TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - If Elton Brand is ever looking for a side job for some extra cash, he might want to look into the window washing business. Brand showed his skill last night in the business, cleaning up the glass all game en route to a 16-rebound performance.
The Seminoles had no answer for Duke inside last night, as the Blue Devils out-rebounded FSU 48-32, including a 29-16 advantage in second-chance points.
"I would definitely say that offensive rebounding was a priority coming into the game," Brand said. "We watched a lot of tape and knew we could get a lot of boards this game."
With the loss of Karim Shabazz earlier in the season, the 'Noles' only inside players are Justin Mott and Oliver Simmons. Coming into the game, the duo was averaging just 7.5 points and seven rebounds combined.
The Seminole version of the two-headed monster seemed non-existent on the floor last night.
Brand exerted his power in the lane from the opening tip. He muscled through two FSU defenders for a basket and foul 2:08 into the game, giving Duke a 7-0 lead.
"I try to get what I can and get my teammates involved in the game as much as possible," Brand said. "I try not to rush things inside, but sometimes that's kind of hard. I just have to let the game come to me."
Despite frequent double teams, Brand only committed three turnovers, all of which were in the first half.
The Duke big man controlled the lane throughout the first half, gaining inside position for offensive rebounds, as well as post position on the baseline mere feet from the basket.
Brand tallied 10 rebounds in the first half, while the entire Florida State team only recorded 12. Six of Duke's boards were on the offensive end, which usually led directly to Blue Devil baskets.
The second half was no different than the first, with Brand receiving the ball on nearly every possession for the opening four minutes.
He scored six quick points as the Blue Devils extended their 19-point halftime lead to a 30-point bulge.
"They didn't have an answer for Elton inside," coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "He had a great game both scoring and rebounding."
His counterparts on the inside, Mott and Simmons, did not contribute much to the Seminole cause. They combined for 13 points and 11 rebounds, most of which came in the game's closing minutes.
Overall, Duke dominated the paint. There were many possessions in the opening half where it was as if the Blue Devils were doing rebounding drills inside, earning three or four shots per possession.
The 'Noles only managed to pull down four defensive rebounds in the opening stanza, while Duke grabbed 16 offensive boards, which lead to 21 second-chance points.
The other side of this coin, however, was Duke's inability to finish right away on the inside. Lay-ups rolled off the rim and three-footers went in and out. But in the end, Duke found a way to drop the ball through the net.
"Every game we try to improve," Brand said. "That's just one of those things that we'll try to work on."
FSU entered this contest looking to "rebound" from an embarrassing 33-point loss at the hands of Clemson. Instead, it was the 'Noles' inability to pull down any rebounds that led to Duke's 85-59 victory.
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