Over the next three weeks, The Blue Zone will be counting down the top five performances from each of Duke’s graduating seniors during their collegiate careers. This week, we continue with guard Seth Curry.
No. 4: Curry leads the way as Krzyzewski wins No. 903
The date: November 15, 2011
The game: Duke 74, Michigan State 69
Curry statline: Curry goes 4-for-7 from the field—including a pair of 3-pointers—and hits 10-of-12 free throws to score 20 points and in helping head coach Mike Krzyzewski break the record for most wins in Division I history, surpassing his mentor Bob Knight. In an all-around effort, Curry led the team with seven rebounds, four assists and four steals.
The breakdown: When the final buzzer rang in Madison Square Garden, it was not Andre Dawkins’ 26-point effort or Curry’s clutch free throw shooting that was discussed. Instead the only discussion was centered around head coach Mike Krzyzewski moving into the No. 1 spot on the all-time wins list. But Krzyzewski's milestone would not have been hit if it weren't for the performances of those two guards, which allowed for the Blue Devils to overcome early mistakes and defeat the Michigan State Spartans 74-69.
Early on in the contest, Dawkins kept the team afloat, with 14 first-half points, but Curry, behind a perfect 4-for-4 effort from the charity stripe, also managed to contribute to the Blue Devils’ offense.
Leading only 34-33 going into the half, Duke came out a more determined team in the second half, playing with a newfound confidence that led to an extraordinary offensive output.
With the Blue Devils leading 41-40 with 16:41 remaining, they went on a 20-1 run over a seven minute span, putting the game virtually out of reach for the Spartans. Curry knocked down a 3-pointer and a pair of free throws during this run, while also managing to come away with three steals.
Curry's clutch free throw shooting was on display late, as he nailed 3-of-4 from the line under the final minute alone. Curry also pulled down a Duke career-high seven rebounds, an uncharacteristically large rebounding number for a guard.
In the final seconds, Curry secured his seventh rebound off a missed Draymond Green 3-point shot to end the game and solidify Coach K’s spot in history.
The quote: “It’s special,” said Seth Curry, who had 20 points and a team-high seven rebounds. “It’s something I’m going to remember for the rest of my life, and I hope college basketball will [too].”
Previous Curry performances
No. 5: Curry leads comeback against North Carolina
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