It was the type of play J.J. Redick has made hundreds of times during his four years at Duke.
He started at the baseline and cut around Lee Melchionni's screen. DeMarcus Nelson passed the senior the ball as he crossed outside the three-point line. Redick caught the ball, squared his shoulders to the basket and shot-his trademark lightening-quick release nearly identical to each of the 413 career three-point shots he had made up until that point.
When the shot arched over the outstretched arm of Wake Forest's Justin Gray and splashed into the net, it finally became official. The best long-distance shooter in college basketball history finally held the NCAA mark for most career three-pointers made.
The motion before the shot was similar to one of the Blue Devils' most recognizable offensive sets-a play they call "circle." The record-breaker did not come off of a called play, but the screening action was similar. Redick said he had run around that same screen and taken that same shot hundreds of times.
But this time, it meant more than just three points.
"As far as the record goes, it's something that maybe after the season I'll be able to look back on it and really appreciate it, but I'm more focused on what this team is doing," Redick said. "And today, my only comment on the record is I have great teammates and without them I wouldn't be able to set any records."
Forgive Redick for his modesty-he said the right things. But everyone in Cameron Indoor Stadium knew that last night truly belonged to No. 4.
From the signs the crowd held up before and during the game-one said "J.J. be my Valentine"-to the record-breaking play, to the post-game ceremony honoring Redick, it was all about J.J.
As the game neared its end, Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski gave the home fans a chance to show their appreciation. Play stopped for a television timeout after a foul on Shelden Williams with 2:28 remaining. But rather than taking Redick out during the stoppage, Krzyzewski left him in the game. After one of Wake Forest guard Sharmaine Dukes' two free throws, Krzyzewski removed him from the game to a thunderous applause.
Redick walked past all of his teammates on the bench, pausing in front of each one for a handshake and a hug.
Even as Redick has averaged nearly 30 points per game this season-putting himself in position to become the ACC's all-time leading scorer and the first major-conference player to lead the nation in scoring since Glenn Robinson in 1994-he has maintained that Duke's team accomplishments remain the real story. But judging from Krzyzewski's end-of-game actions, even the famously team-first coach knew that last night was all Redick's.
After the game, the entire team stayed on the floor, as former record holder Curtis Staples and athletic director Joe Alleva walked to center court, holding the game ball. Redick walked from Duke's bench to receive the ball from Staples.
The greatest three-point shooter in NCAA history held the ball aloft with two hands, then cradled the ball under his arm while he pointed and nodded at the fans. And as he looked up, holding the ball, following his third-to-last home game, he looked ready to shed a few tears.
"No, I wasn't tearing up," he said after the game. "Before tonight we were saying we had three more times in this building, so I'm sure at some point in time over the next few weeks I'm going to get emotional. It wasn't tonight. It wasn't tonight. But I will get emotional."
In the locker room, the Blue Devils seemed honored to have had the opportunity to play in Redick's record-breaking game. Guard Sean Dockery said watching his good friend and freshman-year roommate break the record was an emotional experience for him.
"You always see these things in highlights-coming up, you know, 20 years ago this guy did this record," point guard Greg Paulus said. "To be a part of it and to have him be such a good guy as well as teammate, it's something that he's really proud of and I know that we're really proud of him."
Staples-like Redick, a Roanoke, Va. native-was not the only Virginia prep legend the Duke superstar passed last night. On an otherwise unmemorable three-pointer in the middle of the second half, Redick moved past Bryant Stith-a guard/forward at Virginia from 1988-1992-for fourth place on the ACC's all-time scoring list.
Redick and Stith, though separated in age by 14 years, share a connection.
"He was a little bit before my time," Redick said of Stith. "But we both played for [coach] Boo Williams for AAU, so I got to hear a lot of stories about him and how much of a killer he was."
After the game, Redick talked about his path to breaking the national three-point record. He credited his decision to devote himself to Blue Devil basketball following his sophomore season-"giving my heart to Duke," in his words.
It was an oddly appropriate choice of words on Valentine's Day, when Redick's record-breaking performance gave Blue Devil fans a lot to love.
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