Duke Plays For ACC Title Against Virginia Tech
The Duke Blue Devils will play for the ACC title on Saturday night in Brooklyn's Barclay's Center.
This is the second time in three trips to Brooklyn for the ACC Tournament that the Blue Devils are playing for the crown. Duke won it in 2017.
Duke has been living dangerously this tournament. The regular season champions and top seed struggled against a Syracuse team it had beaten by at least 20 in both regular season games, escaping with an 88-79 win that was much closer than the final score indicates. Then Duke beat Miami in the semifinals by an 80-76 margin.
Duke has been battling a stomach bug that had coach Mike Krzyzewski and assistant Chris Carrawell sidelined earlier in the week. AJ Griffin has also been stricken by it. He was limited to four points in the opening game of the tournament but rebounded to lead the team in scoring against Miami, becoming the sixth different Blue Devil to lead the team in scoring in the last six games.
The Hokies are playing their fourth game in as many days and, as the No. 7 seed, are trying to become the lowest seeded team ever to win the ACC Tournament. This is Virginia Tech's first appearance in the title game.
Today's officials are Roger Ayers, Ron Groover and Clarence Armstrong.
Duke's starting lineup is Wendell Moore Jr., Trevor Keels, Mark Williams, Paolo Banchero and AJ Griffin.
Hokies came out shooting tonight. Virginia Tech is 4 for its first 4 three-point attempts and leads at the under 16, 14-12.
Still a very fast pace, but both teams have cooled off somewhat. Still a combined 12-for-22 from the field. Duke leads at the under 12, 16-14.
Hunter Cattoor cannot be stopped. He has 17 points, 4-for-4 from three. Tech leads 27-26 at the under eight.
Roach picks up his third foul, with just under 6 minutes to go in the first.
8-0 run for Tech, the last two on wide open layups. Duke calls time. Hokies up 35-29 with 4:33 left in the half. Tech is on its fourth game in four days, Duke its third in three, but Duke looks like the more tired team right now.
Tech now 7-of-10 from three. Duke is shooting 57.1 percent and in danger of getting run out of the gym. 38-31 Hokies at the under four.
Duke closes strong to hit the half down three, 42-39.
Virginia Tech opens the second half with a jumper and Coach K has seen enough. He calls time 35 seconds in.
Hunter Cattoor with another explosion. Two treys ... he's now 6-for-6 from deep, and he'll try to finish off a three-point play after the time out. 54-45 Hokies and ready to go to double digits. 15:45 left.
Jeremy Roach charges, and that's four on him. Trouble mounting for Duke, down 8.
At the under 12, it's still Tech by eight: 59-51.
Mark Williams joins Roach with four fouls.
Keels draws a foul to take us to the under 8. Duke is much more active but isn't cutting into the lead. It's 65-57 Tech.
At the under four, it's 72-62 Tech. Not out of reach for Duke, but the Blue Devils are struggling badly on defense and from outside.
Tech pouring it on. This one is basically over. Mutts dunks on Banchero. Aluma scores on a fast break and Banchero fouls him. Hokies up 12 with two minutes left
Walk ons are in.
