Duke is nobody’s underdog in college basketball. And yet, when the Blue Devils have played Miami (Fla.) of late, they’ve come out on the losing end more than not, to the point where when they beat the Hurricanes it’s almost a-gasp-upset?
Of course, Duke’s seemingly endless string of five-star recruits means when it wins it’s never an upset, at least not the type associated with the term in this sport. But for a program that had lost five of its last eight at Miami entering Monday night, the Blue Devils’ 83-75 win over the Hurricanes last night was more satisfying than most.
For more than 32 minutes, it looked like Jim Larranaga’s team was all set to add another win to its highly successful history with Duke. Miami built a 13-point lead midway through the second half and still held it with less than eight minutes to play. It took the Blue Devils just 4 1/2 minutes, though, the turn the game around in stunning fashion, with an 18-0 run, including 15 points in a span of just six possessions.
When a program has as many studs as Duke, you never know where a starring performance may come from, and on this night it was furnished by Gary Trent Jr. The son of the former Ohio University star-The Shaq of the MAC-scored a collegiate-best 30 points, including six three-pointers. Three came in that game-changing spurt, and he also added a triple with just over a minute left that was essentially the clincher, pushing the lead back to six.
Not to be lost from the final result: Duke mostly singed a very good defensive team, shooting 55.4% and putting up 83 points against a Miami team that came in ranked fourth in NCAA Division I in field-goal percentage defense (37.3%) and fifth in scoring defense (60.6 ppg). It did so despite going scoreless for almost eight minutes as the Hurricanes were on a 16-0 run of their own in the second half. Incidentally, the Blue Devils also were somehow just 10-for-21 from the foul line, and both of those last two nuggets are still perfectly fair ones to use for those who have lingering doubts about where this team fits into the national title picture.
The Dukies also held Miami to 37.2% shooting, and they did it by playing a whole lot of 2-3 zone, something that-as many mentioned-would’ve been unthinkable not long ago for Mike Krzyzewski, a steadfast graduate of the Bob Knight School of Man (And Almost Only Man) Defense. Against a Hurricanes team that loves to drive it and is not as good shooting it from outside, though, it was sound strategy, and it got the Blue Devils over the hump against an opponent they’ve had more trouble doing that against than most.
Side Dishes:
- The night also included the latest instance of just why Kansas is so hard to knock off the top of the hill in the Big 12. The Jayhawks are the conference favorites until proven otherwise, it was the case before last night but it certainly was only strengthened with a 71-66 win at West Virginia. Kansas played from behind virtually the whole night and trailed by 12 late in the second half. Then, it’s as if KU flipped a switch, or perhaps found a hidden mushroom for energy lurking over WVU Coliseum. Whatever it was, the Jayhawks suddenly caught fire, and then made winning plays down the stretch (Sviatoslav Mykahiliuk had 12 of his 17 points late) that they so often do against stout Big 12 competition. Incredible.
- Also in the Big 12, Baylor shook off a shaky first half to pull away from Oklahoma State for a 76-60 win. Manu Lecomte scored 30, with 25 coming in the second half when the Bears needed it badly after a frustrating first 20 minutes when the Cowboys’ defensive wall inside of Yankuba Sima and Mitchell Solomon had Baylor’s frontline clearly flabbergasted.
- Michigan squeaked by Maryland 68-67 when Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman made a pair of free throws with just over a second left. The Wolverines are better than most in the Big Ten this year, but this result is precisely why we find it hard to trust them yet. To us, the Go Blue look like any number of similar teams that right now could be 20th- or 40th-best in the country.
- Providence trailed Butler at halftime but then made its first eight shots coming out of the break and went on to defeat the Bulldogs 70-60. Kyron Cartwright was at his shaking-and-baking best (18 points, 11 assists) while it was a bad shooting day for Butler-just 34.9%, and other than Kamar Baldwin (25) no one scored more than eight points. In particular, Kelan Martin and Paul Jorgensen combined to shoot 5-for-23 and score just 11 points between them.
