It was a special sight.
A superstar of Kyle Singler’s caliber, complete with a national championship and nearly every individual accolade possible, sprinted to the sideline and wrestled with a surprised Clemson defender to help Duke retain possession. It was Singler’s last game in Cameron Indoor Stadium, but he was hustling like it was his first, and it paid off as the Blue Devils defeated Clemson 70-59 on Senior Night.
The sentimental significance of last night’s game was palpable during the brief pregame ceremonies, as senior Casey Peters was greeted with a standing ovation, and then standouts Singler and Nolan Smith received long, thunderous applauses from the crowd.
“I came back for a lot of reasons—moments like this, definitely,” Singler said. “It wasn’t a pretty game. We wish we would have played better… But we got the win, and we’re moving on and playing for a conference championship.”
That win didn’t come easy. In the first half No. 4 Duke was unable to establish an offensive rhythm against Clemson’s aggressive, athletic defense. Clemson forced nine of Duke’s season-high 20 turnovers in the opening half.
Consequently, Smith and Singler shouldered much of the offensive burden as they combined for 16 of the Blue Devils’ first 20 points.
“We can’t simulate their defensive pressure,” head coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “We tried to, but we don’t have the athletes or the depth to do it. They were knocking us back. It was like coaching a fighter from the corner.”
With eight minutes remaining in the first half, forward Ryan Kelly threw down a two-handed dunk that spurred an 11-0 Duke (27-3, 13-2 in the ACC) run. Smith added four during this stretch, and after guard Seth Curry nailed a 3-pointer from the corner, it seemed as though the Blue Devils had established a comfortable lead with halftime approaching.
But with their NCAA Tournament chances hanging in the balance, the Tigers were not done yet. Guard Demontez Stitt, who is battling strep throat, hit two jumpers and Bryan Narcisse added four points as Clemson responded with a 14-6 run that tied the game at 34 with two minutes to play before the half. A pair of Mason Plumlee free throws would give Duke a two-point advantage heading into the locker room.
“I thought that was a very critical time,” Krzyzewski said. “They could have really taken control of the game with that run. They came back and knocked us back. But to get the lead at halftime was crucial for us.”
In the second half, a more balanced offensive attack helped the Blue Devils overcome a feisty Clemson (19-10, 8-7) squad that refused to back down. Smith and Singler continued to pave the way in the second half: Smith finished the game with 21 points while shooting 7-for-20 from the field, and Singler recorded a double-double in his last game with 18 points and 11 rebounds.
It was Duke’s role players, however, that would make the difference in this game. Curry was instrumental in the win, hitting shots at opportune moments en route to scoring 18 points and shooting 50 percent from beyond the arc.
“I’m trying to be more consistent bringing that third punch every game,” Curry said. “We need a third scoring option. Most teams come in keying on Nolan and Kyle.”
With Curry tossing in jumpshots, Mason Plumlee made his mark inside. The sophomore forward sank an uncharacteristic 4-of-5 free throws, and took over several offensive possessions that ended with a smooth spin-move from the post and a powerful slam-dunk.
Despite Curry and Plumlee’s supporting play, the Tigers were within striking distance for most of the second half behind big performances from Stitt and Milton Jennings. Despite feeling ill, Stitt was the catalyst to Clemson’s offense, constantly creating scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates. Stitt finished with a team-high 14 points and four assists, and Jennings added 10 points.
But with seven minutes left to play, Curry nailed a 3-pointer that extended Duke’s lead to eight and the Tigers were unable to close the gap any further.
Singler checked out of the game after sinking a free throw, and Smith capped his career in Cameron with a ferocious dunk in the last minute of play. After the game the Blue Devils’ mind-set shifted to their upcoming showdown with North Carolina for the ACC title, but first the seniors addressed an attentive Cameron crowd after the game, thanking them for four years of support.
“I thought of it being my last time,” Smith said. “There’s been so many memories that I can’t process them all, but walking in here, I got emotional…. I think I got out everything I wanted to say, but whatever I didn’t get out, I’ll just tweet it.”
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