ACC Tournament Live Blog: BC vs. Duke

Duke looks to keep its season alive as it opens ACC play on Tuesday afternoon against Boston College.

The Blue Devils lost their last three regular season games to enter postseason play 11-11, 9-9 in the ACC. That gave Duke a No. 10 seed, the lowest for the Blue Devils in program history.

Duke will play on ACC Tournament Tuesday for the first time ever and enters with the longest ACC Tournament winning streak, after winning the last tourney to reach its completion, in 2019. Last year’s tournament was cancelled due to COVID before the Blue Devils tipped off.

Boston College finished last in the ACC at 4-15, 2-11 in the conference. The Eagles have lost their last two games and six of the last seven, 10 of the last 12.

Duke won the only matchup between the two teams, in Durham, by one point. Boston College drove to the hoop against the Blue Devils, building a lopsided 46-28 advantage in the paint and 20-12 on second-chance points.

The Blue Devils might be able to change that in the second matchup. Freshman center Mark Williams played just six minutes in the first game, going scoreless with two missed shots. He’s since emerged as a productive player at both ends and will give Duke a presence inside.

Duke was able to erase a 16-point first half deficit and pull out a game that was tied with less than two minutes to go, thanks to 14 steals, which gave the Blue Devils a 28-9 edge on the fast break.

Your officials: Brian Dorsey, Clarence Armstrong, Jeff Pon

Your starters: Steward, Roach, Moore, Hurt, Williams

Duke enters the game with nine career ACC Tournament points on the roster--all by Jordan Goldwire

Nine seconds in, Moore called for an offensive foul

Steward with two early threes. Hurt draws a charge. Blue Devils lead 10-2.

Williams pins a Heath layup against the backboard. The goaltending call takes us to the under 16, Duke up 10-6.

Moore with a bad pass to Williams. That's his third turnover. Goldwire hits a three next time down. Duke is 4-of-8 from three, 2-of-4 from two.

Hurt ties up Karnik under the basket. That takes us to the under 12, with Duke up 20-12. That was a long stretch of uninterrupted play. Four Blue Devils and three Eagles are waiting at the scorer's table.

Steward with his third three of the day and Duke is up 11.

Roach for three. Duke is now 6-of-10 from outside, 4-of-8 from two. Blue Devils lead at the under 8, 26-14

Boston College's 10th turnover takes us to the under four. Duke up 35-21.

Coleman and Tape have both gotten in, but no Brakefield yet. He's on the bench and appears fine.

Duke loses a point during the time out. Steward's shot clock beating leaner was ruled a two, not a three. So it's 34-21. Steward has 11.

Brakefield finally gets into the game.

Moore commits his second foul. Rough half for him. He also has four turnovers. Hurt also with two fouls.

Goldwire closes the half with a three and Duke leads 41-27. Blue Devils are 8-of-17 from three, 8-of-13 from two.

Moore clobbered going for a layup in the first minute of the second half. Refs review it and decide it's a normal common foul.

Shots not falling for Duke like in the first half, but Blue Devils are still expanding the lead. At the under 16, it's 49-34

Goldwire with back-to-back threes and the lead is over 20. With 12:26 left, it's 60-38.

Duke has shot more threes than twos once this year, against Clemson. On pace to do it today. 11-of-24 from three, 11-of-19 from two.

Duke leads at the under 12, 62-40. Last time Duke made as many threes as twos was Feb. 9, 2019, in a win at Virginia. Currently has 12 twos, 11 threes.

Duke has made 14 threes today, that's fifth most in any ACC Tournament game (by any team) and most since 2013.

Roach hits a three. That's 15 for Duke, fourth most in tournament history and most since 2007.

Duke is sending in the walk-ons at the under four, up 80-45

And Duke dribbles out an 86-51 win, the seventh biggest margin of victory in ACC Tournament history and biggest since 1999.