Duke basketball season highlights: Tyler Thornton

This week on The Blue Zone we will be running down the top performances from the 2013-2014 season for each of the departing Blue Devils. Today, we take a look at Tyler Thornton.

Tyler Thornton, Guard, Senior

3) Dec. 3, 2013 vs. Michigan: Thornton contributed heavily to Duke's gritty defensive effort in the Blue Devils' 79-69 win, their first win of the season against a ranked opponent. Along with freshman guard Matt Jones, Thornton played a major role in denying Michigan's best player—Nik Stauskas—touches. Stauskas finished with just four points and only had two shot attempts for the game. In addition to his stellar defensive performance, Thornton knocked down two 3-pointers to collect six points. He also grabbed two boards and handed out one assist.

2) Feb. 22, 2014 vs. Syracuse: As has been the case throughout his career, Thornton helped swing a game's momentum with his energy on defense. The Washington, D.C. native's three steals helped fuel Duke's transition game, which gave the Blue Devils a decisive advantage in their 66-60 victory. Thornton also added eight points, making both of his field goals and going 3-of-4 from the free throw line, and had three assists.

1) Feb. 1, 2014 at Syracuse: Although Thornton's solid performance against the Orange at Cameron Indoor Stadium was a deciding factor in Duke's victory, his heroics three weeks prior provided his best highlights of the season. After playing just four minutes in the first half, the senior captain re-entered the game late in the contest and knocked down three consecutive 3-pointers to help the Blue Devils cut the Syracuse lead to two with 4:22 left in the contest. Thornton's hot shooting set the stage for Rasheed Sulaimon's dramatic buzzer beater that sent the game into overtime and brought back memories of the shot he hit in 2011 that clinched the Maui Invitational.

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