, but they could have their hands full with the Badgers.
Wisconsin is 5-0 for the first time in coach Bo Ryan's seven years at the helm (perhaps because of Ryan's uncanny ability to crank dat).
In the first four games of the season, the Badgers have had seven different players score at least 10 points in a game, which will make things challenging for a Duke defense that is coming off a win in which it held Eastern Kentucky to 12 first-half points.
Duke's freshmen big men will also have to keep the Badgers off the glass. Wisconsin has a plus-16.6 per game rebounding edge so far this year. But it will take more than just winning the rebound battle to keep the Blue Devils from staying perfect -- both on the season and in this annual battle of conferences.
November 13, 2007
Scheyer Leads Blue Devils Off The Bench
DURHAM, N.C. -- At no point in Jon Scheyer's basketball life has he ever not been a starter. But right now, having Scheyer come off the bench is looking like a pretty good plan for Duke. The sophomore guard, who started 32 of 33 games last season, hit four three-pointers on the way to a team-leading 22 points in the Blue Devils' 86-61 win against New Mexico State at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Continue reading "Scheyer Leads Blue Devils Off The Bench" »
Scheyer Seals It
DURHAM, N.C. -- New Mexico State managed to cut Duke's lead to 17 with five and a half minutes to go but wouldn't get any closer than that. Duke's Jon Scheyer hit a three to put the Devils up 76-54 with 3:30 to go, and that should just about do it.
Aggies Finally Hit A Few
DURHAM, N.C. -- When Duke fan favorite Marty Pocius had a steal and dunk a few minutes ago -- sparking a chant of "Marty! Marty!" from the crowd -- it sure looked like the Blue Devils were just going to continue pulling farther and farther away. But thanks to a Fred Peete three-pointer and a layup from Wendell McKines, the advantage is now 63-44 with 10:36 to play.
Duke Building On Halftime Lead
DURHAM, N.C. -- Nothing is going down for the Aggies right now, and the Blue Devils have opened the second half on a 12-4 run to push their lead to 59-30. It all started with an alley-oop from Greg Paulus to DeMarcus Nelson that quickly put life back into the crowd after halftime.
Duke Up 21 At Halftime
DURHAM, N.C. -- After the Aggies pulled within 10, the Blue Devils turned up the intensity a notch and scored 10 of the final 12 points of the first half to go into the locker room with a 47-26 lead.
Aggies Battling Back
DURHAM, N.C. -- Well, the Aggies aren't giving up after all following that big Duke run. They've hit a couple of shots, and the Blue Devils haven't been able to make outside shots to make New Mexico State pay for playing a zone defense (which they're doing almost exclusively). It's now 27-17 Duke at the 7:44 mark. And at the urging of the crowd, the famed Crazy Towel Guy is waving his towel. We'll see how that affects the momentum.
Big Blue Devil Run
DURHAM, N.C. -- Remember that game that was tied 6-6? Well since then, the Blue Devils have gone on a 19-2 run -- capped by a nice reverse layup and foul by point guard Greg Paulus -- to completely take control of this game. They're destroying the Aggies on the boards and forcing turnover after turnover. The only reason the lead hasn't grown as I type this is because it's a TV timeout.
That Didn't Last Long
DURHAM, N.C. -- About a minute after that last post, NMSU started taking quick shots that weren't even close, and the Blue Devils quickly converted. A three ball from Duke freshman Taylor King prompted a quick Aggies timeout with the score 13-6.
November 12, 2007
Making The Crazies Crazy
DURHAM, N.C. -- There is some fan battling going on in the opening minutes, strange for a place where the Crazies are usually dominant. The section behind the NMSU bench started a "Let's Go Aggies" chant, which the Crazies met with a chant of "Sit! Sit! Sit!" So far the New Mexico State fans have plenty to be excited about, with the game tied at 6 at the 17:30 mark.
Approaching Tip-Off At Cameron
DURHAM, N.C. -- It's not likely that Duke will get as big of a blowout win as it did in the season opener against North Carolina Central, but for this game to end with any less of a difference than 20 points, New Mexico state will have to play the game of its young season.
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