Beyond the arc: Duke basketball vs. Virginia

No. 23 Duke used sophomore guard Rasheed Sulaimon’s go-ahead 3-pointer that bounced high off the iron before dropping with 19.2 seconds left in the game to hold off Virginia 69-65 Monday at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Sulaimon and sophomore forward Amile Jefferson, who had 10 points and 15 rebounds, were the main reasons the Blue Devils were able to avenge last season’s loss to the Cavaliers. Jefferson assisted on Sulaimon’s dramatic trey and came up with the game-clinching steal and free throws, allowing Duke to remain unbeaten at home and get back to .500 in conference play. Duke was able to overcome another poor performance from freshman phenom Jabari Parker, who had just eight points on 3-of-11 shooting.

Revisiting the three keys to the game:

• Compete on the boards: Led by Jefferson, the Blue Devils did a much better job competing on the boards than they did in their loss to Clemson. Virginia still outrebounded Duke 34-31 and corralled 13 offensive boards, but Duke did a much better job securing block-outs and fighting for every loose ball. The Cavaliers had a size advantage and are known for their physicality on the boards, but the Blue Devils hung with them enough on Monday to get the win.

• Play a full 40 minutes: The Blue Devils struggled once again down the stretch in a conference game, squandering a 63-52 lead with 3:45 lead and allowing Virginia to go on a 13-1 run. However, rather than hanging their heads, Duke’s players stuck together and found a way to truly grind out a win and overcome adversity late in a close battle. The Blue Devils probably did not close the game the way they wanted to, but are getting closer to competing at a high level for a full 40 minutes.

• Get to the free throw line: Duke attempted 20 free throws, including 17 in the second half, and was in attack mode for most of the game against a tough, physical defense. Although they got to the charity stripe at a solid clip in the second half, the Blue Devils left some points at the charity stripe and missed costly free throws. Junior point guard Quinn Cook missed the front end of a 1-and-1 and the hero, Sulaimon, also missed a late free throw, allowing Virginia to complete its comeback. Nonetheless, the fact that the Blue Devils figured out how to get those attempts late in the game bodes well going forward.

Three key plays:

• Duke knocks down 10 treys, shoots 45.5 percent from deep: The Blue Devils did not the shoot the ball as well as they can, but often got timely 3-pointers—including four by Sulaimon—late in the shot clock when Virginia’s defense prevented Duke from going inside. The ability to make contested 3-pointers with the pressure on in a tight game is extremely rare, but one this Duke team seems to have.

• Virginia shoots 30.4 percent in the first half: Sparked by the insertion of freshman guard Matt Jones into the starting lineup, Duke’s defense was active and aggressive in the first half. The Blue Devils also used hockey-style line changes to keep themselves fresh in the physical contest—it paid dividends in the first period. The Cavaliers struggled to get anything going until head coach Tony Bennett made halftime adjustments.

• Jefferson grabs five offensive rebounds: The sophomore forward’s efforts on Monday cannot be overstated, as he consistently outworked Virginia’s players despite the Cavaliers’ superior size. His ability to get Duke extra possessions was huge, especially considering Virginia’s stingy halfcourt defense.

And the Duke game ball goes to… Rasheed Sulaimon

Surprise, surprise. The sophomore guard looked like himself and had his best game of the season, setting an aggressive tone on both ends of the court. He finished with 21 points on 7-of-11 shooting, including 4-of-5 from 3-point range and 3-of-4 from the free throw line. Although Jefferson is very deserving of the game ball, Sulaimon’s ability to make tough shots was the difference in the game.

And the Virginia game ball goes to… Joe Harris

This was also a close race, as Harris and guards Justin Anderson and Malcolm Brogdon were all equally instrumental in sparking the Cavaliers’ dramatic comeback. Harris gets the nod because he made two 3-pointers that kept Virginia within striking distance early in the game when it looked like the Blue Devils could seize control of the game. Additionally, Harris did an outstanding job of limiting redshirt sophomore forward Rodney Hood late in the contest. It was not a heroic 36-point effort like the one he had last season, but Harris’ 15 points and seven boards were hard-earned and inspired his whole team.