Sports

Sports

March 07, 2010
Courtney Douglas/The Chronicle

This is how it was supposed to end.

For recruited seniors Jon Scheyer, Brian Zoubek and Lance Thomas, this is how Duke’s last home game of the 2009-2010 season was meant to go: a 16-point lead nine minutes in, a 27-point advantage at the break, and ultimately, an 82-50 victory that gave the Blue Devils their first win over North Carolina in Cameron Indoor Stadium in five tries.

March 05, 2010
Ian Soileau

Seniors Jon Scheyer, Lance Thomas and Brian Zoubek are no strangers to success in Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Over the past three seasons, the Blue Devils are 47-2 at home.  In Cameron, they have won 15 games this year by double figures and have defeated 12 of their last 16 opponents by 20 points more.

But there is one goal the seniors have yet to accomplish on their home court: beat North Carolina. Saturday night at 9 p.m., the trio will have its final chance to do so.

March 05, 2010

As most students make travel plans for spring break, Duke welcomes Temple (0-7) for a three-game set at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. The Blue Devils (4-3) hope to extend their three-game winning streak off the strength of last weekend’s sweep of Fordham.

The Owls, out of the Atlantic 10, have started the year slowly but have still put runs on the board, averaging nearly eight runs over their last five games. Their struggles largely stem from the poor performance of an experienced pitching staff, combining for a team ERA of 11.75.  

March 05, 2010
Nate Glencer

The No. 9 Blue Devils enter the postseason fresh off a first-place finish in the ACC.

And after securing a share of the regular season title in its win over Virginia Feb. 26, Duke’s next goal is simple: winning a conference tournament championship.

March 05, 2010

Duke is hungry for victory. After starting the season ranked 19th, the Blue Devils have fallen out of the Top 25. A win against No. 4 Texas (11-1) at Sheffield Indoor Tennis Center Friday at 2 p.m., however, could change that fact.

“[Texas] is good and they are going to play well and make their runs, but when it comes down to crunch time and we’re in position to win, we have to move forward,” assistant coach Josh Goffi said.

March 05, 2010
Chase Olivieri

In the days leading up to his last Duke-North Carolina game at the Dean E. Smith Center last month, Tar Heel senior forward Deon Thompson felt nothing short of optimism.

“This could be a great opportunity for this team to rally around this game and definitely come together to win [the remaining ACC games],” Thompson said.

March 05, 2010
Chronicle File

Duke’s West Campus is littered with historic athletic venues—throw a rock far enough and you’re liable to hit the 70-year-old Cameron Indoor Stadium, where both basketball teams play, or Wallace Wade Stadium, the football team’s home since the Great Depression. Even Koskinen Stadium, the site of both lacrosse and soccer, isn’t exactly a spring chicken. The Blue Devil baseball team, too, has its own classic on-campus venue, Jack Coombs Field, built in 1951 and named after the most successful coach in Duke baseball history.