It had the makings of a total confidence killer.
With Duke clinging to a 70-65 lead with 1:04 to play Nov. 30 against Indiana, Blue Devil point guard Greg Paulus stepped to the foul line. With 17,343 white-clad Indiana fans chanting "Air ball"-a reminder of the freshman's second-half shot that missed everything-Paulus missed the free throw.
On its next possession, Indiana hit two free throws to cut Duke's lead to three.
When Duke (6-0) inbounded the ball to Paulus, the Hoosiers almost immediately fouled him and as the freshman took the long walk to the line, the "Air ball" chant resounded in the arena. It was clear that unless Paulus made the ensuing free throws, his 39-minute, nine-point, six-assist night would not mean a thing.
With ACC play just days away-the Blue Devils open the conference schedule at home Sunday at 8 p.m. against Virginia Tech (5-2)-the last thing Duke needed was for Paulus to squander such a confidence-building night in the game's final stages.
But the first one bounced twice on the rim and fell through and the second was a perfect swish. Paulus made two more free throws in the game's final minute-both touched nothing but net-to help the Blue Devils seal the victory.
"I really wanted a chance to redeem myself," Paulus said, smiling when the subject of the one missed free throw was brought up. "I got a chance to do it, and knocked them down."
No. 1 Duke's win in Bloomington may have been the point guard's coming out party, but a Blue Devil team left shorthanded by DeMarcus Nelson's injury needs Paulus to deliver quality minutes every night. Sunday's home game will not offer the same hostile environment as the Indiana contest, but Paulus will again be counted on to perform.
The Blue Devils, however, know they can rely on the freshman. Senior J.J. Redick said the biggest lesson the team learned Wednesday night was that they could count on Paulus and head coach Mike Krzyzewski praised the point guard's poise.
"I love what Paulus did tonight," Krzyzewski said. "In this atmosphere, that pressure, him being a freshman and this being our first road game of the year-he played very well."
The Hokies finished tied for fourth in the ACC last season with an 8-8 conference mark, but they have lost to Ohio State and Bowling Green in the early part of this season. Entering the week they were only scoring 69 points per game, which ranked second-to-last in the conference.
But the Blue Devils know better than to take Virginia Tech lightly. The last time the teams squared off, Feb. 17 in Blacksburg, Va., the unranked Hokies toppled then-No. 7 Duke, 67-65. Returning starters Coleman Collins, Zabian Dowdell and Jamon Gordon each played a big role in the Hokies' win.
Gordon tipped in a rebound with 32 seconds left to give the Hokies a two-point lead, and Duke answered with a three-pointer of its own. But with 15 seconds to play, Dowdell drained a three-pointer to provide the final margin. Collins grabbed 18 rebounds, earning ACC Player of the Week honors.
This season, the trio of juniors has continued to impress. Dowdell is averaging 14.4 points per game, and fellow guard Gordon is averaging 5.3 assists, which is tops in the league. Collins, a center, shook off an inconsistent start to the season to post back-to-back 14 point, 14 rebound games.
For Virginia Tech head coach Seth Greenberg, the game will mark his first return to Durham since being ejected in Virginia Tech's 100-65 loss to the Blue Devils Jan. 30.
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