Live Blog: Virginia at Duke
Duke has been playing its best basketball of the season in winning back-to-back in-state road games over the last week. Now, it’s time for the biggest test of the year.
The Blue Devils blew out NC State and Wake Forest, winning the two games by a combined 40 points, and the team showed signs of putting it all together after struggling to find roles throughout the season.
Of course, facing the league leaders and defending national champions will be a little different than taking on the Wolfpack and Demon Deacons.
Duke enters the weekend in eighth place in the ACC, at 9-8, 7-6, but the Blue Devils are just a game out of a tie for fourth. Moving up, however, would depend on Duke taking out Virginia, who is 15-4, 11-2 and leading the ACC by a game and a half. UVA will also be dialed in after suffering an embarrassing 21-point loss to second place Florida State on Monday night. That game snapped a four-game winning streak and span of 11 wins in 12 outings for Virginia.
Duke will need to solve Virginia’s pack line defense, which, while normally stingy and suffocating, has shown a few weak spots, particularly against outside shooting. Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest and FSU have all shot over 50 percent from three against the Cavaliers. Duke, who has hit 41-of-90 from three in the last four games, will need to continue its hot outside shooting.
The Blue Devils will also need to shut down Virginia’s shooting. UVA has hit 38-of-89 from three in the last four games, and some of the Cavaliers’ best outside shooters are its big men, which will put pressure on Mark Williams, Jaemyn Brakefield and Matthew Hurt to defend them inside and out.
Your starters: Steward, Roach, Moore, Hurt, Williams
Hurt & Roach hit early threes to get Duke off to an early lead
After falling behind 6-2, UVA ties it up with four straight as we hit the under 16
Suddenly we’re in a shootout. Teams combine for five straight made shots after the time out
Teams combine to go 9 for 11 that segment. Turnovers mounting for Duke, though. UVA leads at the under 12, 21-18
Duke hanging in there. UVA leads 25-22 at the under 8. Pace is favoring Blue Devils
6-0 run gives Duke the lead
Brakefield follies his dunk with a steal and three. Duke suddenly up four. Time out Virginia
Duke hits the under 4 up 32-29
Hauser 3 cuts the lead to one. Time out Duke, 38 sec in the half
Steward free throws cap a successful half for Duke, who heads to the locker room up 39-36
UVA opens the half with four straight to regain the lead
Hauser now 3-of-3 from outside. Hurt (5-of-6 from three) responds. Tied again
Duke turnover (shot clock) takes us to under 16, tied at 45
Coleman ends w long cold stretch for Duke with a put back. The Roach ties it with a layup. . 49 all at the under 12
plenty of monitor time in the last few minutes. Elbows are flying & blood flowing
Hurt has now missed three straight three point attempts
Duke time out just before the under 8. Score still tied
Duke now 1 for 10 from three this half. UVA up 3 with the ball.
Goldwire steals, Steward transition three ties it
Brakefield drives baseline and goes up and under to give Duke the lead with 2:00 to go.
Hauser misses a three. UVA gets the rebound. Clark misses. Held ball on the rebound gives it to Duke. 66-65 Blue Devils. 11.5 seconds left
Steward to the line with 9.6 seconds left. MIsses the front end of a one-and-one.
Clark misses a three, putback dunk comes after the buzzer. Duke wins 66-65 in a season-saving win.
