HALFTIME: Duke 30, Connecticut 25

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.—Head coaches Mike Krzyzewski and Kevin Ollie both were disappointed coming off lackluster wins against weaker nonconference opponents. They cannot be too much happier with their first-half performances tonight as Duke squeezed out a 30-25 lead heading into the break.

Connecticut struggled from the free throw line, shot 20 percent, committed nine turnovers and racked up foul trouble down low. The Blue Devils, despite their five-point lead, turned the ball over 12 times and shot just 33 percent from the floor—its lowest first-half average for the season.

After a 40-point, 13-rebound game against Coppin State Sunday, Connecticut center Amida Brimah took himself out of the first half. After being benched for picking up a blocking foul 12 seconds into the contest, the seven-footer picked up his second foul immediately upon returning to the court, guarding Jahlil Okafor high in the key.

Okafor and forward Amile Jefferson combined for 13 rebounds against the Brimah-less Huskies, but Okafor did not capitalize on offense. The Blue Devil freshman scored just five points on 1-of-3 shooting and missed two free throws. Jefferson, however, found himself wide open down low often and combined with point guard Tyus Jones to score 20 of the Blue Devils 30 points.

Connecticut's leading scorer Ryan Boatright kept his squad in the game with nine points, five rebounds and two steals but could not get any help on kickouts as the young Huskies went 0-for-five from beyond the arc.

Observations from the first half:

• The Huskies' frontcourt racked up the fouls in the first half. In addition to Brimah's two fouls in one minute of playing time, starter Kentan Facey and substitute Rakim Lubin each recorded two fouls substitute as substitute Phillip Nolan picked up three.
  
• Tyus Jones has been uncharacteristically sloppy with the ball with two turnovers already. With a chance to have one last shot before the break, he sent a pass well over Jefferson and into the stands.
• Coming off a TV timeout, Duke co-captain Quinn Cook dribbled out a shot clock without even realizing his team needed to get a shot off, showing a lack of court awareness.
• Boatright had little trouble getting to the elbows for pull-up jumpers and passes to the perimeter but struggled when Jefferson came above screens for the trap.