- Boston College is just not going away. The Eagles handled up-and-down Florida State 81-75, winning despite having 24 less field goal attempts than FSU. The Seminoles dominated the glass and had 21 offensive rebounds, but shot just 33.8% and hit only 5 of 26 from three-point range. All five starters scored in double figures for B.C.
- Minnesota got a sorely needed 95-84 overtime win at Penn State. Jordan Murphy was massive again-22 points, 19 rebounds-and Nate Mason and Dupree McBrayer had 25 and 24 points, respectively.
- Wright State is 6-0 in the Horizon after coming back for a 77-67 win over Youngstown State. The Raiders again played without Justin Mitchell, still on hiatus from the team, but increasingly this is a team with more than enough weapons-five players scored in double figures here.
- In part due to injuries and a brutal early schedule, Bucknell has had an uphill fight seemingly all season, but the heavy Patriot League favorites are now 5-1 in league after rallying to win at Colgate 63-51. The Bison did it with defense, holding the Raiders to 27.1% shooting. Zach Thomas shot just 5-for-18 but still finished with 17 points and 15 rebounds, and Nana Foulland (13 points, 11 boards) also notched a double-double. Kimbal McKenzie also returned to the lineup after missing 10 games and had nine points, and if he can return to form it should provide a big lift for Bucknell.
- In a biggie in the Big South, Radford edged Liberty 59-57 in overtime. Easy Ed Polite is a serious candidate for league player of the year and had 18 points for the Highlanders, making all seven of his field goals.
- How about Jackson State and Arkansas-Pine Bluff in the SWAC? The Tigers are now 6-0 in league play after a 79-71 win over Prairie View A&M, while UAPB’s Golden Lions-0-for-14 in non-conference play against the typical SWAC November and December death march-are now 5-0 in league after a 71-59 win over Alcorn State.
Tonight’s Menu:
- The night starts with a top-20 showdown in the ACC with Clemson at North Carolina (7 p.m. Eastern), a game that is somehow not on national television. (It is on most Fox Sports regional networks) Well, actually it’s not that surprising, for the Tigers are 0-58 all-time at UNC. Some year Clemson will break that, though if the Tigers couldn’t win at North Carolina State, it would be a significant upset if they can win at Chapel Hill.
- Cincinnati is creeping up on the top 10 as team after team above it continues to lose. The Bearcats have won eight in a row, though, and now get set for another traditional AAC grinder when they go to Central Florida (7 p.m., CBSSN). First to 50 wins.
- If Wisconsin is going to make a last-ditch run at extending its NCAA Tournament streak it better start soon. At Purdue is probably not the place, though; the Boilermakers are more experienced, deeper, healthier and just better. (7 p.m., ESPN)
- Louisville is coming off a good week (two wins), Notre Dame a tough one (two close losses). The Fighting Irish should be the more desperate team, though, and are at home for their matchup (7 p.m., ESPN2).
- A four-game SEC schedule is highlighted by Kentucky at South Carolina (9 p.m., ESPN), the Gamecocks still dangerous and coming in off the high of winning at Georgia. Speaking of the Bulldogs, they’re at LSU (7 p.m., ESPNU).
- The Trae Young Show hits the road as Oklahoma is at Kansas State (9 p.m., ESPNU). Let’s see if the Wildcats can somehow control the tempo on the Sooners here, something few teams have been able to do so far.
- On another MAC Tuesday, lone league undefeated Buffalo hosts Northern Illinois, while West Division co-leaders Western Michigan and Toledo are both on the road, the Broncos at Kent State and the Rockets playing at Ohio.
- Quality non-conference games are always welcome this time of year, and you can’t beat an in-state rivalry game like North Dakota at North Dakota State. NDSU won the first meeting in December and has mostly played well in winning five of seven, while UND had lost eight straight until posting a pair of Big Sky wins recently.
- Drake leads the Missouri Valley; Northern Iowa is in last. And it would surprise no one if the Panthers defeat the Bulldogs Tuesday. Such is life in the topsy-turvy Valley, where UNI was one of the preseason (and December) league favorites and Drake was picked last.
Enjoy your Tuesday.
