The No. 15 Miami Hurricanes defended their home court Monday night with an 80-69 victory against No. 24 Duke. The hosts outshot the Blue Devils 51 percent to 42 percent from the field, as they shared the rock and found open looks against a Duke team that is depleted in the frontcourt.
Revisiting the three keys to the game:
Clamp down on McClellan
The Blue Devils knew going into the game that Miami guard Sheldon McClellan—the team's leading scorer at 16.0 points per game—would be a force to be reckoned with. Apart from an alley-oop on the game's opening play, Duke's zone defense quieted the redshirt senior in the first half, as he scored just five points during the stanza. But McClellan broke out beginning midway in the second half, making his last six field goals en route to a game-high 21 points. The Houston native recorded two dunks, two layups and a free throw in final 4:11, all but sealing the Hurricanes’ victory as the Blue Devils could not come from behind.
Keep Plumlee producing
Center Marshall Plumlee never got going offensively against the physical Hurricane interior. He did make three trips to the charity stripe and went 5-of-6 on free throws, but the Warsaw, Ind., native managed just one field goal on four attempts. Plumlee did not often get the ball in position to make a post move, and the Blue Devils' inability to get him involved in the offense forced his teammates to settle for tougher looks as well. He compensated with nine rebounds, including four offensive boards, and stayed out of foul trouble due to Duke's decision to go zone, but the Blue Devils would have greatly benefited from a stronger scoring outing from the graduate student.
Crash the boards
The Blue Devils outrebounded Miami team 37-33, but surrendered 42 points in the paint as the Hurricanes were able to get easy looks. Freshman swingman Brandon Ingram—who went 8-of-13 from the field for a team-high 19 points—led the way with 10 rebounds and freshman guard Luke Kennard tallied five defensive boards.
Three key plays
- 17:16 remaining, second half: A Davon Reed jumper helps the Hurricanes respond to two baskets by Duke to begin the half. The shot kickstarted a 16-6 Miami run, as Miami began to pull away from a Blue Devil team that has struggled during second halves throughout ACC play.
- 8:46 remaining, second half: With Duke down 14, Ingram hits a 3-pointer that brought the Blue Devils back to life. Duke went on a 14-5 run to pull within five that culminated with a Plumlee dunk—his only field goal of the game—but that was the closest Duke would get. The Hurricanes responded with points on their next two possessions to keep the Blue Devils at bay.
- 1:02 remaining, second half: Perennial Duke nemesis Angel Rodriguez splashes home his final points from the charity stripe. Duke had closed the deficit to just six after an Ingram tip-in, but Miami once again broke loose offensively. The free throws helped put the game enough out of reach that Duke never chose to foul the Hurricanes during the contest's final minute.
Three key stats
- Miami recorded 24 assists to Duke's 8: Rodriguez led the way with 11 dimes as Miami used a strong first-half effort from beyond the arc to open passing lanes against the Duke zone. On several occasions, the Hurricanes used alley-oops to score over the top, but also found the sweet spot in the middle of the paint. Rodriguez turned on the jets late in the game, going on the break consistently and allowing the Hurricanes to get easy shots at or above the rim.
- Miami out-blocks Duke 7-0: The Blue Devils once again were hampered by their limited size. Grayson Allen soared to the hoop frequently, but he was often met by a slew of Hurricane defenders. Duke struggled to find open looks in the key in the second half and was outscored 30-16 in the paint during the frame.
- The Hurricanes make nine of their last 10 field goals: Duke made shots down the stretch, and came within six after Allen's layup with 2:31 left. But Miami went on a 5-2 run in response and scored 18 points in the last 4:45. The Hurricanes generated relatively easy looks down the stretch, including three dunks and four layups.
And the Duke game ball goes to… Brandon Ingram
The Kinston, N.C., native shot 8-of-13 from the field and finished with a double-double—19 points and 10 rebounds. In the first half, he overcame contact that went uncalled and tossed up a floater in the paint that found the bottom of the net. Ingram also hit a 3-pointer in the second half that sparked a Blue Devil rally, and his long arms up top helped a backcourt defense that overall held its own against a sharpshooting Miami team. He was, however, the only member of Duke to shoot better than 50 percent from the field.
And the Miami game ball goes to… Angel Rodriguez
The Cupey, Puerto Rico, native had 13 points points Monday, but he spread the wealth throughout the contest, contributing 11 assists, throwing up several alley-hoops and threading the needle against the Blue Devils. Rodriguez's perimeter defense also helped hold Duke to just a 30-percent rate from beyond the arc.
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