This wasn't a night when every shot found its way to the bottom of the net, when long, long-range three-pointers and acrobatic layups looked as easy as an uncontested dunk.
The men's basketball team hit 44 percent of its field goals last night, hardly the Blue Devils' best showing of the year. But that's sizzling hot compared to Georgia Tech, which made just over one third of its attempts. The Yellow Jackets were even worse in the second half, shooting 29 percent from the floor, and as a result, the Blue Devils held a double-digit advantage for the final nine minutes en route to an 82-57 victory in Cameron Indoor Stadium.
For much of Mike Krzyzewski's two decades at Duke, a strong defensive outing by his team has not been news. But it's not often-once in the last five years, to be exact-that the Blue Devils have given up 100 points in a game, as they did to Virginia in overtime a week earlier.
"I'd never been on a team here that gave up 100 points," said senior Chris Carrawell. "Coach was saying we're not going to win games giving up that many points. It's not Duke basketball."
In the two contests since the triple-digit night in Charlottesville, the Blue Devils have held their opponents to 34-percent shooting. Last night, they forced the Yellow Jackets, who had been averaging nearly nine three-pointers a game, to go 2-for-15 from behind the arc.
"I thought it was our best defensive effort so far," Krzyzewski said. "We concentrated on their three-point shooting; it was a real point of emphasis. We had a sense of urgency. Our perimeter players put pressure on them and stopped their open looks. It was the first time all year I felt that for all of a ballgame, our kids played with a sense of urgency."
Duke didn't exactly shut down Georgia Tech's big men-twin towers Jason Collier and Alvin Jones totaled 14-of-25 shooting and 26 boards, 11 on the offensive glass. But as long as their teammates misfired from the perimeter, it didn't seem to matter how many times Collier or Jones rebounded their bricks.
Georgia Tech's starting guards, Tony Akins and Shaun Fein, had been averaging five treys a game between them. But they went a combined 0-for-8 from long range last night, and the Blue Devils came away with a 25-point victory.
Akins might have watched the UVa game and hoped to feast on Jason Williams as the Cavaliers' Donald Hand did. Instead, Williams forced Akins into his share of rushed or off-balance jumpers.
"Jason's pressure on the ball was outstanding all game," Krzyzewski said. "He had discipline; he wasn't trying to steal the ball every time.... He was able to keep his feet under him and stay down. And he didn't let what was happening offensively affect him defensively."
Williams struggled on offense for the third straight game, missing 10-of-13 shots. But as the point guard matures, his inaccuracy is no longer harming his defense-or his sense of humor.
"I came out today and missed a shot," he said, "and I thought, 'So what else is new?'"
In fact, Williams' offensive struggles have taught him a little about how to play ACC defense. Over winter break, he put up some gaudy offensive numbers against three overmatched opponents. But then ACC season started, and the bumps and elbows that were called fouls in the non-conference blowouts suddenly stopped meriting a whistle.
After a while, Williams decided to push back; last night, his physical play frustrated Akins all game. Like the rest of the team, the point guard discovered that a tough outing offensively is a lot more fun when the other team's missing more than you.
"Even though we didn't shoot well," Carrawell said, "we were able to win with our defense."
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