J.J. Redick wasn't in Cameron Indoor Stadium Sunday afternoon, but Rhode Island's Jimmy Baron's performance made it seem like Duke fans were watching Redick on rewind.
It might have seemed that way for Baron, too, who became the sharpshooter he is by watching highlight reels of the former Duke star long ago.
"I know [Jimmy Baron] loved J.J., and Chris Collins would send different drills and different tapes of J.J. for him to watch," Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "During one time stop in action I was thinking, 'Why the hell did we do that?'"
Good question.
Krzyzewski had reason to doubt that act of good will as Baron hit shot after shot to keep the Rams in the lead.
The senior scored 24 points on 8-of-10 shooting from long range, and, in perfect Redick style, did not hit any free throws or 2-point field goals. The senior hit a stunning seven threes in the second period, most of them spectacular.
Baron made 3-pointers from the wing, from the corner, and from the top of the key; with a man right in his face, and with a little breathing room; with his toes right on the 3-point arc, and from one step in front of the Coach K Court logo on the floor.
Just about every Blue Devil tried his luck guarding Baron, and Jon Scheyer, Gerald Henderson and Dave McClure all failed to contain him despite leaving him almost no space to release the ball.
"In my younger days, I got to guard a guy named J.J. [Redick] every day in practice, so I kind of had seen some of those go in in the past, but it's different when it's happening against you in a crunch game like that," McClure said. "You do wonder, 'What can you do?'"
What Duke did was match up Baron with Kyle Singler, the 6-foot-8 forward who leads Duke in points, rebounds and blocks so far this season. Singler's five-inch height advantage proved decisive-Baron stands 6-foot-3-and the Rams' sniper did not even attempt a 3-pointer in the game's final three minutes save for a half-court heave at the buzzer. In four possessions with Singler guarding him, Baron traveled once and missed three 2-pointers.
The game's most important possession came with 10 seconds left and the Blue Devils up one. Baron received the ball near midcourt and tried to drive by Singler, but settled for a tough fallaway jumper that fell short.
"With a 6-foot-[8] guy guarding you, it's hard to get a shot over him," Baron said. "But I would take that shot again if I had it, that's how good I was feeling."
Duke fans were used hearing that-but from one of their own.
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